B cell receptor signaling in germinal centers prolongs survival and primes B cells for selection

Csk restrains BCR-mediated ROS production and contributes to germinal center selection and affinity maturation

Compared with naïve B cells, the B cell receptor (BCR) signal in germinal center (GC) B cells is attenuated; however, the significance of this signaling attenuation has not been well defined. Here, to investigate the role of attenuation of BCR signaling, we employed a Csk mutant mouse model in which Csk deficiency in GC B cells resulted in augmentation of net BCR signaling with no apparent effect on antigen presentation. We found that Csk is required for GC maintenance and efficient antibody affinity maturation. Mechanistically, ROS-induced apoptosis was exacerbated concomitantly with mitochondrial dysfunction in Csk-deficient GC B cells. Hence, our data suggest that attenuation of the BCR signal restrains hyper-ROS production, thereby protecting GC B cells from apoptosis and contributing to efficient affinity maturation.

Peripheral apoptosis and limited clonal deletion during physiologic murine B lymphocyte development

Self-reactive and polyreactive B cells generated during B cell development are silenced by either apoptosis, clonal deletion, receptor editing or anergy to avoid autoimmunity. The specific contribution of apoptosis to normal B cell development and self-tolerance is incompletely understood. Here, we quantify self-reactivity, polyreactivity and apoptosis during physiologic B lymphocyte development. Self-reactivity and polyreactivity are most abundant in early immature B cells and diminish significantly during maturation within the bone marrow. Minimal apoptosis still occurs at this site, however B cell receptors cloned from apoptotic B cells show comparable self-reactivity to that of viable cells. Apoptosis increases dramatically only following immature B cells leaving the bone marrow sinusoids, but above 90% of cloned apoptotic transitional B cells are not self-reactive/polyreactive. Our data suggests that an apoptosis-independent mechanism, such as receptor editing, removes most self-reactive B cells in the bone marrow. Mechanistically, lack of survival signaling rather than clonal deletion appears to be the underpinning cause of apoptosis in most transitional B cells in the periphery.

Elevated unphosphorylated STAT1 and IRF9 in T and B cells of primary sjögren's syndrome: Novel biomarkers for disease activity and subsets

OBJECTIVES

Autoreactive B cells and interferon (IFN) signature are hallmarks of primary sjögren's syndrome (pSS), but how IFN signaling pathways influence autoantibody production and clinical manifestations remain unclear. More detailed studies hold promise for improved diagnostic methodologies and personalized treatment.

METHODS

We analyzed peripheral blood T and B cell subsets from 34 pSS patients and 38 healthy donors (HDs) at baseline and upon stimulation regarding their expression levels of type I and II IFN signaling molecules (STAT1/2, IRF1, IRF9). Additionally, we investigated how the levels of these molecules correlated with serological and clinical characteristics and performed ROC analysis.

RESULTS

Patients showed elevated IFN pathway molecules, including STAT1, STAT2 and IRF9 among most T and B cell subsets. We found a reduced ratio of phosphorylated STAT1 and STAT2 in patients in comparison to HDs, although B cells from patients were highly responsive by increased phosphorylation upon IFN stimulation. Correlation matrices showed further interrelations between STAT1, IRF1 and IRF9 in pSS. Levels of STAT1 and IRF9 in T and B cells correlated with the IFN type I marker Siglec-1 (CD169) on monocytes. High levels of STAT1 and IRF9 within pSS B cells were significantly associated with hypergammaglobulinemia as well as anti-SSA/anti-SSB autoantibodies. Elevated STAT1 levels were found in patients with extraglandular disease and could serve as a biomarker for this subgroup (p < 0.01). Notably, IRF9 levels in T and B cells correlated with EULAR Sjögren's syndrome disease activity index (ESSDAI).

CONCLUSION

Here, we provide evidence that in active pSS patients, enhanced IFN signaling incl. unphosphorylated STAT1 and STAT2 with IRFs entertain chronic T and B cell activation. Furthermore, increased STAT1 levels candidate as biomarker of extraglandular disease, while IRF9 levels can serve as biomarker for disease activity.

