CD39 is an antibody-secreting B-cell marker that modulates germinal center and antibody responses during infection.

ABSTRACT: CD39 is an ectoenzyme in immune cells that regulates purinergic signaling by converting extracellular ATP into adenosine (ADO). Although first described on EBV-transformed B cells, CD39's role in humoral immunity remains unclear. Using murine infection models and human samples, we confirm and extend previous findings showing that high CD39 expression identifies antibody-secreting cells (ASC) across differentiation stages, including ASC derived from memory B cells, and in various tissues, regardless of the infection phase. CD39 was resistant to enzymatic digestion, facilitating ASC identification in processed tissues. We found that while CD39 was not essential for B-cell differentiation into ASC, it remained functionally active as an ectoenzyme. ASC as well as germinal center (GC) B cells e

SUBMITTER: Almada L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12580622 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature