Open AccessImmunologic abnormality in NZB/W Fl mice. Thymus‐independent expansion of B cells responding to interleukin‐6
Author(s) -
MIHARA M.,
FUKUI H.,
KOISHIHARA Y.,
SAITO M.,
OHSUGI Y.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
clinical & experimental immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.329
H-Index - 135
eISSN - 1365-2249
pISSN - 0009-9104
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2249.1990.tb05485.x
Subject(s) - biology , antibody , immunology , b cell , autoimmunity , ratón , immunoglobulin m , autoimmune disease , interleukin , interleukin 4 , cytokine , immunoglobulin g
SUMMARY We have previously reported that B cell abnormality in NZB/W Fl mice developed independently of thymus. Here we examined further whether B cells from NZB/W F1 mice respond to interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), a factor for terminal differentiation of B cells. When freshly isolated splenic B cells were incubated for 5 days in the presence of human IL‐6, an increased production of both IgM and IgG, including anti‐DNA antibody, was evident in NZB/W Fl mice; there was no increase in BALB/c mice. A magnitude of augmentation in IgG but not IgM production by IL‐6 became more apparent in older NZB/W F1 mice. The increased immunoglobulin production seen with IL‐6 was neutralized by treatment with rabbit anti‐recombinant human IL‐6 antibody. As B cells from athymic NZB/W Fl nude mice also responded to IL‐6, it was suggested that B cells in NZB/W Fl mice differentiated into the IL‐6‐responding state in a thymus‐independent manner. This B cell abnormality may be associated with the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease in NZB/W Fl mice.