Synthetic CpG oligodeoxynucleotides augment BAFF- and APRIL-mediated immunoglobulin secretion

Eur J Immunol. 2007 Jul;37(7):1785-95. doi: 10.1002/eji.200636800.

Abstract

The B lymphocyte-activating factor belonging to TNF superfamily (BAFF) acts on B lymphocytes through BAFF receptor (BAFF-R), the transmembrane activator, calcium modulator, and cyclophilin ligand interactor (TACI), and the B cell maturation antigen (BCMA). Another cytokine, a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL), only binds to TACI and BCMA. In this study, we sought to determine the effect of Toll-like receptor agonists (TLR-A) on the expression of BAFF/APRIL receptors by murine splenic B lymphocytes. CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) and LPS strongly up-regulated TACI expression, while BAFF-R was only up-regulated by CpG ODN. CpG ODN pretreatment up-regulated TACI expression on follicular and marginal zone B lymphocytes and increased their responses to BAFF- and APRIL-mediated Ig secretion. TACI seemed to be playing a pivotal role in BAFF- or APRIL-induced Ig secretion because B lymphocytes from TACI-knockout mouse or the blocking of TACI with a neutralizing antibody resulted in total inhibition of IgA and IgG secretion in CpG ODN-pretreated and BAFF- or APRIL-stimulated B cells. Thus, CpG ODN-induced increase in TACI expression is likely to play an important role in Ig secretion following activation of B lymphocytes through TLR9.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibody Formation / immunology*
  • B-Cell Activation Factor Receptor / immunology*
  • B-Cell Maturation Antigen / immunology
  • B-Cell Maturation Antigen / metabolism
  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • CpG Islands / immunology
  • Female
  • Lipopolysaccharides / immunology
  • Lymphocyte Activation / immunology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Oligodeoxyribonucleotides / immunology*
  • Oligodeoxyribonucleotides / metabolism
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4 / agonists
  • Toll-Like Receptor 9 / agonists
  • Transmembrane Activator and CAML Interactor Protein / immunology
  • Transmembrane Activator and CAML Interactor Protein / metabolism
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 13 / immunology*

Substances

  • B-Cell Activation Factor Receptor
  • B-Cell Maturation Antigen
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Oligodeoxyribonucleotides
  • Tlr4 protein, mouse
  • Tlr9 protein, mouse
  • Tnfrsf13b protein, mouse
  • Tnfsf13 protein, mouse
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4
  • Toll-Like Receptor 9
  • Transmembrane Activator and CAML Interactor Protein
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 13