Invariant natural killer T cells direct B cell responses to cognate lipid antigen in an IL-21-dependent manner

Irah L King, Anne Fortier, Michael Tighe, John Dibble, Gerald F M Watts, Natacha Veerapen, Ann M Haberman, Gurdyal S Besra, Markus Mohrs, Michael B Brenner, Elizabeth A Leadbetter

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

146 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Mouse invariant natural killer T cells (iNKT cells) provide cognate and noncognate help for lipid and protein-specific B cells, respectively. However, the long-term outcome for B cells after cognate help is provided by iNKT cells is unknown at present. Here we found that cognate iNKT cell help resulted in a B cell differentiation program characterized by extrafollicular plasmablasts, germinal-center formation, affinity maturation and a robust primary immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody response that was uniquely dependent on iNKT cell-derived interleukin 21 (IL-21). However, cognate help from iNKT cells did not generate an enhanced humoral memory response. Thus, cognate iNKT cell help for lipid-specific B cells induces a unique signature that is a hybrid of classic T cell-dependent and T cell-independent type 2 B cell responses.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)44-50
Number of pages7
JournalNature Immunology
Volume13
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2012

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