CCR6 is transiently upregulated on B cells after activation and modulates the germinal center reaction in the mouse

Immunol Cell Biol. 2013 May;91(5):335-9. doi: 10.1038/icb.2013.14. Epub 2013 Apr 16.

Abstract

The CC-chemokine receptor 6 (CCR6) is expressed constitutively at an intermediate level on naïve B cells and is upregulated after activation on pregerminal center (GC) B cells. We hypothesized that it could be involved in the events leading to GC reaction and high-affinity antibody production, and therefore investigated the potential role of CCR6 in B-cell differentiation in vivo. After antigenic challenge of CCR6-/- mice with the T-cell-dependent antigen nitrophenyl-keyhole limpet hemocyanin (NP-KLH), GC B-cell development was found to be accelerated and the number of GC had increased significantly compared with control mice, but the antibodies produced by CCR6-/- B cells were on average of lower affinity. We conclude from these data that the CCR6/CCL20 axis has an important role in regulating the kinetics and efficiency of the GC reaction.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibody Affinity / genetics
  • Antibody Formation / genetics
  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Chemokine CCL20 / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Germinal Center / cytology
  • Germinal Center / immunology*
  • Haptens
  • Hemocyanins / immunology
  • Immunomodulation
  • Lymphocyte Activation
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Receptors, CCR6 / genetics
  • Receptors, CCR6 / immunology
  • Receptors, CCR6 / metabolism*
  • Up-Regulation

Substances

  • 4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenylacetyl-keyhole limpet hemocyanin
  • CCR6 protein, mouse
  • Chemokine CCL20
  • Haptens
  • Receptors, CCR6
  • Hemocyanins