Secondary rearrangements and hypermutation generate sufficient B cell diversity to mount protective antiviral immunoglobulin responses

Type I Interferon Impairs Specific Antibody Responses Early during Establishment of LCMV Infection

Elicitation of type I interferon (IFN-I) has been shown to both enhance and impair cell-mediated immune responses in acute and persistent viral infections, respectively. Here, we show that, in addition to its effect on T cells, IFN-I drives impairment of specific antibody responses through interaction with B cells in the acute phase of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection. This impairment was limited to the T cell-dependent B cell response and was associated with disruption of B cell follicles, development of hypergammaglobulinemia (HGG), and expansion of the T follicular helper cell population. Antigen-specific antibody responses were restored by ablation of IFN-I signaling through antibody-mediated IFN-I receptor blockade and B cell-specific IFN-I receptor knockout. Importantly, IFN-I receptor deficiency in B cells also accelerated the development of LCMV neutralizing antibodies and alleviated HGG. These results provide a potential therapeutic target toward efficient treatment measures that limit immunopathology in persistent viral infections.

The lupus susceptibility locus Sle1 facilitates the peripheral development and selection of anti-DNA B cells through impaired receptor editing

Systemic lupus erythematosus is characterized by the spontaneous production of IgG autoantibodies in patients and lupus-prone mice. In this study, we investigated the effect of the Sle1 lupus susceptibility locus on the peripheral development of 56R(+) anti-DNA transgenic B cells by tracking 56R(+) B cells in mice without (B6.56R) or with (B6.Sle1.56R) the Sle1 locus. Compared with B6.56R mice, B6.Sle1.56R mice exhibited increased class-switched IgG2a anti-DNA Abs in their serum, encoded by the transgene. Interestingly, within the spleen, Sle1 facilitated the development of these cells into clusters of IgG2a class-switched B cells juxtaposed to CD4(+) T cells within extrafollicular sites. Through sequence analysis of B cell hybridomas, we also found that B cells from B6.Sle1.56R mice are inefficient at Ig H and L chain editing. Thus, the Ig H chains in Sle1.56R(+) B cells are partnered more often with cationic L chains that facilitate DNA binding. Taken together, these findings indicate that the Sle1 lupus-susceptibility locus may facilitate the emergence of anti-DNA B cells by subduing BCR revision and possibly by shaping the extrafollicular development of effector B cells, although the precise molecular mechanisms await further study.

Contribution of V(H) replacement products to the generation of anti-HIV antibodies

V(H) replacement occurs through RAG-mediated secondary recombination to change unwanted IgH genes and diversify antibody repertoire. The biological significance of V(H) replacement remains to be explored. Here, we show that V(H) replacement products are highly enriched in IgH genes encoding anti-HIV antibodies, including anti-gp41, anti-V3 loop, anti-gp120, CD4i, and PGT antibodies. In particular, 73% of the CD4i antibodies and 100% of the PGT antibodies are encoded by potential VH replacement products. Such frequencies are significantly higher than those in IgH genes derived from HIV infected individuals or autoimmune patients. The identified V(H) replacement products encoding anti-HIV antibodies are highly mutated; the V(H) replacement "footprints" within CD4i antibodies preferentially encode negatively charged amino acids within the IgH CDR3; many IgH encoding PGT antibodies are likely generated from multiple rounds of V(H) replacement. Taken together, these findings uncovered a potentially significant contribution of V(H) replacement products to the generation of anti-HIV antibodies.

