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Journal of Virology, April 2006, p. 3923-3934, Vol. 80, No. 8
0022-538X/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JVI.80.8.3923-3934.2006
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Antibody Production and In Vitro Behavior of CD27-Defined B-Cell Subsets: Persistent Hepatitis C Virus Infection Changes the Rules

Vito Racanelli,1* Maria Antonia Frassanito,1 Patrizia Leone,1 Maria Galiano,1 Valli De Re,2 Franco Silvestris,1 and Franco Dammacco1

Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Oncology, University of Bari Medical School, Bari,1 Division of Experimental Oncology I, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, IRCCS, National Cancer Institute, Aviano (PN), Italy2

Received 13 October 2005/ Accepted 19 January 2006

There is growing interest in the tendency of B cells to change their functional program in response to overwhelming antigen loading, perhaps by regulating specific parameters, such as efficiency of activation, proliferation rate, differentiation to antibody-secreting cells (ASC), and rate of cell death in culture. We show that individuals persistently infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) carry high levels of circulating immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgG-secreting cells (IgG-ASC). Thus, generalized polyclonal activation of B-cell functions may be supposed. While IgGs include virus-related and unrelated antibodies, IgG-ASC do not include HCV-specific plasma cells. Despite signs of widespread activation, B cells do not accumulate and memory B cells seem to be reduced in the blood of HCV-infected individuals. This apparent discrepancy may reflect the unconventional activation kinetics and functional responsiveness of the CD27+ B-cell subset in vitro. Following stimulation with T-cell-derived signals in the absence of B-cell receptor (BCR) engagement, CD27+ B cells do not expand but rapidly differentiate to secrete Ig and then undergo apoptosis. We propose that their enhanced sensitivity to BCR-independent noncognate T-cell help maintains a constant level of nonspecific serum antibodies and ASC and serves as a backup mechanism of feedback inhibition to prevent exaggerated B-cell responses that could be the cause of significant immunopathology.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Oncology, University of Bari Medical School, Policlinico - 11, Piazza G. Cesare, 70124 Bari, Italy. Phone: 39 080 5478 050. Fax: 39 080 5478 820. E-mail: v.racanelli{at}dimo.uniba.it.

Journal of Virology, April 2006, p. 3923-3934, Vol. 80, No. 8
0022-538X/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JVI.80.8.3923-3934.2006
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Charles, E. D., Green, R. M., Marukian, S., Talal, A. H., Lake-Bakaar, G. V., Jacobson, I. M., Rice, C. M., Dustin, L. B. (2008). Clonal expansion of immunoglobulin M+CD27+ B cells in HCV-associated mixed cryoglobulinemia. Blood 111: 1344-1356 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


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