TNFR2 expression is a hallmark of human memory B cells with suppressive function

TICHA, Olga, Peter SLANINA, Lukas MOOS, Julie ŠTÍCHOVÁ, Marcela VLKOVÁ and Isabelle BEKEREDJIAN-DING. TNFR2 expression is a hallmark of human memory B cells with suppressive function. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY. HOBOKEN: WILEY, 2021, vol. 51, No 5, p. 1195-1205. ISSN 0014-2980. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/eji.202048988.

Basic information

• Original name: TNFR2 expression is a hallmark of human memory B cells with suppressive function
• Authors: TICHA, Olga (203 Czech Republic), Peter SLANINA (703 Slovakia, belonging to the institution), Lukas MOOS, Julie ŠTÍCHOVÁ (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution), Marcela VLKOVÁ (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution) and Isabelle BEKEREDJIAN-DING (guarantor).
• Edition: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY, HOBOKEN, WILEY, 2021, 0014-2980.

Other information

• Original language: English
• Type of outcome: Article in a journal
• Field of Study: 30102 Immunology
• Country of publisher: United States of America
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• WWW: URL
• Impact factor: Impact factor: 6.688
• RIV identification code: RIV/00216224:14110/21:00121608
• Organization unit: Faculty of Medicine
• Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/eji.202048988
• UT WoS: 000626550800001
• Keywords in English: B cells; Breg; IL‐ 10; TLR9; TNFR2
• Tags: 14110114, rivok
• Tags: International impact, Reviewed

Abstract

Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor 2 (TNFR2) expression is increasingly being linked to tolerogenic immune reactions and cells with suppressor function including a subset of T-regulatory cells. B-regulatory cells play an important role in control of T-cell responses and inflammation. Recently, we described TNFR2 as a marker for IL-10-producing B cells, a hallmark of this cell subset. Here, we demonstrate that proliferation of T cells is reduced in the presence of TNFR2 positive human memory B cells generated with TLR9 ligand, while TNFR2- and TNFR2+CD27- B cells display costimulatory activity. Our data further reveal that IL-10 secretion is characteristic of IgM+ naive and memory B cells but suppressive activity is not restricted to IL-10: (i) the inhibitory effect of TNFR2+ switched memory B cells was comparable to that exerted by TNFR2+ IgM+ memory B cells although IL-10 secretion levels in the cocultures were lower; (ii) supernatants from TNFR2+ memory B cells failed to suppress T-cell proliferation. Based on our findings, we propose that formation of Breg is a specific characteristic of human memory B cells undergoing terminal differentiation. Our data further corroborate that TNFR2 represents a viable marker for identification of memory B cells with regulatory function.