Activation of B cells by antigens on follicular dendritic cells

MEM El Shikh, RM El Sayed, S Sukumar, AK Szakal… - Trends in …, 2010 - cell.com
MEM El Shikh, RM El Sayed, S Sukumar, AK Szakal, JG Tew
Trends in immunology, 2010cell.com
A need for antigen-processing and presentation to B cells is not widely appreciated.
However, cross-linking of multiple B cell receptors (BCRs) by T-independent antigens
delivers a potent signal that induces antibody responses. Such BCR cross-linking also
occurs in germinal centers where follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) present multimerized
antigens as periodically arranged antigen-antibody complexes (ICs). Unlike T cells that
recognize antigens as peptide-MHC complexes, optimal B cell-responses are induced by …
A need for antigen-processing and presentation to B cells is not widely appreciated. However, cross-linking of multiple B cell receptors (BCRs) by T-independent antigens delivers a potent signal that induces antibody responses. Such BCR cross-linking also occurs in germinal centers where follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) present multimerized antigens as periodically arranged antigen-antibody complexes (ICs). Unlike T cells that recognize antigens as peptide-MHC complexes, optimal B cell-responses are induced by multimerized FDC-ICs that simultaneously engage multiple BCRs. FDC-FcγRIIB mediates IC-periodicity and FDC-BAFF, FDC-IL-6 and FDC-C4bBP are co-stimulators. Remarkably, specific antibody responses can be induced by FDC-ICs in the absence of T cells, opening up the exciting possibility that people with T cell insufficiencies may be immunized with T-dependent vaccines via FDC-ICs.
cell.com