Intestinal CD11b+ B Cells Ameliorate Colitis by Secreting Immunoglobulin A

oleh: Ying Fu, Zhiming Wang, Baichao Yu, Yuli Lin, Enyu Huang, Enyu Huang, Ronghua Liu, Chujun Zhao, Mingfang Lu, Wei Xu, Hongchun Liu, Yongzhong Liu, Luman Wang, Luman Wang, Yiwei Chu, Yiwei Chu

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: Frontiers Media S.A. 2021-11-01

Deskripsi

The intestinal mucosal immune environment requires multiple immune cells to maintain homeostasis. Although intestinal B cells are among the most important immune cells, little is known about the mechanism that they employ to regulate immune homeostasis. In this study, we found that CD11b+ B cells significantly accumulated in the gut lamina propria and Peyer’s patches in dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis mouse models and patients with ulcerative colitis. Adoptive transfer of CD11b+ B cells, but not CD11b−/− B cells, effectively ameliorated colitis and exhibited therapeutic effects. Furthermore, CD11b+ B cells were found to produce higher levels of IgA than CD11b− B cells. CD11b deficiency in B cells dampened IgA production, resulting in the loss of their ability to ameliorate colitis. Mechanistically, CD11b+ B cells expressed abundant TGF-β and TGF-β receptor II, as well as highly activate phosphorylated Smad2/3 signaling pathway, consequently promoting the class switch to IgA. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that CD11b+ B cells are essential intestinal suppressive immune cells and the primary source of intestinal IgA, which plays an indispensable role in maintaining intestinal homeostasis.