Balanced responsiveness to chemoattractants from adjacent zones determines B-cell position

K Reif, EH Ekland, L Ohl, H Nakano, M Lipp, R Förster… - Nature, 2002 - nature.com
K Reif, EH Ekland, L Ohl, H Nakano, M Lipp, R Förster, JG Cyster
Nature, 2002nature.com
B lymphocytes re-circulate between B-cell-rich compartments (follicles or B zones) in
secondary lymphoid organs, surveying for antigen. After antigen binding, B cells move to the
boundary of B and T zones to interact with T-helper cells,,. Despite the importance of B–T-
cell interactions for the induction of antibody responses, the mechanism causing B-cell
movement to the T zone has not been defined. Here we show that antigen-engaged B cells
have increased expression of CCR7, the receptor for the T-zone chemokines, CCL19 and …
Abstract
B lymphocytes re-circulate between B-cell-rich compartments (follicles or B zones) in secondary lymphoid organs, surveying for antigen. After antigen binding, B cells move to the boundary of B and T zones to interact with T-helper cells,,. Despite the importance of B–T-cell interactions for the induction of antibody responses, the mechanism causing B-cell movement to the T zone has not been defined. Here we show that antigen-engaged B cells have increased expression of CCR7, the receptor for the T-zone chemokines, CCL19 and CCL21, and that they exhibit increased responsiveness to both chemoattractants. In mice lacking lymphoid CCL19 and CCL21 chemokines, or with B cells that lack CCR7, antigen engagement fails to cause movement to the T zone. Using retroviral-mediated gene transfer we demonstrate that increased expression of CCR7 is sufficient to direct B cells to the T zone. Reciprocally, overexpression of CXCR5, the receptor for the B-zone chemokine CXCL13, is sufficient to overcome antigen-induced B-cell movement to the T zone. These findings define the mechanism of B-cell relocalization in response to antigen, and establish that cell position in vivo can be determined by the balance of responsiveness to chemoattractants made in separate but adjacent zones.
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