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CXCR5-deficient mice develop functional germinal centers in the splenic T cell zone

Item Type:Article
Title:CXCR5-deficient mice develop functional germinal centers in the splenic T cell zone
Creators Name:Voigt, I., Camacho, S.A., de Boer, B.A., Lipp, M., Foerster, R. and Berek, C.
Abstract:The chemokine receptor CXCR5 is thought to be essential for the migration of B cells into the network of follicular dendritic cells in the spleen. However, as shown here, B cells and follicular dendritic cells do co-localize, albeit aberrantly, even in the absence of CXCR5. In mice lacking CXCR5 both cell types are found in a broad ring around the sinuses of the marginal zones. Upon immunization with the T cell-dependent antigen 2-phenyl-oxazolone, ectopic germinal centers develop in the periarteriolar lymphocyte sheath. A network of follicular dendritic cells forms in the vicinity of the central arteriole within which the antigen-activated B cells proliferate. The analysis of the expressed V gene repertoire revealed that during B cell proliferation, hypermutation is activated and V region genes accumulate somatic mutations. The pattern of somatic mutations suggests that affinity selection may occur. This analysis confirms that in CXCR5-deficient mice, the organization of splenic primary follicles is severely impaired. However, within the T cell zone a micro-environment is built up, which provides all requirements needed for the affinity maturation to take place.
Keywords:Affinity Maturation, B cell Migration, Chemokine Receptor, Ectopic Germinal Centers, Follicular Dendritic Cell, Animals, Mice
Source:European Journal of Immunology
ISSN:0014-2980
Publisher:Wiley
Volume:30
Number:2
Page Range:560-567
Date:1 February 2000
Official Publication:https://doi.org/10.1002/1521-4141(200002)30:2<560::AID-IMMU560>3.0.CO;2-T
PubMed:View item in PubMed

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