Profiling Atlantic salmon B cell populations: CpG-mediated TLR-ligation enhances IgM secretion and modulates immune gene expression

Sci Rep. 2018 Feb 23;8(1):3565. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-21895-9.

Abstract

While TLR-activated pathways are key regulators of B cell responses in mammals, their impact on teleost B cells are scarcely addressed. Here, the potential of Atlantic salmon B cells to respond to TLR ligands was shown by demonstrating a constitutive expression of nucleic-acid sensing TLRs in magnetic sorted IgM+ cells. Of the two receptors recognizing CpG in teleosts, tlr9 was the dominating receptor with over ten-fold higher expression than tlr21. Upon CpG-stimulation, IgM secretion increased for head kidney (HK) and splenic IgM+ cells, while blood B cells were marginally affected. The results suggest that CpG directly affects salmon B cells to differentiate into antibody secreting cells (ASCs). IgM secretion was also detected in the non-treated controls, again with the highest levels in the HK derived population, signifying that persisting ASCs are present in this tissue. In all tissues, the IgM+ cells expressed high MHCII levels, suggesting antigen-presenting functions. Upon CpG-treatment the co-stimulatory molecules cd83 and cd40 were upregulated, while cd86 was down-regulated under the same conditions. Finally, ifna1 was upregulated upon CpG-stimulation in all tissues, while a restricted upregulation was evident for ifnb, proposing that salmon IgM+ B cells exhibit a type I IFN-response.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Cell Lineage / genetics
  • Cell Lineage / immunology
  • CpG Islands / genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation / immunology
  • Immunoglobulin M / genetics*
  • Immunoglobulin M / immunology
  • Interferon-alpha / genetics*
  • Interferon-alpha / immunology
  • Salmo salar / genetics*
  • Salmo salar / immunology
  • Toll-Like Receptors / genetics
  • Toll-Like Receptors / immunology

Substances

  • Immunoglobulin M
  • Interferon-alpha
  • Toll-Like Receptors
  • secretory IgM