1. Complex subsets but redundant clonality after B cells egress from spontaneous germinal centers
- Author
-
Carlos Castrillon, Lea Simoni, Theo van den Broek, Cees van der Poel, Elliot H Akama-Garren, Minghe Ma, and Michael C Carroll
- Subjects
autoimmunity ,memory B cell ,antibody-secreting cell ,single-cell sequencing ,B cell receptor repertoire ,Medicine ,Science ,Biology (General) ,QH301-705.5 - Abstract
Affinity matured self-reactive antibodies are found in autoimmune diseases like systemic lupus erythematous. Here, we used fate-mapping reporter mice and single-cell transcriptomics coupled to antibody repertoire analysis to characterize the post-germinal center (GC) B cell compartment in a new mouse model of autoimmunity. Antibody-secreting cells (ASCs) and memory B cells (MemBs) from spontaneous GCs grouped into multiple subclusters. ASCs matured into two terminal clusters, with distinct secretion, antibody repertoire and metabolic profiles. MemBs contained FCRL5+ and CD23+ subsets, with different in vivo localization in the spleen. GC-derived FCRL5+ MemBs share transcriptomic and repertoire properties with atypical B cells found in aging and infection and localize to the marginal zone, suggesting a similar contribution to recall responses. While transcriptomically diverse, ASC and MemB subsets maintained an underlying clonal redundancy. Therefore, self-reactive clones could escape subset-targeting therapy by perpetuation of self-reactivity in distinct subsets.
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF