Activation of antigen-specific B cells: role of T cells, cytokines, and antigen in induction of growth and differentiation.

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
T cells and cytokines were used to activate highly enriched populations of 2,4,6-trintrophenyl (TNP)-binding B cells (TNP-ABC). TNP-ABC did not proliferate or differentiate when they were cultured with thymus-dependent (TD) antigen, even in the presence of supernatants known to contain B cell growth and differentiation factors. Purified TNP-ABC did proliferate and differentiate when they were cultured with TD antigen in the presence of carrier-primed T cells and antigen (TNP-keyhole limpet hemocyanin), i.e., linked recognition. TNP-ABC blasts generated under conditions of linked recognition proliferated and differentiated in response to cytokines in the absence of T cells and antigen. Under conditions of nonlinked recognition (hapten and carrier on different molecules) TNP-ABC blasts also proliferated but did not differentiate in response to the same cytokines. Antigen-specific resting B cells must be activated by T cells and antigen prior to becoming responsive to cytokines. Activation under conditions of linked and nonlinked recognition generates 2 different types of blasts with regard to their subsequent response to cytokines.