Journal
IMMUNITY
Volume 55, Issue 8, Pages 1414-+Publisher
CELL PRESS
DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2022.06.020
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Funding
- National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia [P2ZHP3_164964]
- Swiss National Science Foundation [P300PA_177893]
- NHMRC Australia [1145136]
- Monash University Research Training Program Stipend
- Swedish Institute for Health Sciences [2016-06659]
- NHMRC [1185294, 2002393, PAG18-0409]
- Swedish Research Council [2016-06659] Funding Source: Swedish Research Council
- Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF) [P2ZHP3_164964, P300PA_177893] Funding Source: Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF)
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Germinal centers (GCs) are transient structures within B cell follicles that require coordinated behavior of T and B cells. IL-21, a cytokine derived from T cells, plays a key role in GC biology through its independent actions on T and B cells. IL-21 promotes the expansion and differentiation of CD4(+) T cells and specifically impacts B cell centroblast identity and plasma cell differentiation within the GC. IL-21's activity is not solely dependent on T-B interactions but also on its own growth-promoting effects.
Germinal centers (GCs), transient structures within B cell follicles and central to affinity maturation, require the coordinated behavior of T and B cells. IL-21, a pleiotropic T cell-derived cytokine, is key to GC biology through incompletely understood mechanisms. By genetically restricting production and receipt of IL-21 in vivo, we reveal how its independent actions on T and B cells combine to regulate the GC. IL-21 established the magnitude of the GC B cell response by promoting CD4(+) T cell expansion and differentiation in a dose-dependent manner and with paracrine activity. Within GC, IL-21 specifically promoted B cell centroblast identity and, when bioavailability was high, plasma cell differentiation. Critically, these actions may occur irrespective of cognate T-B interactions, making IL-21 a general promoter of growth as distinct to a mediator of affinity-driven selection via synaptic delivery. This promiscuous activity of IL-21 explains the consequences of IL-21 deficiency on antibody-based immunity.
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