Publication
Dendritic cell-independent B cell activation during acute virus infection: a role for early CCR7-driven B-T helper cell collaboration
Journal Paper/Review - Feb 1, 2007
Scandella Elke, Fink Katja, Junt Tobias, Senn Beatrice M, Lattmann Evelyn, Förster Reinhold, Hengartner Hans, Ludewig Burkhard
Units
PubMed
Citation
Type
Journal
Publication Date
Issn Print
Pages
Brief description/objective
This study provides a detailed spatiotemporal interaction analysis between B cells, Th cells, and dendritic cells (DC) during the generation of protective antiviral B cell immunity. Following vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) infection, conditional ablation of CD11c-positive DC at the time-point of infection did not impair extrafollicular plasma cell generation and Ig class switching. In contrast, the generation of Th and B cell responses following immunization with recombinant VSV-glycoprotein was DC-dependent. Furthermore, we show that the CCR7-dependent interplay of the three cell-types is crucial for virus-neutralizing B cell responses in the presence of limiting amounts of Ag. An immediate event following VSV infection was the CCR7-mediated interaction of VSV-specific B and Th cells at the T cell-B cell zone border that facilitated plasma cell differentiation and Th cell activation. Taken together, these experiments provide evidence for a direct, CCR7-orchestrated and largely DC-independent mutual activation of Th cells and Ag-specific B cells that is most likely a critical step during early immune responses against cytopathic viruses.