Germinal centers (GCs) are microanatomical structures critical for the development of high-affinity Abs and B cell memory. They are organized into two zones, light and dark, with coordinated roles, controlled by local signaling. The innate lectin-like transcript 1 (LLT1) is known to be expressed on B cells, but its functional role in the GC reaction has not been explored. In this study, we report high expression of LLT1 on GC-associated B cells, early plasmablasts, and GC-derived lymphomas. LLT1 expression was readily induced via BCR, CD40, and CpG stimulation on B cells. Unexpectedly, we found high expression of the LLT1 ligand, CD161, on follicular dendritic cells. Triggering of LLT1 supported B cell activation, CD83 upregulation, and CXCR4 downregulation. Overall, these data suggest that LLT1–CD161 interactions play a novel and important role in B cell maturation within the GC in humans.
CITATION STYLE
Llibre, A., López-Macías, C., Marafioti, T., Mehta, H., Partridge, A., Kanzig, C., … Willberg, C. B. (2016). LLT1 and CD161 Expression in Human Germinal Centers Promotes B Cell Activation and CXCR4 Downregulation. The Journal of Immunology, 196(5), 2085–2094. https://doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.1502462
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