Role of regulatory B cells in autoimmune disease

Abstract

Although B cells are well-known for their functions in antibody production and antigen presentation, certain B cell subsets have been recently identified as regulatory B cells to modulate immune responses through cytokine production. However, the microenvironmental factors involved in the induction of regulatory B cells remain largely uncharacterized. B cell-activating factor (BAFF), a member of TNF family cytokines produced by myeloid cells, is a key regulator for B cell maturation and function. However, it remains unknown whether BAFF plays a role in modulating the generation of regulatory B cells and how regulatory B cells suppress autoimmune pathogenesis. In this study, treatment with BAFF significantly increased IL-10-producing B cells in culture of mouse splenic B cells, an effect specifically abrogated by neutralization with TACI-Fc. BAFF-induced IL-10-producing B cells showed a distinct CD1dhiCD5+(B10) phenotype. Phenotypic analysis further indicated that these BAFF-induced B10 cells were marginal-zone (MZ)-like B cells. Interestingly, BAFF treatment in vivo also increased the number of IL-10-producingB cells in splenic MZ regions. Moreover, chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis revealed that BAFF activated the transcription factor AP-1 for binding to IL-10 promoter, demonstrating a novel function for BAFF in inducing IL-10 production. Furthermore, those BAFF-induced B10 cells exhibited significant suppressive effects on CD4+T cell proliferation and Th1 cytokine production in culture.

To explore whether these BAFF-induced B10 cells possess a regulatory function in suppressing autoimmune progression in vivo, collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mouse model was employed. In vitro-expanded B10 cells and other control B cells were intravenously transferred into DBA/1J mice on the day of 2ndcollagen II (CII)-immunization. After adoptive transfer of BAFF-induced B10 cells, CII-immunized mice exhibited a delayed onset of arthritis and substantially reduced severity of clinical symptoms. The pathogenesis of IL-17-producing CD4+T cells (Th17) in the development of arthritis has been well-recognized, which has led me to test the hypothesis whether B10 cells ameliorate the development of arthritis via modulating Th17 cells. During the progression of CIA, IL-10-producing B cells were decreasedwhereasTh17 cells were significantly increased at the acute phase of CIA. Upon transfer of BAFF-induced B10 cells, a substantially reduction ofTh17 cells in both lymphoid organs and inflamed joints were detected. To verify whether B10 cells inhibit Th17 cell generation in culture, CFSE-labeled na?ve CD4+T cells were cocultured with B10 cells in Th17 cell polarization medium. It was found that B10 cells suppressed Th17 cell differentiation via reducing STAT3 phosphorylation and RORt expression. Although adoptive transfer of Th17 cells triggered the development of CIA in IL-17-/-DBA mice, cotransfer of B10 cells with Th17 cells profoundly delayed the onset of delayed the onset of arthritisand remarkably reduced the infiltration of Th17 cells in synovial fluid.

Taken together, I have identified a novel function of BAFF in the induction of IL-10-producing regulatory B cells. My findings that adoptive transfer of BAFF-expanded B10 cells can effectively suppress the development of experimental arthritisin mice via the inhibition of Th17 cell generation may contribute to the development of new therapeutic strategies in treating human rheumatoid arthritis.