HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Johansson, B. Articles by Borrebaeck, C. A. K. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Johansson, B. Articles by Borrebaeck, C. A. K.

Human Interdigitating Dendritic Cells Induce Isotype Switching and IL-13-Dependent IgM Production in CD40-Activated Naive B Cells¹

Bengt Johansson^*, Sigurdur Ingvarsson^*, Pia Björck and Carl A. K. Borrebaeck^2,*

^* Department of Immunotechnology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden; and Department of Dermatology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Interdigitating dendritic cells (IDC) represent a mature progeny of dendritic cells (DC) in vivo and are exhibiting a strong lymphocyte stimulatory potential. Because of the restricted localization to secondary lymphoid organs where decisive cellular interactions take place in the initial events of immunity, IDC regulatory function was addressed in relation to naive B cells. In this study, we demonstrate that human tonsillar IDC induce a dual response from CD40-activated IgD⁺/CD38^- naive B lymphocytes. IDC direct naive B cells toward either isotype switching or an IL-13-dependent IgM secretion. IDC-dependent proliferation, isotype switching, and Ig production are all strictly mediated by soluble factors, suggesting that such skewing in B cell activation is the result of differential cytokine expression. Moreover, IDC-expressed IL-13 represents a novel source of a cytokine with recently established effects in Th2 induction as well as in immunological disorders resulting in allergic reactions.