Spontaneous antibody production caused by regulatory T cell deficiency occurs through a germinal center-independent pathway

• Published in: Biochemical and biophysical research communications Vol. 527; no. 4; pp. 909 - 914
• Main Authors: Tai, Yuki, Takano, Azumi, Haga, Katsura, Koshida, Kouhei, Harada, Yohsuke
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 05.07.2020
• Subjects: Allergy; Animals; Antibody; Antibody Formation; Autoimmunity; Forkhead Transcription Factors - genetics; Forkhead Transcription Factors - immunology; Germinal center; Germinal Center - immunology; Humoral immune response; Immunoglobulin E - immunology; Immunoglobulin G - immunology; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Knockout; Regulatory T cell deficiency; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory - immunology; Autoimmunity; Humoral immune response; Allergy; Regulatory T cell deficiency; Antibody; Germinal center
• ISSN: 0006-291X; 1090-2104
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.05.026

Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) are essential for the prevention of autoantibody and allergen-specific IgE production. Treg deficiency causes an elevation of the serum levels of these pathogenic antibodies, accompanied by spontaneous germinal center (GC) formation. However, it remains to be determined whether excessive and pathogenic antibody production induced by Treg deficiency requires a GC response. Here, we demonstrate that spontaneous antibody production observed in Foxp3 conditional-knockout mice did not need GC formation. Foxp3 and Bcl6 conditional-double knockout mice exhibited spontaneous elevations of IgG1, IgG2c, and IgE levels even though they showed impaired production of IgG1 and IgE specific for the immunized antigen. Furthermore, the IgG1 and IgE antibodies specific for auto- and food-antigens were produced independently of GCs. These data suggested that a GC response was unnecessary for pathogenic antibody production caused by Treg deficiency. •Spontaneous antibody response caused by Treg deficiency do not require GC.•Treg cells help to prevent autoantibody and allergen-specific IgE production.•GC is not involved in aberrant antibody response due to Treg cell deficiency.