Antibodies in a heavy chain knock-in mouse exhibit characteristics of early heavy chain rearrangement

Studies in autoantibody transgenic mice have demonstrated receptor editing rearrangements at Ab H and L chain loci. However, the physiologic role of H chain editing (V(H) replacement and rearrangement on the second allele) has been called into question. It is unclear if additional rounds of H chain rearrangement are driven by BCR specificity. In this study, we analyze the manner in which B cells undergo additional H chain rearrangements in an anti-DNA H chain knock-in mouse, B6.56R. We find that rearrangements in 56R(+) B cells tend to involve the D gene locus on both alleles and the most J(H)-proximal V(H) gene segments on the endogenous allele. As a result, some B cells exhibit V(D)J rearrangements on both H chain alleles, yet allelic exclusion is tightly maintained in mature 56R B cells. As B cells mature, a higher proportion expresses the nontransgenic H chain allele. Rearrangements on both H chain alleles exhibit junctional diversity consistent with TdT-mediated N-addition, and TdT RNA is expressed exclusively at the pro-B cell stage in B6.56R. Collectively, these findings favor a single, early window of H chain rearrangement in B6.56R that precedes the expression of a functional BCR. B cells that happen to successfully rearrange another H chain may be favored in the periphery.

Fitness of cell-mediated immunity independent of repertoire diversity

Fitness of cell-mediated immunity is thought to depend on TCR diversity; however, this concept has not been tested formally. We tested the concept using JH(-/-) mice that lack B cells and have TCR Vbeta diversity <1% that of wild-type mice and quasimonoclonal (QM) mice with oligoclonal B cells and TCR Vbeta diversity 7% that of wild-type mice. Despite having a TCR repertoire contracted >99% and defective lymphoid organogenesis, JH(-/-) mice rejected H-Y-incompatible skin grafts as rapidly as wild-type mice. JH(-/-) mice exhibited T cell priming by peptide and delayed-type hypersensitivity, although these responses were less than normal owing either to TCR repertoire contraction or defective lymphoid organogenesis. QM mice with TCR diversity contracted >90%, and normal lymphoid organs rejected H-Y incompatible skin grafts as rapidly as wild type mice and exhibited normal T cell priming and normal delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions. QM mice also resisted Pneumocystis murina like wild-type mice. Thus, cell-mediated immunity can function normally despite contractions of TCR diversity >90% and possibly >99%.

VH replacement in mice and humans

Heavy chain variable segment (V(H)) replacement refers to recombination activating gene (RAG) product-mediated secondary recombination between a previously rearranged V(H) gene and an upstream unrearranged V(H) gene. V(H) replacement was first observed in mouse pre-B cell lines and later demonstrated in knock-in mouse models carrying immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) genes encoding self-reactive or mono-specific antibodies or non-functional IgH rearrangements on both IgH alleles. Despite these findings, it is still difficult to find V(H) replacement intermediates during normal murine B cell development. In humans, ongoing V(H) replacement was found in a clonal B lineage EU12 cell line and in human bone marrow immature B cells. The identification of potential V(H) replacement products also suggested a potential contribution of V(H) replacement to the antibody repertoire. Here, I review the evidence for whether V(H) replacement genuinely offers an in vivo RAG-mediated recombinatorial mechanism to alter preformed IgH genes in mice and humans.

Codon insertion and deletion functions as a somatic diversification mechanism in human antibody repertoires

It has been suggested that codon insertion and/or deletion may represent a mechanism that, along with hypermutation, contributes to the affinity maturation of antibodies. We used repertoire cloning to examine human antibodies directed against 3 carbohydrate antigens and 1 protein antigen for the presence of such modifications. We find that both the insertion and deletion of codons occur frequently in antigen-specific responses following vaccination. Codon insertions and deletions were observed most often in the complementarity determining regions, and less frequently in the framework regions, of VH, Vkappa, and Vlambda gene segments, and involved motifs known to be preferred targets of somatic hypermutation. Clonal lineage analysis shows that these events occur through out the course of the somatic maturation of individual antibody clones. We also determined that these alterations of paratope structure have varying effects on the relative affinity of the binding site for its cognate antigen.

REVIEWERS

This article was reviewed by Mark Shlomchik, Deborah Dunn-Walters (nominated by Dr. Andrew Macpherson), and Rachel M. Gerstein.

