BMP-7 induces apoptosis in human germinal center B cells and is influenced by TGF-β receptor type I ALK5.

ABSTRACT: Selection and maturation of B cells into plasma cells producing high-affinity antibodies occur in germinal centers (GC). GCs form transiently in secondary lymphoid organs upon antigen challenge, and the GC reaction is a highly regulated process. TGF-β is a potent negative regulator, but the influence of other family members including bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) is less known. Studies of human peripheral blood B lymphocytes showed that BMP-6 suppressed plasmablast differentiation, whereas BMP-7 induced apoptosis. Here, we show that human naïve and GC B cells had a strikingly different receptor expression pattern. GC B cells expressed high levels of BMP type I receptor but low levels of type II receptors, whereas naïve B cells had the opposite pattern. Furthermore, GC B cells had elev

SUBMITTER: Bollum LK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5425193 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature