Abstract
Aim:
B cell-activating factor belonging to the TNF family (BAFF) is a member of TNF family and required for peripheral B cell survival and homeostasis. BAFF has been shown to promote the proliferation of T and B cells. In this study we examined whether and how BAFF mediated the interaction between mouse T and B cells in vitro.
Methods:
BAFF-stimulated B or T cells were co-cultured with T or B cells. The interactions between T and B cells were analyzed by measuring the expression of co-stimulatory molecules (CD28/CD80 or CD40/CD154), the proliferation and secretion of T and B cells and other factors. Two siRNAs against the transmembrane activator and calcium modulator and cyclophilin ligand interactor (TACI) and BAFF receptor (BAFF-R) were used to identify the receptors responsible for the actions of BAFF.
Results:
BAFF-stimulated B cells significantly promoted the proliferation and activity of co-cultured T cells, and increased the percentages of CD4+CD28+ and CD4+CD154+ T cells. Similarly, BAFF-stimulated T cells significantly promoted the proliferation and activity of co-cultured B cells, and increased CD19+CD80+ and CD19+CD40+B cell subpopulations. BAFF-R siRNA-silenced B cells showed significantly lower expression of CD40 and CD80 than the control B cells. When the BAFF-R siRNA-silenced B cells were stimulated with BAFF, then co-cultured with T cells, the expression of CD28 and CD154 on T cells was not increased. TACI siRNA-silenced B cells exhibited higher expression of CD40 and CD80 than the control B cells. When the TACI siRNA-silenced B cells were stimulated with BAFF, then co-cultured with T cells, the expression of CD28 and CD154 on T cells was significantly increased.
Conclusion:
BAFF upregulates CD28/B7 and CD40/CD154 expression, and promotes the interactions between T and B cells in a BAFF-R-dependent manner.
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Acknowledgements
The authors deeply thank Hui FANG for his excellent assistance in nucleofection and JT GREENE from the Medical Center of Ohio State University for language editing. This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No 81473223, 31100640 and 81330081) and the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (No 2013M540509).
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Zhang, F., Song, Ss., Shu, Jl. et al. BAFF upregulates CD28/B7 and CD40/CD154 expression and promotes mouse T and B cell interaction in vitro via BAFF receptor. Acta Pharmacol Sin 37, 1101–1109 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/aps.2016.15
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/aps.2016.15