OPEN PEER REVIEW

Reviewed by Mark Shlomchik, Deborah Dunn-Walters (nominated by Dr. Andrew Macpherson), and Rachel M. Gerstein. For the full reviews, please go to the Reviewers' comments section.

The molecular basis and biological significance of VH replacement

First observed in mouse pre-B-cell lines and then in knock-in mice carrying self-reactive IgH transgenes, VH replacement has now been shown to contribute to the primary B-cell repertoire in humans. Through recombination-activating gene (RAG)-mediated recombination between a cryptic recombination signal sequence (RSS) present in almost all VH genes and the flanking 23 base pair RSS of an upstream VH gene, VH replacement renews the entire VH-coding region, while leaving behind a short stretch of nucleotides as a VH replacement footprint. In addition to extending the CDR3 region, the VH replacement footprints preferentially contribute charged amino acids. VH replacement rearrangement in immature B cells may either eliminate a self-reactive B-cell receptor or contribute to the generation of self-reactive antibodies. VH replacement may also rescue non-productive or dysfunctional VHDJH rearrangement in pro-B and pre-B cells. Conversely, VH replacement of a productive immunoglobulin H gene may generate non-productive VH replacement to disrupt or temporarily reverse the B-cell differentiation process. VH replacement can thus play a complex role in the generation of the primary B-cell repertoire.

Direct measurement of lymphocyte receptor diversity

The ability to mount an immune defense against infectious microorganisms and their products, and against tumors is believed to be a direct function of lymphocyte diversity. Because the diversity of lymphocyte receptor genes is >1000-fold more diverse than the entire genome and varies between genetically identical individuals, measuring lymphocyte diversity has been a daunting challenge. We developed a novel technique for measuring lymphocyte diversity directly using gene chips. We reasoned and here demonstrate that the frequency of hybridization of nucleic acids coding for lymphocyte receptors to the oligonucleotides on a gene chip varies in direct proportion to diversity. We applied the technique to detect changes in lymphocyte diversity in mice with known B cell alterations and in persons with known T cell repertoire defects. This approach is the first to provide direct analysis of lymphocyte receptor diversity and should facilitate fundamental study of the adaptive immune system and clinical efforts to assess immunological diseases. In addition, this approach could be more broadly applied, for example to measure diversity of viral quasi-species.

B cell selection and affinity maturation during an antibody response in the mouse with limited B cell diversity

The quasi-monoclonal mouse has limited B cell diversity, whose major (approximately 80%) B cell Ag receptors are comprised of the knockin V(H) 17.2.25 (V(H)T)-encoded H chain and the lambda1 or lambda2 L chain, thereby being specific for 4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenylacetyl. The p-nitrophenylacetyl (pNP) was found to be a low affinity analog of nitrophenylacetyl. We examined affinity maturation of anti-pNP IgG by analyzing mAbs obtained from quasi-monoclonal mice that were immunized with this low affinity Ag. The results are: 1) Although V(H)T/lambda1 and V(H)T/lambda2 IgM were equally produced, V(H)T/lambda2 IgG almost exclusively underwent affinity maturation toward pNP. 2) A common mutation in complementarity-determining region 3 of V(H)T (T313A) mainly contributed to generating the specificity for pNP. 3) Because mutated V(H)T-encoded gamma-chains could form lambda1-bearing IgG in Chinese hamster ovary cells, apparent absence of V(H)T/lambda1 anti-pNP IgG may not be due to the incompatibility between the gamma-chains and the lambda1-chain, but may be explained by the fact that V(H)T/lambda1 B cells showed 50- to 100-fold lower affinity for pNP than V(H)T/lambda2 B cells. 4) Interestingly, a pNP-specific IgM mAb that shared common mutations including T313A with high affinity anti-pNP IgG was isolated, suggesting that a part of hypermutation coupled with positive selection can occur before isotype switching. Thus, even weak B cell receptor engagement can elicit an IgM response, whereas only B cells that received signals stronger than a threshold may be committed to an affinity maturation process.

