Cremophor EL as an adjuvant affecting immunoglobulin class switch in the immune response to the thymus-independent antigen alpha(1- greater than 3) dextran B 1355 S. (73/168)

The humoral immune response to the so-called thymus independent antigen dextran B 1355 S in conventionally raised BALB/c mice consists solely of IgM antibodies. Expression of IgG anti-Dex antibodies in these mice is prevented by pre- or perinatally activated idiotype-specific T-suppressor lymphocytes. IgG B-memory cells nevertheless develop during the course of immunization, but are arrested in an anergic state. In the presence of Cremophor EL the induction of this anergic state is inhibited and the immune response shifts fully to an IgG anti-Dex response.  (+info)

Adjuvant-enhanced antibody responses in the absence of toll-like receptor signaling. (74/168)

Innate immune signals mediated by Toll-like receptors (TLRs) have been thought to contribute considerably to the antibody-enhancing effects of vaccine adjuvants. However, we report here that mice deficient in the critical signaling components for TLR mount robust antibody responses to T cell-dependent antigen given in four typical adjuvants: alum, Freund's complete adjuvant, Freund's incomplete adjuvant, and monophosphoryl-lipid A/trehalose dicorynomycolate adjuvant. We conclude that TLR signaling does not account for the action of classical adjuvants and does not fully explain the action of a strong adjuvant containing a TLR ligand. This may have important implications in the use and development of vaccine adjuvants.  (+info)

Functional relationship between T15 and J558 idiotypes in BALB/c mice. (75/168)

In inbred strains of mice, antiphosphorylcholine (PC) and anti-alpha 1,3 dextran (DEX) antibodies are structurally distinct from each other and have been shown to exhibit noncross-reactive antigen binding and idiotypic specificities. However, the prototype anti-PC and anti-DEX antibodies, TEPC15 and J558, respectively, were shown to be connected via a common autoantiidiotypic monoclonal antibody isolated from newborn BALB/c mice. The capacity of various monoclonal anti-PC and anti-DEX antibodies as well as the antigens PC and DEX to modulate T15 and J558 idiotypes in BALB/c mice was tested by their administration to newborn mice. Anti-PC antibodies of the T15 idiotype injected into 2-4-day-old mice, at a time when T15+ anti-PC precursors develop in BALB/c mice, suppressed the anti-PC response of these mice at 6 weeks of age. Similarly, J558 antibodies injected into 8-12-day-old mice, at a time when J558 precursors normally develop, suppressed the response to DEX. As a further demonstration of this connectivity, the injection of J558 into 4-day-old mice led to a down modulation of T15 idiotype, whereas both T15 and a minor idiotype-expressing antibody M167 when injected into 8-12-day-old mice caused a reduction in expression of the J558 idiotype. As predicted from in vitro analysis, injection of anti-PC antibodies of the M167 idiotype 2 to 4 days after birth enhanced the subsequent response to PC. However, anti-PC antibodies expressing another minor M603 idiotype did not affect the PC response. The results parallel the in vitro enhancement of M167 antibodies but not M603 on T15 binding to antiidiotype in vitro. Similarly, anti-DEX antibodies expressing the M104E idiotype had no detectable effects on the capacity to respond to PC or DEX or on the expression of T15 and J558 idiotypes as adults. Exposure of newborn mice to PC led to a dramatic reduction in the response to DEX as adults, whereas exposure to DEX at this stage of development had no effect on response to PC as adults. Collectively, these observations provide evidence for a complex functional connectivity between T15 and J558 idiotype-bearing B cells during ontogeny and extend our previous observations that development of these idiotypes is regulated by idiotype-directed interactions between B cells or their immunoglobulin products.  (+info)

Nasal cholera toxin elicits IL-5 and IL-5 receptor alpha-chain expressing B-1a B cells for innate mucosal IgA antibody responses. (76/168)

In this study, we examine whether native cholera toxin (nCT) as a mucosal adjuvant can support trinitrophenyl (TNP)-LPS-specific mucosal immune responses. C57BL/6 mice were given nasal TNP-LPS in the presence or absence of nCT. Five days later, significantly higher levels of TNP-specific mucosal IgA Ab responses were induced in the nasal washes, saliva, and plasma of mice given nCT plus TNP-LPS than in those given TNP-LPS alone. High numbers of TNP-specific IgA Ab-forming cells were also detected in mucosal tissues such as the nasal passages (NPs), the submandibular glands (SMGs), and nasopharyngeal-associated lymphoreticular tissue of mice given nCT. Flow cytometric analysis showed that higher numbers of surface IgA+, CD5+ B cells (B-1a B cells) in SMGs and NPs of mice given nasal TNP-LPS plus nCT than in those given TNP-LPS alone. Furthermore, increased levels of IL-5R alpha-chain were expressed by B-1a B cells in SMGs and NPs of mice given nasal TNP-LPS plus nCT. Thus, CD4+ T cells from these mucosal effector lymphoid tissues produce high levels of IL-5 at both protein and mRNA levels. When mice were treated with anti-IL-5 mAb, significant reductions in TNP-specific mucosal IgA Ab responses were noted in external secretions. These findings show that nasal nCT as an adjuvant enhances mucosal immune responses to a T cell-independent Ag due to the cross-talk between IL-5Ralpha+ B-1a B cells and IL-5-producing CD4+ T cells in the mucosal effector lymphoid tissues.  (+info)

CD36 is differentially expressed on B cell subsets during development and in responses to antigen. (77/168)

Of a number of mAbs made by immunization with sort-purified marginal zone (MZ) B cells, one was shown to recognize the mouse scavenger receptor CD36. Although CD36 is expressed by most resting MZ B cells and not by follicular and B1 B cells, it is rapidly induced on follicular B cells in vitro following TLR and CD40 stimulation. In response to T-independent and T-dependent Ag challenge, we found that CD36 was expressed on IgM+ plasma cells, but down-regulated on isotype-switched plasma cells in vivo. Although development, localization, and phenotype of MZ B cells in CD36-/- mice appeared normal, there was a minor block in the transitional stages of mature B cell development. In both primary and secondary Ab responses to heat-killed Streptococcus pneumoniae (R36A strain), both phosphoryl choline (PC)-specific IgM and IgG levels in CD36-/- mice were slightly reduced compared with wild-type mice. In addition, mice deficient in both TLR2 and CD36 produced significantly reduced levels of anti-PC IgG titers than those of single gene-deficient mice, suggesting that they may cooperate in an anti-PC Ab response. Collectively, these results show that CD36 does not affect the development of B cells, but modulates both primary and secondary anti-PC Ab responses during S. pneumoniae infection similarly to TLR2.  (+info)

Antigen-independent selection of T15 idiotype during B-cell ontogeny in mice. (78/168)

Precursors of B cells capable of responding to a T-independent form of phosphorylcholine (PC) in splenic focus assays were detected in the spleens of neonatal mice as early as 4 days after birth. The earliest anti-PC B cells were T15-. T15+ foci-forming B cells were first detected 6 days after birth and expanded rapidly to constitute greater than 80% of the total PC-specific foci by day 10. Injection of heat-killed S. pneumoniae (R36A) into neonatal mice resulted in priming of the antibody response to PC, with an idiotype profile reflecting that of precursors of foci-forming B cells at the time of antigen administration. Priming of 2-day-old mice with 2 x 10(6) and 2 x 10(7) R36A induced a five- and ten-fold increase in the antibody response to phosphorylcholine 6 to 8 weeks later. However, only 10 to 15% of the serum antibodies expressed the normally dominant T15 idiotype. Doses below 2 x 10(5) R36A showed no detectable priming activity. PC-specific hybridomas derived from mice injected with 2 x 10(7) R36A 2 days after birth lacked the idiotypic and molecular characteristics typical of T15+ antibodies. Antibodies to phosphorylcholine, raised by immunization of 6-week-old mice are normally protective against pneumococcal infection. However, serum antibodies from mice treated with R36A 2 days after birth and responding to phosphorylcholine following challenge with R36A at 6 weeks of age failed to protect against deliberate infection with virulent S. pneumoniae. These observations imply that the antigen phosphorylcholine does not play a role in the selective expansion and dominant expression of the T15 idiotype.  (+info)

Cell intrinsic TGF-beta 1 regulation of B cells. (79/168)

TGF-beta family cytokines play multiple roles in immune responses. TGF-beta1-null mice suffer from multi-organ infiltration that leads to their premature death. T cells play a central role in the TGF-beta1 phenotype, as deficiency of TGF-beta1 only in T cells reproduces the lethal phenotype. Although it is known that TGF-beta1 controls B cells isotype switch and homeostasis, the source responsible for this control has not been characterized. Because of the major role that T cells play in regulating B cell responses, we addressed the T cell dependency of the TGF-beta1 control of B cells. The analysis of T cell-deficient, TGF-beta1 knockout mice and the production of chimeras in which B but not T cells lacked TGF-beta1 allowed us to show that B cells are controlled in part by cell autonomous production of TGF-beta1.  (+info)

CD11c expression identifies a population of extrafollicular antigen-specific splenic plasmablasts responsible for CD4 T-independent antibody responses during intracellular bacterial infection. (80/168)

Although T-independent immunity is known to be generated against bacterial capsular and cell wall polysaccharides expressed by a number of bacterial pathogens, it has not been studied in depth during intracellular bacterial infections. Our previous study demonstrated that Ehrlichia muris, an obligate intracellular tick-borne pathogen, generates protective classical TI responses in CD4 T cell-deficient C57BL/6 mice. We found that E. muris T-independent immunity is accompanied by the expansion of a very large extrafollicular spleen population of CD11c(low)-expressing plasmablasts that exhibit characteristics of both B-1 and marginal zone B cells. The plasmablasts comprised up to 15% of the total spleen lymphocytes and approximately 70% of total spleen IgM(high)IgD(low) cells during peak infection in both wild-type and MHC class II-deficient mice. The CD11c(low) cells exhibited low surface expression of B220, CD19, and CD1d, high expression of CD11b, CD43, but did not express CD5. Approximately 50% of the CD11c(low) cells also expressed CD138. In addition to CD11b and CD11c, the plasmablasts expressed the beta(1) (CD29) and alpha4 (CD49d) integrins, as well as the chemokine receptor CXCR4, molecules which may play roles in localizing the B cells extrafollicular region of the spleen. During peak infection, the CD11c(low) cells accounted for the majority of the IgM-producing splenic B cells and nearly all of the E. muris outer membrane protein-specific IgM-secreting cells. Thus, during this intracellular bacterial infection, CD11c expression identifies a population of Ag-specific spleen plasmablasts responsible for T-independent Ab production.  (+info)