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Blood, 23 April 2009, Vol. 113, No. 17, pp. 3969-3977. Prepublished online as a Blood First Edition Paper on January 14, 2009; DOI 10.1182/blood-2008-10-185421.
IMMUNOBIOLOGY BCR-mediated uptake of antigen linked to TLR9 ligand stimulates B-cell proliferation and antigen-specific plasma cell formation1 Lymphocyte Interaction Laboratory, Cancer Research UK London Research Institute, London, United Kingdom The activation of Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) expressed within B cells is associated with enhanced humoral immunity. However the role of TLR9 in the stimulation of B-cell responses, and more specifically in shaping the outcome of B-cell differentiation, remains unclear. Here, we observed that immunization with the TLR9 agonist CpG linked to protein antigen gave rise to enhanced production of antigen-specific class-switched antibodies in vivo. Unlike dendritic cells, B cells are unable to acquire these conjugates by macropinocytosis and instead depend on uptake through a signaling-competent B-cell receptor (BCR), provided the overall BCR-antigen avidity exceeds a defined threshold. The resultant stimulation of intrinsic TLR9 leads to enhanced antigen-specific B-cell proliferation and differentiation to form extrafollicular plasma cells. Thus, the direct conjugation of antigen and CpG reveals a mechanism that may operate during the initiation of primary immune responses, and may prove useful as a strategy for the design of adjuvants suitable for vaccinations.
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