B lymphocyte sensitivity to IgM receptor ligation is independent of maturation stage and locally determined by macrophage-derived IFN-beta

Compartmentation of B lymphocyte populations is associated with differences in both development stage and sensitivity to Ig (sIg)-dependent triggering. In order to characterize the factors that contribute in setting the level of sensitivity of a B cell, we quantified sIgM-dependent regulation of Ig secretion in purified mature and immature B cells after ex vivo and in vivo modification of their environment. These analyses formally demonstrate that the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment locally induces high B cell sensitivity to sIgM ligation irrespective of differentiation stage. We further provide evidence that BM macrophages create a dominant environment that enhances B cell sensitivity to B cell receptor triggering. Finally, using ex vivo assays as well as type I IFN receptor-deficient mice we show that IFN-beta produced by resident BM macrophages is necessary and sufficient to define B cell sensitivity. Implications of these findings for the understanding of B cell selection processes are discussed.