Nuclear proteins acquiring Germinal Center B cells are specifically suppressed by follicular regulatory T cells.

Ke, F.; Benet, Z. L.; Maz, M. P.; Liu, J.; Dent, A. L.; Kahlenberg, J. M.; Grigorova, I. L.

doi:10.1101/2022.10.25.513707

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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2022.10.25.513707

Nuclear proteins acquiring Germinal Center B cells are specifically suppressed by follicular regulatory T cells.

Ke, F.·Benet, Z. L.·Maz, M. P.·Liu, J.·Dent, A. L.·Kahlenberg, J. M.·Grigorova, I. L.

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Abstract

Follicular regulatory T cells (Tfrs) restrict development of autoantibodies and autoimmunity while supporting high-affinity foreign antigen-specific humoral response. However, whether Tfrs can directly repress germinal center (GC) B cells that acquire auto-antigens is unclear. Moreover, TCR specificity of Tfrs to self-antigens is not known. Our study suggests that nuclear proteins contain antigens specific to Tfrs. Targeting of these proteins to antigen-specific B cells triggers rapid accumulation of Tfrs with immunosuppressive characteristics. Tfrs then exert negative regulation of GC B cells with predominant inhibition of the nuclear protein-acquiring GC B cells, suggesting an important role of direct cognate Tfr-GC B cells interactions for the control of effector B cell response.

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Ke, F., Benet, Z. L., Maz, M. P., Liu, J., Dent, A. L., Kahlenberg, J. M., Grigorova, I. L.. 2022-10-27. Nuclear proteins acquiring Germinal Center B cells are specifically suppressed by follicular regulatory T cells.. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.10.25.513707

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