Temporal dynamics and genomic programming of plasma cell fates

Affinity-matured plasma cells (PCs) of varying lifespans are generated through a germinal center (GC) response. The developmental dynamics and genomic programs of antigen-specific PC precursors remain to be elucidated. Here, using a model antigen in mice, we demonstrate biphasic generation of PC precursors, with those generating long-lived bone marrow PCs preferentially produced in the late phase of GC response. Clonal tracing using single-cell RNA sequencing and B cell antigen receptor sequencing in spleen and bone marrow compartments, coupled with adoptive transfer experiments, reveals a new PC transition state that gives rise to functionally competent PC precursors. The latter undergo clonal expansion, dependent on inducible expression of TIGIT. We propose a model for the proliferation and programming of precursors of long-lived PCs, based on extended antigen encounters in the GC.

BRWD1 establishes epigenetic states for germinal center initiation, maintenance, and function

Germinal center (GC) B cells segregate into three subsets that compartmentalize the antagonistic molecular programs of selection, proliferation, and somatic hypermutation. In bone marrow, the epigenetic reader BRWD1 orchestrates and insulates the sequential stages of cell proliferation and Igk recombination. We hypothesized BRWD1 might play similar insulative roles in the periphery. In Brwd1 -/- follicular B cells, GC initiation and class switch recombination following immunization were inhibited. In contrast, in Brwd1 -/- GC B cells there was admixing of chromatin accessibility across GC subsets and transcriptional dysregulation including induction of inflammatory pathways. This global molecular GC dysregulation was associated with specific defects in proliferation, affinity maturation, and tolerance. These data suggest that GC subset identity is required for some but not all GC-attributed functions. Furthermore, these data demonstrate a central role for BRWD1 in orchestrating epigenetic transitions at multiple steps along B cell developmental and activation pathways.

Vagus nerve stimulation modulates distinct acetylcholine receptors on B cells and limits the germinal center response

Acetylcholine is produced in the spleen in response to vagus nerve activation; however, the effects on antibody production have been largely unexplored. Here, we use a chronic vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) mouse model to study the effect of VNS on T-dependent B cell responses. We observed lower titers of high-affinity IgG and fewer antigen-specific germinal center (GC) B cells. GC B cells from chronic VNS mice exhibited altered mRNA and protein expression suggesting increased apoptosis and impaired plasma cell differentiation. Follicular dendritic cell (FDC) cluster dispersal and altered gene expression suggested poor function. The absence of acetylcholine-producing CD4+ T cells diminished these alterations. In vitro studies revealed that α7 and α9 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) directly regulated B cell production of TNF, a cytokine crucial to FDC clustering. α4 nAChR inhibited coligation of CD19 to the B cell receptor, presumably decreasing B cell survival. Thus, VNS-induced GC impairment can be attributed to distinct effects of nAChRs on B cells.

Regulation of BCR-mediated Ca2+ mobilization by MIZ1-TMBIM4 safeguards IgG1+ GC B cell-positive selection

The transition from immunoglobulin M (IgM) to affinity-matured IgG antibodies is vital for effective humoral immunity. This is facilitated by germinal centers (GCs) through affinity maturation and preferential maintenance of IgG+ B cells over IgM+ B cells. However, it is not known whether the positive selection of the different Ig isotypes within GCs is dependent on specific transcriptional mechanisms. Here, we explored IgG1+ GC B cell transcription factor dependency using a CRISPR-Cas9 screen and conditional mouse genetics. We found that MIZ1 was specifically required for IgG1+ GC B cell survival during positive selection, whereas IgM+ GC B cells were largely independent. Mechanistically, MIZ1 induced TMBIM4, an ancestral anti-apoptotic protein that regulated inositol trisphosphate receptor (IP3R)-mediated calcium (Ca2+) mobilization downstream of B cell receptor (BCR) signaling in IgG1+ B cells. The MIZ1-TMBIM4 axis prevented mitochondrial dysfunction-induced IgG1+ GC cell death caused by excessive Ca2+ accumulation. This study uncovers a unique Ig isotype-specific dependency on a hitherto unidentified mechanism in GC-positive selection.

