Induction of Germinal Center B Cell Markers in Vitro by Activated CD4⁺ T Lymphocytes: The Role of CD40 Ligand, Soluble Factors, and B Cell Antigen Receptor Cross-Linking

Following primary immunization, B cells differentiate to memory cells with help from T cells. The specialized path to B cell memory takes place in lymphoid germinal centers (GC), where mouse B cells up-regulate peanut agglutinin receptor (PNA-R), B7-2 (CD86), and MHC class II expression. Using an in vitro culture system, we have studied how different stimuli can enhance the expression of these markers. We show that PNA-R is up-regulated when splenic B cells are cocultured with anti-CD3-stimulated CD4⁺, but not CD8⁺, T cells and that this process requires CD40-CD40 ligand engagement. Increased expression of PNA-R is also inducible with supernatants of activated CD4⁺, but not CD8⁺, T cells in combination with mitogenic signals, such as anti-lg, anti-CD40, or LPS, but not by either supernatants or mitogenic signals alone. Unlike with PNA-R, increased expression of B7-2 and I-A occurs in response to activated T cells of either CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ subsets or their supernatants, does not require CD40 costimulation, and is readily induced with mitogenic signals alone. Taken together, these results indicate that PNA-R up-regulation has more restricted signaling requirements than B7-2 or I-A, and that it can be induced/maintained by Ag receptor cross-linking or CD40 engagement, as long as there is an appropriate cytokine milieu.