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Cited by 808T-cell and B-cell ImmunologySystemic Lupus Erythematosus ResearchImmune Response and Inflammation

Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7)–driven accumulation of a novel CD11c+ B-cell population is important for the development of autoimmunity

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Rubtsov, Anatoly V., Rubtsova, Kira, Fischer, Aryeh, Meehan, Richard T., Gillis, Joann Z., Kappler, John W., Marrack, Philippa·2011·Blood
DOI 10.1182/blood-2011-01-331462PMC PMC3152497
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Abstract

Females are more susceptible than males to many autoimmune diseases. The processes causing this phenomenon are incompletely understood. Here, we demonstrate that aged female mice acquire a previously uncharacterized population of B cells that we call age-associated B cells (ABCs) and that these cells express integrin α(X) chain (CD11c). This unexpected population also appears in young lupus-prone mice. On stimulation, CD11c(+) B cells, both from autoimmune-prone and healthy strains of mice, secrete autoantibodies, and depletion of these cells in vivo leads to reduction of autoreactive antibodies, suggesting that the cells might have a direct role in the development of autoimmunity. We have explored factors that contribute to appearance of ABCs and demonstrated that signaling through Toll-like receptor 7 is crucial for development of this B cell population. We were able to detect a similar population of B cells in the peripheral blood of some elderly women with autoimmune disease, suggesting that there may be parallels between the creation of ABC-like cells between mice and humans.

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  • ABCs are characterized in mice by the surface phenotype CD19+, CD11c+, T-bet+, CD11b+, CD21-, CD23-, CD86+, MHCII+, and in humans by CD11c+, T-bet+, CD27-, IgD-, CD38-, CD21-.

    “They are charac­ terized in mice by the surface phenotype CD19 + , CD11c + , T-bet + , CD11b + , CD21 , CD23 , CD86 + , MHCII + , and in humans by CD11c + , Tbet + , CD27 , IgD , CD38 , CD21 [69 -72].”

    From Is there a role for B cells in Alzheimer's disease? (2026) · cites this paper as [71]

    The mouse-characterization and gene-expression sections support most of the listed mouse markers, including CD19, CD11c, CD11b, CD21 negativity, CD86, MHCII, and T-bet. The human-patient section supports CD11c positivity, CD21 negativity, and IgD negativity, but describes the cells as CD27-high and CD38-low, not CD27-negative and CD38-negative; it does not establish T-bet expression in human cells. (LLM, conf=0.90)

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Rubtsov, A. V., Rubtsova, K., Fischer, A., Meehan, R. T., Gillis, J. Z., Kappler, J. W., & Marrack, P.
Affiliations
  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute (US)
  • National Jewish Health (US)
ORCID
Venue
Blood
Publisher
American Society of Hematology
Published
2011-08-04
Volume
118
Issue
5
Pages
1305-1315
ISSN
  • 0006-4971 (ISSN-L)
  • 1528-0020
DOI
10.1182/blood-2011-01-331462
PMC
PMC3152497
OpenAlex
W1997105134
Cited by
808
References
2
Citations by year
2026: 69 · 2025: 81 · 2024: 91 · 2023: 86 · 2022: 94 · 2021: 82 · 2020: 57 · 2019: 50 · 2018: 43 · 2017: 41 · 2016: 29 · 2015: 17 · 2014: 23 · 2013: 17 · 2012: 19
FWCI
9.51
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Blood (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute
  • U.S. Public Health Service (AI-18785)
  • National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (AI-18785, U19AI046374, AI-52225, AI 22295, P01AI022295, R01AI052225, AI046374, R37AI018785, R56AI018785, R01AI018785)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › T-cell and B-cell Immunology
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Rheumatology › Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Research
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Immune Response and Inflammation
Keywords
TLR7, CD11c+ B cells, age-associated B cells, autoimmunity, sex differences in autoimmunity, systemic lupus erythematosus, autoantibodies, B-cell depletion, lupus-prone mice, older women
MeSH terms
Aged, Aging, Animals, Autoimmune Diseases, B-Lymphocytes, Cells, Cultured, Female, Humans, Male, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Mice, Transgenic, Autoimmunity, Case-Control Studies, B-Lymphocyte Subsets, CD11c Antigen, Cell Proliferation, Toll-Like Receptor 7, Mice

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