Open AccessMemory CD4 T Cells That Express CXCR5 Provide Accelerated Help to B Cells
Author(s) -
Megan K. L. MacLeod,
Alexandria David,
Amy S. McKee,
Frances Crawford,
John W. Kappler,
Philippa Marrack
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
the journal of immunology/the journal of immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.737
H-Index - 372
eISSN - 1550-6606
pISSN - 0022-1767
DOI - 10.4049/jimmunol.1002955
Subject(s) - interleukin 21 , microbiology and biotechnology , cd40 , homing (biology) , cytotoxic t cell , biology , t cell , immunology , immune system , in vitro , genetics , ecology
CD4 T cell help for B cells is critical for effective Ab responses. Although many of the molecules involved in helper functions of naive CD4 T cells have been characterized, much less is known about the helper capabilities of memory CD4 T cells, an important consideration for the design of vaccines that aim to prime protective memory CD4 T cells. In this study, we demonstrate that memory CD4 T cells enable B cells to expand more rapidly and class switch earlier than do primary responding CD4 T cells. This accelerated response does not require large numbers of memory cells, and similar numbers of primary responding cells provide less effective help than do memory cells. However, only memory CD4 T cells that express the B cell follicle homing molecule, CXCR5, are able to accelerate the response, suggesting that the rapidity of the Ab response depends on the ability of CD4 memory T cells to migrate quickly toward B cells.