Targeted disruption of LIGHT causes defects in costimulatory T cell activation and reveals cooperation with lymphotoxin beta in mesenteric lymph node genesis

The recently described tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family member LIGHT (herpes virus entry mediator [HVEM]-L/TNFSF14), a ligand for the lymphotoxin (LT)beta receptor, HVEM, and DcR3, was inactivated in the mouse. In contrast to mice deficient in any other member of the LT core family, LIGHT(-/-) mice develop intact lymphoid organs. Interestingly, a lower percentage of LIGHT(-/-)LTbeta(-/-) animals contain mesenteric lymph nodes as compared with LTbeta(-/-) mice, whereas the splenic microarchitecture of LIGHT(-/-)LTbeta(-/-) and LTbeta(-/-) mice shows a comparable state of disruption. This suggests the existance of an additional undiscovered ligand for the LTbeta receptor (LTbetaR) or a weak LTalpha(3)-LTbetaR interaction in vivo involved in the formation of secondary lymphoid organs. LIGHT acts synergistically with CD28 in skin allograft rejection in vivo. The underlying mechanism was identified in in vitro allogeneic MLR studies, showing a reduced cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity and cytokine production. Detailed analyses revealed that proliferative responses specifically of CD8+ T cells are impaired and interleukin 2 secretion of CD4+ T cells is defective in the absence of LIGHT. Furthermore, a reduced 3[H]-thymidine incorporation after T cell receptor stimulation was observed. This for the first time provides in vivo evidence for a cooperative role for LIGHT and LTbeta in lymphoid organogenesis and indicates important costimulatory functions for LIGHT in T cell activation.

Contribution of light chain rearrangement in peripheral B cells to the generation of high-affinity antibodies

Recently, peripheral B cells have been shown to undergo secondary V(D)J rearrangement of immunoglobulin genes, but the physiological role of this event has not been fully elucidated. To investigate whether rearrangement of L chain genes in the periphery is involved in the generation of high-affinity antibodies (Ab), we used the 17.2.25 rearranged VHDJH gene (VHT)-knockin mouse whose B cell diversity is limited due to the expression of the site-directed transgene. Immunization of the mouse with p-nitrophenylacetyl (pNP)-conjugated chicken gamma-globulin preferentially led to the production of anti-pNP IgG Ab comprised of non-VHT-encoded H chains and lambda chains. lambda(+) IgG constituted a majority of high-affinity Ab to this hapten. RAG-2 mRNA and the recombination signal sequence break of the lambda1 gene increased in the draining lymph node of immunized mice, but not of nonimmunized animals. There was a close correlation between the levels of these parameters implicating lambda gene rearrangement and the production of lambda(+ )high-affinity anti-pNP IgG. These observations were reproduced in RAG-1-deficient mice that were reconstituted with the spleen cells ofthe knockin mouse. Thus, our findings suggest that L chain rearrangement that occurs in the periphery can contribute to affinity maturation of Ab.

Age-dependent increase of peritoneal B-1b B cells in SCID mice

The impact of increasing age upon immunoglobulin production and B-lymphocyte generation in "leaky" severe combined immune-defective (SCID) mice was examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and flow cytometry. By 1 year of age, the mice had normal numbers of B cells in their peritoneal cavity, while their spleen had very few immunoglobulin M-positive (IgM+) cells. The majority of B cells expressed the CD11b marker characteristic of the B-1b subset. B-1a (CD5+) cells were present at a lower frequency and B-2 cells were absent. The frequency of mice producing detectable immunoglobulin increased with age, and isotype diversity within individual mice was variable. IgM production was most frequently observed followed by IgG3 and IgG2a, then IgG1, and finally IgA. The selective persistence of the B-1 B-cell subset in the peritoneal cavity of aging SCID mice is a natural model for the study of those genetic and environmental influences that determine lymphocyte longevity.

