N. Watanabe et al., Migration and differentiation of autoreactive B-1 cells induced by activated gamma/delta T cells in antierythrocyte immunoglobulin transgenic mice, J EXP MED, 192(11), 2000, pp. 1577-1586
Using normal and transgenic (Tg) mice, we have shown that peritoneal B-1 ce
lls are activated by administration of cytokines or lipopolysaccharide and
migrate to other lymphoid organs where they differentiate into antibody-sec
reting cells. However, little is known about the process of B-1 cell migrat
ion and differentiation in vivo. We developed a mouse line by crossing the
antierythrocyte antibody Tg mice (HL mice) with TCR-gamma/delta Tg mice spe
cific for a self-thymus leukemia (TL) antigen in the recombination activati
ng gene (RAG)2(-/-) background. In the presence of the self-antigen, Tg gam
ma/delta T cells increased in number and manifested activated phenotypes. P
eritoneal B-1 cells in these mice migrated into mesenteric lymph nodes and
differentiated into autoantibody-secreting cells, resulting in strong autoi
mmune hemolytic anemia. Furthermore, transfer of RAG2(-/-) X HL bone marrow
or peritoneal cells into the peritoneal cavity of RAG2(-/-) X TCR-gamma/de
lta Tg mice gave rise to donor-derived B-1 cells in mesenteric lymph nodes,
and these cells produced the autoantibody. Thus, this study demonstrates t
hat the migration of B-1 cells and differentiation into the antibody-secret
ing cells can be induced by noncognate T cell help and implies the possibil
ity that gamma/delta T cells may induce B-1 cell differentiation in vivo.