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Understanding and making use of human memory B cells
Author(s) -
Lanzavecchia Antonio,
Bernasconi Nadia,
Traggiai Elisabetta,
Ruprecht Claudia R.,
Corti Davide,
Sallusto Federica
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
immunological reviews
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.839
H-Index - 223
eISSN - 1600-065X
pISSN - 0105-2896
DOI - 10.1111/j.0105-2896.2006.00403.x
Subject(s) - memory b cell , antibody , biology , antigen , immunological memory , human memory , monoclonal antibody , immunology , immune system , serology , in vitro , ex vivo , b cell , naive b cell , microbiology and biotechnology , t cell , antigen presenting cell , neuroscience , immunity , genetics , cognition
Summary: The work of our laboratory has focused on the study of human memory B cells. Using an in vitro approach we dissected the triggering requirements of B cells and unveiled a distinct role for TLRs in the activation of naive versus memory B cells. Using an ex vivo approach we analyzed the dynamics of memory B cells and ASCs and the kinetics of serum antibodies during secondary immune responses and in steady state conditions and used these quantitative data to build up a model of serological memory. According to this model memory B cells behave as `stem cells' capable of generating plasma cells and antibodies in an antigen‐dependent as well as in an antigen‐independent fashion. Finally we developed an efficient method to interrogate human memory B cells and to isolate human monoclonal antibodies. This method can be exploited for the production of neutralizing antibodies for serotherapy and for “analytic vaccinology”.