The immunological understanding on germinal center B cells in psoriasis

The development of psoriasis is mainly driven by the dysregulation of T cells within the skin, marking a primary involvement of these cells in the pathogenesis. Although B cells are integral components of the immune system, their role in the initiation and progression of psoriasis is not as pivotal as that of T cells. The paradox of B cell suggests that, while it is crucial for adaptive immunity, B cells may contribute to the exacerbation of psoriasis. Numerous ideas proposed that there are potential relationships between psoriasis and B cells especially within germinal centers (GCs). Recent research projected that B cells might be triggered by autoantigens which then induced molecular mimicry to alter B cells activity within GC and generate autoantibodies and pro-inflammatory cytokines, form ectopic GC, and dysregulate the proliferation of keratinocytes. Hence, in this review, we gathered potential evidence indicating the participation of B cells in psoriasis within the context of GC, aiming to enhance our comprehension and advance treatment strategies for psoriasis thus inviting many new researchers to investigate this issue.

Cell cross talk within the lymphoma tumor microenvironment: follicular lymphoma as a paradigm

ABSTRACT

Follicular lymphoma (FL) is an indolent yet incurable germinal center B-cell lymphoma retaining a characteristic follicular architecture. FL tumor B cells are highly dependent on direct and indirect interactions with a specific and complex tumor microenvironment (TME). Recently, great progress has been made in describing the heterogeneity and dynamics of the FL TME and in depicting how tumor clonal and functional heterogeneity rely on the integration of TME-related signals. Specifically, the FL TME is enriched for exhausted cytotoxic T cells, immunosuppressive regulatory T cells of various origins, and follicular helper T cells overexpressing B-cell and TME reprogramming factors. FL stromal cells have also emerged as crucial determinants of tumor growth and remodeling, with a key role in the deregulation of chemokines and extracellular matrix composition. Finally, tumor-associated macrophages play a dual function, contributing to FL cell phagocytosis and FL cell survival through long-lasting B-cell receptor activation. The resulting tumor-permissive niches show additional layers of site-to-site and kinetic heterogeneity, which raise questions about the niche of FL-committed precursor cells supporting early lymphomagenesis, clonal evolution, relapse, and transformation. In turn, FL B-cell genetic and nongenetic determinants drive the reprogramming of FL immune and stromal TME. Therefore, offering a functional picture of the dynamic cross talk between FL cells and TME holds the promise of identifying the mechanisms of therapy resistance, stratifying patients, and developing new therapeutic approaches capable of eradicating FL disease in its different ecosystems.

Elevated enteric putrescine suppresses differentiation of intestinal germinal center B cells

The dysregulation of B cell maturation and putrescine metabolism has been implicated in various diseases. However, the causal relationship between them and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the impact of exogenous putrescine on B cell differentiation in the intestinal microenvironment. Our results demonstrated that administration of exogenous putrescine significantly impaired the proportion of germinal center B (GC B) cells in Peyer's patches (PPs) and lamina propria. Through integration of bulk RNA sequencing and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), we identified putrescine-mediated changes in gene drivers, including those involved in the B cell receptor (BCR) signaling pathway and fatty acid oxidation. Furthermore, putrescine drinking disrupted T-B cell interactions and increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in B cells. In vitro activation of B cells confirmed the direct suppression of putrescine on GC B cells differentiation and ROS production. Additionally, we explored the Pearson correlations between putrescine biosynthesis activity and B cell infiltration in pan-cancers, revealing negative correlations in colon adenocarcinoma, stomach adenocarcinoma, and lung adenocarcinoma, but positive correlations in liver hepatocellular carcinoma, and breast invasive carcinoma. Our findings provided novel insights into the suppressive effects of elevated enteric putrescine on intestinal B cells differentiation and highlighted the complex and distinctive immunoregulatory role of putrescine in different microenvironments. These findings expand our understanding of the role of polyamines in B cell immunometabolism and related diseases.

