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Slot LM, Vergroesen RD, Kerkman PF, Staudinger E, Reijm S, van Dooren HJ, van der Voort EIH, Huizinga TWJ, Toes REM, Scherer HU. Light chain skewing in autoantibodies and B-cell receptors of the citrullinated antigen-binding B-cell response in rheumatoid arthritis. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0247847. [PMID: 33784344 PMCID: PMC8009422 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting 1% of the world population. RA is associated with the presence of autoantibodies, of which anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA) are most prominent. ACPA are produced by citrullinated antigen-binding B cells that have presumably survived tolerance checkpoints. So far, it is unclear how and when such autoreactive B cells emerge. Light chain (LC) rearrangement and mutation rates can be informative with regard to selection steps during B-cell development. Therefore, we studied LC characteristics of ACPA-expressing B cells and secreted ACPA with the aim to better understand the development of this disease-specific, autoreactive B-cell response. Paired ACPA-IgG and ACPA-depleted IgG were isolated from serum (n = 87) and synovial fluid (SF, n = 21) of patients with established RA. We determined the LC composition for each fraction by ELISA using kappa(Igκ)- and lambda(Igλ) LC-specific antibodies. Cellular LC expression was determined using flow cytometry. In addition, we used a B-cell receptor (BCR)-specific PCR to obtain LC variable region sequences of citrullinated antigen- and tetanus toxoid (TT)-binding B cells. In serum, we observed an increased frequency of lambda LC in ACPA-IgG (1.64:1) compared to control IgG (2.03:1) and to the κ/λ ratio reported for healthy individuals (2:1). A similar trend towards higher frequencies of lambda LCs was observed for ACPA-IgG in SF (1.84:1). Additionally, the percentage of Igλ-expressing B cells was higher for citrullinated antigen-binding B cells (51%) compared to TT-specific (43%) and total CD19+CD20+ B cells (36%). Moreover, an increased Igλ percentage was observed in BCR-sequences derived from ACPA-expressing (49%) compared to TT-specific B cells (34%). Taken together, we report an enhanced frequency of lambda LCs in the secreted ACPA-IgG repertoire and, on the cellular level, in BCR sequences of ACPA-expressing B cells compared to control. This skewing in the autoreactive B-cell repertoire could reflect a process of active selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda M. Slot
- Department of Rheumatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Priscilla F. Kerkman
- Department of Rheumatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Ellen Staudinger
- Department of Rheumatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Sanne Reijm
- Department of Rheumatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Hugo J. van Dooren
- Department of Rheumatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Tom W. J. Huizinga
- Department of Rheumatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - René E. M. Toes
- Department of Rheumatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Hans U. Scherer
- Department of Rheumatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
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Thurner L, Hartmann S, Neumann F, Hoth M, Stilgenbauer S, Küppers R, Preuss KD, Bewarder M. Role of Specific B-Cell Receptor Antigens in Lymphomagenesis. Front Oncol 2020; 10:604685. [PMID: 33363034 PMCID: PMC7756126 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.604685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling pathway is a crucial pathway of B cells, both for their survival and for antigen-mediated activation, proliferation and differentiation. Its activation is also critical for the genesis of many lymphoma types. BCR-mediated lymphoma proliferation may be caused by activating BCR-pathway mutations and/or by active or tonic stimulation of the BCR. BCRs of lymphomas have frequently been described as polyreactive. In this review, the role of specific target antigens of the BCRs of lymphomas is highlighted. These antigens have been found to be restricted to specific lymphoma entities. The antigens can be of infectious origin, such as H. pylori in gastric MALT lymphoma or RpoC of M. catarrhalis in nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma, or they are autoantigens. Examples of such autoantigens are the BCR itself in chronic lymphocytic leukemia, LRPAP1 in mantle cell lymphoma, hyper-N-glycosylated SAMD14/neurabin-I in primary central nervous system lymphoma, hypo-phosphorylated ARS2 in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, and hyper-phosphorylated SLP2, sumoylated HSP90 or saposin C in plasma cell dyscrasia. Notably, atypical posttranslational modifications are often responsible for the immunogenicity of many autoantigens. Possible therapeutic approaches evolving from these specific antigens are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenz Thurner
- Department of Internal Medicine I, José Carreras Center for Immuno- and Gene Therapy, Saarland University Medical School, Homburg, Germany
| | - Sylvia Hartmann
- Dr. Senckenberg Institute of Pathology, Goethe University, Frankfurt a. Main, Germany
| | - Frank Neumann
- Department of Internal Medicine I, José Carreras Center for Immuno- and Gene Therapy, Saarland University Medical School, Homburg, Germany
| | - Markus Hoth
- Department of Biophysics, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Stephan Stilgenbauer
- Department of Internal Medicine I, José Carreras Center for Immuno- and Gene Therapy, Saarland University Medical School, Homburg, Germany
| | - Ralf Küppers
- Medical School, Institute of Cell Biology (Cancer Research), University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.,Deutsches Konsortium für translationale Krebsforschung (DKTK), Partner Site Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Klaus-Dieter Preuss
- Department of Internal Medicine I, José Carreras Center for Immuno- and Gene Therapy, Saarland University Medical School, Homburg, Germany
| | - Moritz Bewarder
- Department of Internal Medicine I, José Carreras Center for Immuno- and Gene Therapy, Saarland University Medical School, Homburg, Germany
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Weston-Bell NJ, Forconi F, Kluin-Nelemans HC, Sahota SS. Variant B cell receptor isotype functions differ in hairy cell leukemia with mutated BRAF and IGHV genes. PLoS One 2014; 9:e86556. [PMID: 24497953 PMCID: PMC3907534 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0086556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2013] [Accepted: 12/17/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
