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Recirculating and marginal zone B cell populations can be established and maintained independently of primary and secondary follicles
Author(s) -
Körner Heinrich,
Winkler Thomas H,
Sedgwick Jonathon D,
Röllinghoff Martin,
Basten Antony,
Cook Matthew C
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
immunology and cell biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.999
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1440-1711
pISSN - 0818-9641
DOI - 10.1046/j.1440-1711.2001.00984.x
Subject(s) - marginal zone , biology , spleen , population , b cell , germinal center , tumor necrosis factor alpha , immunology , endocrinology , microbiology and biotechnology , medicine , antibody , environmental health
In normal spleen, most recirculating naïve IgM + IgD hi B cells are located within primary follicles and mantle zones of secondary follicles. By contrast, the marginal zone contains a heterogeneous population of IgM hi IgD lo/‐ B cells that are mostly non‐recirculating. Although these are dynamic populations they are maintained at a constant size, the fundamental homeostatic mechanisms remain uncertain. One possibility is that the presence and turnover of each of the B cell populations is dependent on their location within discrete splenic compartments. To investigate this, we have characterized immature, non‐recirculating, mature recirculating, marginal zone and B‐1 cell populations in TNF −/− and TNF/lymphotoxin(LT)‐α −/− mice that have disorganized splenic architecture. Labelling with 5‐bromo‐2′‐deoxyuridine revealed that turnover of B cells in TNF −/− mice is normal, but is diminished in TNF/LT‐α −/− mice. The recirculating B cell populations in both mutant strains are normal in proportion and phenotype. Marginal zone B cells are not seen in TNF/LT‐α −/− mice, but this population appears normal in TNF −/− mice, even though they lack germinal centres. These findings indicate that peripheral B cell subsets can be established and maintained independently of normal follicular architecture.