Genetic and structural determinants of virus neutralizing antibodies

Neutralizing antibodies (Abs) are the principal protective mechanism against disease caused by reinfection with viruses. Ab-mediated neutralization of viruses is a complex process comprising multiple mechanisms. Every structural aspect of Abs is potentially capable of modulating the level of neutralizing activity or the mechanisms of neutralization. The focus of our laboratory is to understand the genetic and structural basis of Ab-mediated neutralization of human viral pathogens. We demonstrated the unexpected finding that virus antigen-binding fragments of Abs (Fabs) mediate potent virus neutralizing effects in vivo. This work has led to a broad investigation of the importance of the genetics, chemistry, and structure of the combining site to the neutralizing activity of antiviral Abs. Ongoing work in our laboratory reveals that effect or functions specified by the Ab isotype such as polymer formation, interactions with complement, interactions with Fc receptors, and the ability to transcytose mucosal epithelia, also modulate the mechanism and level of neutralizing effects mediated by antiviral Abs.

B cells of aged mice show decreased expansion in response to antigen, but are normal in effector function

Increased dysfunction of the immune system with age can be attributed to developmental changes in cell types critical for proper immune responses. Previous studies have shown defects in humoral responses of aged individuals, but have not distinguished between aged T-cell/microenvironment and intrinsic B-cell defects. Here adoptive transfer of antigen-specific transgenic B cells compared early immunopoeisis from young and aged donors in a young recipient environment. B cells from aged donors demonstrated decreased antigen-induced expansion, particularly in the lymph nodes; however, they acquired a germinal center phenotype at frequencies similar to B cells from young donors. Additionally, aged B cells produced equivalent levels of antigen-specific antibody that underwent affinity maturation and isotype switching and demonstrated similar numbers of antibody-secreting cells of switched isotype. Thus, the ability of aged B cells to respond appropriately to T-dependent antigens and differentiate into high-affinity, isotype-switched, antibody-secreting cells appears to be intact.

Neutralizing antiviral antibody responses

Neutralizing antibodies are evolutionarily important effectors of immunity against viruses. Their evaluation has revealed a number of basic insights into specificity, rules of reactivity (tolerance), and memory—namely, (1) Specificity of neutralizing antibodies is defined by their capacity to distinguish between virus serotypes; (2) B cell reactivity is determined by antigen structure, concentration, and time of availability in secondary lymphoid organs; and (3) B cell memory is provided by elevated protective antibody titers in serum that are depending on antigen stimulation. These perhaps slightly overstated rules are simple, correlate with in vivo evidence as well as clinical observations, and appear to largely demystify many speculations about antibodies and B cell physiology. The chapter also considers successful vaccines and compares them with those infectious diseases where efficient protective vaccines are lacking, it is striking to note that all successful vaccines induce high levels of neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) that are both necessary and sufficient to protect the host from disease. Successful vaccination against infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, leprosy, or HIV would require induction of additional long-lasting T cell responses to control infection.

Development of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein autoreactive transgenic B lymphocytes: receptor editing in vivo after encounter of a self-antigen distinct from myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein

We explored mechanisms involved in B cell self-tolerance against brain autoantigens in a double-transgenic mouse model carrying the Ig H-chain (introduced by gene replacement) and/or the L-chain kappa (conventional transgenic) of the mAb 8.18C5, specific for the myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG). Previously, we demonstrated that B cells expressing solely the MOG-specific Ig H-chain differentiate without tolerogenic censure. We show now that double-transgenic (THkappa(mog)) B cells expressing transgenic Ig H- and L-chains are subjected to receptor editing. We show that in adult mice carrying both MOG-specific Ig H- and L-chains, the frequency of MOG-binding B cells is not higher than in mice expressing solely the transgenic Ig H-chain. In fact, in THkappa(mog) double-transgenic mice, the transgenic kappa(mog) L-chain was commonly replaced by endogenous L-chains, i.e., by receptor editing. In rearrangement-deficient RAG-2(-) mice, differentiation of THkappa(mog) B cells is blocked at an immature stage (defined by the B220(low)IgM(low)IgD(-) phenotype), reflecting interaction of the autoreactive B cells with a local self-determinant. The tolerogenic structure in the bone marrow is not classical MOG, because back-crossing THkappa(mog) mice into a MOG-deficient genetic background does not lead to an increase in the proportion of MOG-binding B cells. We propose that an as yet undefined self-Ag distinct from MOG cross-reacts with the THkappa(mog) B cell receptor and induces editing of the transgenic kappa(mog) L-chain in early immature B cells without affecting the pathogenic potential of the remaining MOG-specific B cells. This phenomenon represents a particular form of chain-specific split tolerance.

Immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region gene replacement As a mechanism for receptor revision in rheumatoid arthritis synovial tissue B lymphocytes

Mature B cells can alter their antibody repertoires by several mechanisms, including immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region (V(H)) replacement. This process changes the antigen combining site by replacing a portion of the original V(H)/diversity/heavy chain joining region (V(H)DJ(H)) rearrangement with a corresponding portion of a new V(H) segment. This exchange can involve cryptic heptamer-like sequences embedded in the coding regions of V(H) genes. While studying the B lymphocytes that expand in the synovial tissues of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), clones with V(H)DJ(H) variants that were apparently generated by V(H) replacement were identified with surprising frequency (approximately 8%). Examples of multiple independent V(H) replacement events occurring in distinct progeny clones were also identified. These secondary V(H) rearrangements were documented at both the cDNA and genomic DNA levels and involved several heptamer-like sequences at four distinct locations within V(H) (three sites in framework region 3 and one in complementarity determining region 2). The identification of blunt-ended double-stranded DNA breaks at the embedded heptamers and the demonstration of recombinase activating gene (RAG) expression suggested that these rearrangements could occur in the synovial tissues, presumably in pseudo-germinal centers, and that they could be mediated by RAG in a recognition signal sequence-specific manner. The presence of V(H) mutations in the clones that had undergone replacement indicated that these B cells were immunocompetent and could receive and respond to diversification signals. A relationship between these secondary V(H) gene rearrangements and the autoimmunity characteristic of RA should be considered.

Diversity in the CDR3 region of V(H) is sufficient for most antibody specificities

All rearranging antigen receptor genes have one or two highly diverse complementarity determining regions (CDRs) among the six that typically form the ligand binding surface. We report here that, in the case of antibodies, diversity at one of these regions, CDR3 of the V(H) domain, is sufficient to permit otherwise identical IgM molecules to distinguish between a variety of hapten and protein antigens. Furthermore, we find that somatic mutation can allow such antibodies to achieve surprisingly high affinities. These results are consistent with a model in which the highly diverse CDR3 loops are the key determinant of specificity in antigen recognition in both T cell receptors (TCR) and antibodies, whereas the germline-encoded CDR1 and CDR2 sequences are much more cross-reactive.

Germinal centers without T cells

Germinal centers are critical for affinity maturation of antibody (Ab) responses. This process allows the production of high-efficiency neutralizing Ab that protects against virus infection and bacterial exotoxins. In germinal centers, responding B cells selectively mutate the genes that encode their receptors for antigen. This process can change Ab affinity and specificity. The mutated cells that produce high-affinity Ab are selected to become Ab-forming or memory B cells, whereas cells that have lost affinity or acquired autoreactivity are eliminated. Normally, T cells are critical for germinal center formation and subsequent B cell selection. Both processes involve engagement of CD40 on B cells by T cells. This report describes how high-affinity B cells can be induced to form large germinal centers in response to (4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenyl) acetyl (NP)-Ficoll in the absence of T cells or signaling through CD40 or CD28. This requires extensive cross-linking of the B cell receptors, and a frequency of antigen-specific B cells of at least 1 in 1,000. These germinal centers abort dramatically at the time when mutated high-affinity B cells are normally selected by T cells. Thus, there is a fail-safe mechanism against autoreactivity, even in the event of thymus-independent germinal center formation.