Memory B cells

Recent advances in studies of immune memory in mice and humans have reinforced the concept that memory B cells play a critical role in protection against repeated infections, particularly from variant viruses. Hence, insights into the development of high-quality memory B cells that can generate broadly neutralizing antibodies that bind such variants are key for successful vaccine development. Here, we review the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which memory B cells are generated and how these processes shape the antibody diversity and breadth of memory B cells. Then, we discuss the mechanisms of memory B cell reactivation in the context of established immune memory; the contribution of antibody feedback to this process has now begun to be reappreciated.

Sending positive signals and good (calcium) vibes

In this issue of JEM, Yada et al. (https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.20222178) demonstrate that effective antibody affinity selection in germinal centers relies on the store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) component of the B cell receptor (BCR) signaling network. Therefore, active BCR signaling is as relevant to positive selection as the function of BCRs as endocytic receptors, answering a question that had puzzled experts for a while. These findings transform our understanding of the mechanisms supporting adaptive immune responses (to vaccines, for example) and have important implications for interpreting the genomics and pathogenesis of germinal center-derived B cell lymphomas.

Role of affinity in plasma cell development in the germinal center light zone

Protective immune responses to many pathogens depend on the development of high-affinity antibody-producing plasma cells (PC) in germinal centers (GCs). Transgenic models suggest that there is a stringent affinity-based barrier to PC development. Whether a similar high-affinity barrier regulates PC development under physiologic circumstances and the nature of the PC fate decision has not been defined precisely. Here, we use a fate-mapping approach to examine the relationship between GC B cells selected to undergo additional rounds of affinity maturation, GC pre-PC, and PC. The data show that initial PC selection overlaps with GC B cell selection, but that the PC compartment accumulates a less diverse and higher affinity collection of antibodies over time. Thus, whereas the GC continues to diversify over time, affinity-based pre-PC selection sieves the GC to enable the accumulation of a more restricted group of high-affinity antibody-secreting PC.

STIM-mediated calcium influx regulates maintenance and selection of germinal center B cells

Positive selection of high-affinity germinal center (GC) B cells is driven by antigen internalization through their B cell receptor (BCR) and presentation to follicular helper T cells. However, the requirements of BCR signaling in GC B cells remain poorly understood. Store-operated Ca2+ entry, mediated by stromal interacting molecule 1 (STIM1) and STIM2, is the main Ca2+ influx pathway triggered by BCR engagement. Here, we showed that STIM-deficient B cells have reduced B cell competitiveness compared with wild-type B cells during GC responses. B cell-specific deletion of STIM proteins decreased the number of high-affinity B cells in the late phase of GC formation. STIM deficiency did not affect GC B cell proliferation and antigen presentation but led to the enhancement of apoptosis due to the impaired upregulation of anti-apoptotic Bcl2a1. STIM-mediated activation of NFAT was required for the expression of Bcl2a1 after BCR stimulation. These findings suggest that STIM-mediated survival signals after antigen capture regulate the optimal selection and maintenance of GC B cells.

Memory B cell differentiation from germinal centers

Establishment of humoral immune memory depends on two layers of defense: pre-existing antibodies secreted by long-lived plasma cells; and the antibodies produced by antigen-reactivated memory B cells. Memory B cells can now be considered as a second layer of defense upon re-infection by variant pathogens that have not been cleared by the long-lived plasma cell-mediated defense. Affinity-matured memory B cells are derived from the germinal center (GC) reaction, but the selection mechanism of GC B cells into the memory compartment is still incompletely understood. Recent studies have revealed the critical determinants of cellular and molecular factors for memory B cell differentiation from the GC reaction. In addition, the contribution of antibody-mediated feedback regulation to B cell selection, as exemplified by the B cell response upon COVID-19 mRNA vaccination, has now garnered considerable attention, which may provide valuable implications for future vaccine design.

