TY - JOUR
T1 - Follicular dendritic cells catalyze hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) activation in the germinal center microenvironment by secreting the serine protease HGF activator
AU - Tjin, Esther P. M.
AU - Bende, Richard J.
AU - Derksen, Patrick W. B.
AU - van Huijstee, Anne-Pauline
AU - Kataoka, Hiroaki
AU - Spaargaren, Marcel
AU - Pals, Steven T.
PY - 2005
Y1 - 2005
N2 - Ag-specific B cell differentiation, the process that gives rise to plasma cells and memory B cells, involves the formation of germinal centers (GC). Within the GC microenvironment, multiple steps of B cell proliferation, selection, and maturation take place, which are controlled by the BCR in concert with cytokines and contact-dependent signals from follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) and T cells. Signaling by the multifunctional cytokine hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and its receptor MET has been shown to induce integrin-mediated adhesion of B cells to VCAM-1, which is expressed by FDCs. In the present study we have examined the expression of regulatory components of the HGF/MET pathway, including HGF activator (HGFA), within the secondary lymphoid organ microenvironment. We show that MET is expressed by both centroblasts and plasma cells, and that HGFA is expressed by plasma cells. Because we have shown that HGF is a potent growth and survival factor for malignant plasma cells, HGF may also serve as a survival factor for normal plasma cells. Furthermore, we demonstrate that FDCs are the major source for HGF and its activator within the GC microenvironment. Both HGF and HGFA are expressed by FDCs in the GC dark zone (CD21(high)/ CD23(low)), but not in the light zone (CD21(high)/CD23(high)). These findings suggest that HGF and HGFA provided by dark zone FDCs help to regulate the proliferation, survival, and/or adhesion of MET-positive centroblasts
AB - Ag-specific B cell differentiation, the process that gives rise to plasma cells and memory B cells, involves the formation of germinal centers (GC). Within the GC microenvironment, multiple steps of B cell proliferation, selection, and maturation take place, which are controlled by the BCR in concert with cytokines and contact-dependent signals from follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) and T cells. Signaling by the multifunctional cytokine hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and its receptor MET has been shown to induce integrin-mediated adhesion of B cells to VCAM-1, which is expressed by FDCs. In the present study we have examined the expression of regulatory components of the HGF/MET pathway, including HGF activator (HGFA), within the secondary lymphoid organ microenvironment. We show that MET is expressed by both centroblasts and plasma cells, and that HGFA is expressed by plasma cells. Because we have shown that HGF is a potent growth and survival factor for malignant plasma cells, HGF may also serve as a survival factor for normal plasma cells. Furthermore, we demonstrate that FDCs are the major source for HGF and its activator within the GC microenvironment. Both HGF and HGFA are expressed by FDCs in the GC dark zone (CD21(high)/ CD23(low)), but not in the light zone (CD21(high)/CD23(high)). These findings suggest that HGF and HGFA provided by dark zone FDCs help to regulate the proliferation, survival, and/or adhesion of MET-positive centroblasts
U2 - https://doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.175.5.2807
DO - https://doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.175.5.2807
M3 - Article
C2 - 16116166
SN - 0022-1767
VL - 175
SP - 2807
EP - 2813
JO - Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md.
JF - Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md.
IS - 5
ER -