P. Lane et al., CD40 LIGAND-INDEPENDENT B-CELL ACTIVATION REVEALED BY CD40 LIGAND-DEFICIENT T-CELL CLONES - EVIDENCE FOR DISTINCT ACTIVATION REQUIREMENTS FOR ANTIBODY-FORMATION AND B-CELL PROLIFERATION, European Journal of Immunology, 25(6), 1995, pp. 1788-1793
We report the capacity of CD40 ligand (CD40L)-negative T cell clones t
o activate human B cells. CD40L-negative T cells induce a level of B c
ell proliferation 10-20% of that seen with normal T cells. The signal
provided by the negative clones is synergistic with that derived from
a CD40L transfectant, and restores B cell proliferation to normal leve
ls, showing that CD40L-negative T cell clones are not inherently inhib
itory for B cells. Although their capacity to induce proliferation was
much reduced, CD40L-negative T cell clones were still strong inducers
of B cell differentiation to plasma cells. This differentiation to pl
asma cells was inhibited by a CD40L transfectant. The data are discuss
ed with regard to the normal in vivo mechanism for maintaining B cell
memory and memory antibody responses to T-dependent antigens.