A functional B-cell receptor (BCR) is critical for survival of normal B-cells, but whether it plays a comparable role in B-cell malignancy is as yet not fully delineated. Typical Hairy Cell Leukemia (HCL) is a rare B-cell tumor, and unique in expressing multiple surface immunoglobulin (sIg) isotypes on individual tumor cells (mult-HCL), to raise questions as to their functional relevance. Typical mult-HCL also displays a mutated BRAF V(600)E lesion. Since wild type BRAF is a primary conduit for transducing normal BCR signals, as revealed by deletion modelling studies, it is as yet not apparent if mutated BRAF alters BCR signal transduction in mult-HCL. To address these questions, we examined BCR signalling in mult-HCL cases uniformly displaying mutated BRAF and IGHV genes. Two apparent functional sets were delineated by IgD co-expression. In sIgD+ve mult-HCL, IgD mediated persistent Ca2+ flux, also evident via >1 sIgH isotype, linked to increased ERK activation and BCR endocytosis. In sIgD−ve mult-HCL however, BCR-mediated signals and downstream effects were restricted to a single sIgH isotype, with sIgM notably dysfunctional and remaining immobilised on the cell surface. These observations reveal discordance between expression and function of individual isotypes in mult-HCL. In dual sIgL expressing cases, only a single sIgL was fully functional. We examined effects of anti-BCR stimuli on mult-HCL survival ex-vivo. Significantly, all functional non-IgD isotypes increased ERK1/2 phosphorylation but triggered apoptosis of tumor cells, in both subsets. IgD stimuli, in marked contrast retained tumor viability. Despite mutant BRAF, BCR signals augment ERK1/2 phosphorylation, but isotype dictates functional downstream outcomes. In mult-HCL, sIgD retains a potential to transduce BCR signals for tumor survival in-vivo. The BCR in mult-HCL emerges as subject to complex regulation, with apparent conflicting signalling by individual isotypes when co-expressed with sIgD. This suggests the possibility that mutant BRAF by-passes BCR constraints in mult-HCL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola J. Weston-Bell
- Tumour Immunogenetics Group, Cancer Sciences Academic Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Francesco Forconi
- Haematology Oncology Group, Cancer Sciences Academic Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Hanneke C. Kluin-Nelemans
- University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Internal Medicine-Haematology, Division of Haematology, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Surinder S. Sahota
- Tumour Immunogenetics Group, Cancer Sciences Academic Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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Arons E, Roth L, Sapolsky J, Suntum T, Stetler-Stevenson M, Kreitman RJ. Evidence of canonical somatic hypermutation in hairy cell leukemia. Blood 2011; 117:4844-51. [PMID: 21368287 PMCID: PMC3100693 DOI: 10.1182/blood-2010-11-316737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2010] [Accepted: 02/12/2011] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
To compare hairy cell leukemia (HCL) with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and normal B cells with respect to their B-cell receptors, somatic hypermutation (SHM) features in HCL were examined in a series of 130 immunoglobulin gene heavy chain rearrangements, including 102 from 100 classic (HCLc) and 28 from 26 variant (HCLv) patients. The frequency of unmutated rearrangements in HCLc was much lower than that in HCLv (17% vs 54%, P < .001) or historically in CLL (17% vs 46%, P < .001), but HCLv and CLL were similar (P = .45). As previously reported for CLL, evidence of canonical SHM was observed in HCLc rearrangements, including: (1) a higher ratio of replacement to silent mutations in the complementarity determining regions than in the framework regions (2.83 vs 1.41, P < .001), (2) higher transition to transversion ratio than would be expected if mutations were random (1.49 vs 0.5, P < .001), and (3) higher than expected concentration of mutations within RGYW hot spots (13.92% vs 3.33%, P < .001). HCLv met these 3 criteria of canonical SHM to a lesser extent. These data suggest that, whereas HCLc cells may recognize antigen-like CLL and normal B cells before malignant transformation, HCLv cells from some patients may originate differently, possibly without undergoing antigen recognition.
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MESH Headings
- B-Lymphocytes/immunology
- Base Pairing
- Complementarity Determining Regions/genetics
- DNA, Neoplasm/genetics
- Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte, Heavy Chain
- Humans
- Immunoglobulin Variable Region/genetics
- Leukemia, Hairy Cell/genetics
- Leukemia, Hairy Cell/immunology
- Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell/genetics
- Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell/immunology
- Somatic Hypermutation, Immunoglobulin
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgeny Arons
- Laboratories of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Forconi F, Cencini E, Sozzi E, Sicuranza A, Raspadori D, Lauria F. Insight into the behavior of hairy cell leukemia by immunogenetic analysis. Leuk Lymphoma 2011; 52 Suppl 2:103-7. [PMID: 21504291 DOI: 10.3109/10428194.2011.569620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
The B cell receptor (BCR) is the functional distinguishing unit that defines any B cell. Immunoglobulin gene (IG) status is preserved in the neoplastic B cell clone and can provide an indicator of the maturation stage reached by the B cell prior to transformation. In hairy cell leukemia (HCL), several data from IG analysis provide clear hints regarding the cell of origin and the ongoing selective interactions of the tumor BCR with environmental stimuli: HCLs (i) have variable levels of IG somatic mutations, (ii) continue somatic mutations at low levels, (iii) have active processes of IG class switching after transformation, and (iv) have a relatively high frequency of selective events in the light chain of the BCR. It has recently emerged that an unmutated status of the HCL-derived IG can be associated with failure to respond to cladribine, genetic abnormalities indicative of poor outcome, and aggressive disease. These observations suggest that IG gene analysis may have biological and prognostic relevance in HCL and merits further characterization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Forconi
- Sezione di Ematologia e Trapianti, Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Scienze Immunologiche, Università di Siena & AOUS, Siena, Italy.
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