Immunity
Volume 31, Issue 2, 21 August 2009, Pages 259-269
Journal home page for Immunity

Article
Guidance of B Cells by the Orphan G Protein-Coupled Receptor EBI2 Shapes Humoral Immune Responses

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2009.06.016Get rights and content
Under an Elsevier user license
open archive

Summary

Humoral immunity depends on both rapid and long-term antibody production against invading pathogens. This is achieved by the generation of spatially distinct extrafollicular plasmablast and follicular germinal center (GC) B cell populations, but the signals that guide responding B cells to these alternative compartments have not been fully elucidated. Here, we show that expression of the orphan G protein-coupled receptor Epstein-Barr virus-induced gene 2 (EBI2, also known as GPR183) by activated B cells was essential for their movement to extrafollicular sites and induction of early plasmablast responses. Conversely, downregulation of EBI2 enabled B cells to access the center of follicles and promoted efficient GC formation. EBI2 therefore provides a previously uncharacterized dimension to B cell migration that is crucial for coordinating rapid versus long-term antibody responses.

MOLIMMUNO
CELLIMMUNO

Cited by (0)

4

Present address: Affitech AS, Oslo Research Park, Gaustadalleen 21, Oslo, Norway