Mechanisms of T cell evasion by Epstein-Barr virus and implications for tumor survival

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a prevalent oncogenic virus estimated to infect greater than 90% of the world's population. Following initial infection, it establishes latency in host B cells. EBV has developed a multitude of techniques to avoid detection by the host immune system and establish lifelong infection. T cells, as important contributors to cell-mediated immunity, make an attractive target for these immunoevasive strategies. Indeed, EBV has evolved numerous mechanisms to modulate T cell responses. For example, it can augment expression of programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1), which inhibits T cell function, and downregulates the interferon response, which has a strong impact on T cell regulation. It also modulates interleukin secretion and can influence major histocompatibility complex (MHC) expression and presentation. In addition to facilitating persistent EBV infection, these immunoregulatory mechanisms have significant implications for evasion of the immune response by tumor cells. This review dissects the mechanisms through which EBV avoids detection by host T cells and discusses how these mechanisms play into tumor survival. It concludes with an overview of cancer treatments targeting T cells in the setting of EBV-associated malignancy.

The NFκB signaling system in the generation of B-cell subsets: from germinal center B cells to memory B cells and plasma cells

Memory B cells and antibody-secreting cells are the two prime effector B cell populations that drive infection- and vaccine-induced long-term antibody-mediated immunity. The antibody-mediated immunity mostly relies on the formation of specialized structures within secondary lymphoid organs, called germinal centers (GCs), that facilitate the interactions between B cells, T cells, and antigen-presenting cells. Antigen-activated B cells may proliferate and differentiate into GC-independent plasmablasts and memory B cells or differentiate into GC B cells. The GC B cells undergo proliferation coupled to somatic hypermutation of their immunoglobulin genes for antibody affinity maturation. Subsequently, affinity mature GC B cells differentiate into GC-dependent plasma cells and memory B cells. Here, we review how the NFκB signaling system controls B cell proliferation and the generation of GC B cells, plasmablasts/plasma cells, and memory B cells. We also identify and discuss some important unanswered questions in this connection.

Laser-Activatable In Situ Vaccine Enhances Cancer-Immunity Cycle

The immune response in cancer reflects a series of carefully regulated events; however, current tumor immunotherapies typically address a single key aspect to enhance anti-tumor immunity. In the present study, a nanoplatform (Fe3 O4 @IR820@CpG)-based immunotherapy strategy that targets the multiple key steps in cancer-immunity cycle is developed: 1) promotes the release of tumor-derived proteins (TDPs), including tumor-associated antigens and pro-immunostimulatory factors), in addition to the direct killing effect, by photothermal (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT); 2) captures the released TDPs and delivers them, together with CpG (a Toll-like receptor 9 agonist) to antigen-presenting cells (APCs) to promote antigen presentation and T cell activation; 3) enhances the tumor-killing ability of T cells by combining with anti-programmed death ligand 1 antibody (α-PD-L1), which collectively advances the outstanding of the anti-tumor effects on colorectal, liver and breast cancers. The broad-spectrum anti-tumor activity of Fe3 O4 @IR820@CpG with α-PD-L1 demonstrates that optimally manipulating anti-cancer immunity not singly but as a group provides promising clinical strategies.

Antigen receptor signaling and cell death resistance controls intestinal humoral response zonation

Immunoglobulin A (IgA) maintains commensal communities in the intestine while preventing dysbiosis. IgA generated against intestinal microbes assures the simultaneous binding to multiple, diverse commensal-derived antigens. However, the exact mechanisms by which B cells mount broadly reactive IgA to the gut microbiome remains elusive. Here, we have shown that IgA B cell receptor (BCR) is required for B cell fitness during the germinal center (GC) reaction in Peyer's patches (PPs) and for generation of gut-homing plasma cells (PCs). We demonstrate that IgA BCR drove heightened intracellular signaling in mouse and human B cells, and as a consequence, IgA+ B cells received stronger positive selection cues. Mechanistically, IgA BCR signaling offset Fas-mediated death, possibly rescuing low-affinity B cells to promote a broad humoral response to commensals. Our findings reveal an additional mechanism linking BCR signaling, B cell fate, and antibody production location, which have implications for how intestinal antigen recognition shapes humoral immunity.

Temporal dynamics and genomic programming of plasma cell fates

Affinity-matured plasma cells (PCs) of varying lifespans are generated through a germinal center (GC) response. The developmental dynamics and genomic programs of antigen-specific PC precursors remain to be elucidated. Using a model antigen, we demonstrate biphasic generation of PC precursors, with those generating long-lived bone marrow PCs preferentially produced in the late phase of GC response. Clonal tracing using scRNA-seq+BCR-seq in spleen and bone marrow compartments, coupled with adoptive transfer experiments, reveal a novel PC transition state that gives rise to functionally competent PC precursors. The latter undergo clonal expansion, dependent on inducible expression of TIGIT. We propose a model for the proliferation and programming of precursors of long-lived PCs, based on extended antigen encounters followed by reduced antigen availability.

Molecular mechanisms insulating proliferation from genotoxic stress in B lymphocytes

In mammals, B cells strictly segregate proliferation from somatic mutation as they develop within the bone marrow and then mature through germinal centers (GCs) in the periphery. Failure to do so risks autoimmunity and neoplastic transformation. Recent work has described how B cell progenitors transition between proliferation and mutation via cytokine signaling pathways, epigenetic chromatin regulation, and remodeling of 3D chromatin conformation. We propose a three-zone model of the GC that describes how proliferation and mutation are regulated. Using this model, we consider how recent mechanistic discoveries in B cell progenitors inform models of GC B cell function and reveal fundamental mechanisms underpinning humoral immunity, autoimmunity, and lymphomagenesis.

Age-dependent changes in T follicular helper cells shape the humoral immune response to vaccination

Vaccination is an excellent strategy to limit the morbidity and mortality associated with infectious disease. Vaccination creates protective, long-lived antibody-mediated immunity by inducing the germinal centre response, an intricate immune reaction that produces memory B cells and long-lived antibody-secreting plasma cells that provide protection against (re)infection. The magnitude and quality of the germinal centre response declines with age, contributing to poor vaccine-induced immunity in older individuals. T follicular helper cells are essential for the formation and function of the germinal centre response. This review will discuss how age-dependent changes in T follicular helper cells influence the germinal centre response, and the evidence that age-dependent changes need not be a barrier to successful vaccination in the later years of life.

Building the synapse engine to drive B lymphocyte function

B cell receptor (BCR)-mediated antigen-specific recognition activates B lymphocytes and drives the humoral immune response. This enables the generation of antibody-producing plasma cells, the effector arm of the B cell immune response, and of memory B cells, which confer protection against additional encounters with antigen. B cells search for cognate antigen in the complex cellular microarchitecture of secondary lymphoid organs, where antigens are captured and exposed on the surface of different immune cells. While scanning the cell network, the BCR can be stimulated by a specific antigen and elicit the establishment of the immune synapse with the antigen-presenting cell. At the immune synapse, an integrin-enriched supramolecular domain is assembled at the periphery of the B cell contact with the antigen-presenting cell, ensuring a stable and long-lasting interaction. The coordinated action of the actomyosin cytoskeleton and the microtubule network in the inner B cell space provides a structural framework that integrates signaling events and antigen uptake through the generation of traction forces and organelle polarization. Accordingly, the B cell immune synapse can be envisioned as a temporal engine that drives the molecular mechanisms needed for successful B cell activation. Here, I review different aspects of the B cell synapse engine and provide insights into other aspects poorly known or virtually unexplored.

Peripheral death by neglect and limited clonal deletion during physiologic B lymphocyte development

Autoreactive B cells generated during B cell development are inactivated by clonal deletion, receptor editing or anergy. Up to 97% of immature B cells appear to die before completing maturation, but the anatomic sites and reasons underlying this massive cell loss are not fully understood. Here, we directly quantitated apoptosis and clonal deletion during physiologic B lymphocyte development using Rosa26INDIA apoptosis indicator mice. Immature B cells displayed low levels of apoptosis in the bone marrow but started dying at high levels in the periphery upon release from bone marrow sinusoids into the blood circulation. Clonal deletion of self-reactive B cells was neither a major contributor to apoptosis in the bone marrow nor the periphery. Instead, most peripheral transitional 1 B cells did not encounter the signals required for positive selection into the mature B cell compartments. This study sheds new light on B cell development and suggests that receptor editing and/or anergy efficiently control most primary autoreactivity in mice.