| CD38 Deficiency Ameliorates Chronic Graft- Versus-Host Disease Murine Lupus via a B-Cell-Dependent Mechanism | | CD38 Deficiency Ameliorates Chronic Graft- Versus-Host Disease Murine Lupus via a B-Cell-Dependent Mechanism | Martínez-Blanco Á, Domínguez-Pantoja M, Botía-Sánchez M, Pérez-Cabrera S, Bello-Iglesias N, Carrillo-Rodríguez P, Martin-Morales N, Lario-Simón A, Pérez-Sánchez-Cañete MM, Montosa-Hidalgo L, Guerrero-Fernández S, Longobardo-Polanco VM, Redondo-Sánchez S, | 2021-08-23T22:00:00Z | <h3>Abstract<br></h3><div><br></div><div>The absence of the mouse cell surface receptor CD38 in Cd38-/- mice suggests that this receptor acts as a positive regulator of inflammatory and autoimmune responses. Here, we report that, in the context of the chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) lupus inducible model, the transfer of B6.C-H2bm12/KhEg(bm12) spleen cells into co-isogenic Cd38-/- B6 mice causes milder lupus-like </div><div>autoimmunity with lower levels of anti-ssDNA autoantibodies than the transfer of bm12 spleen cells into WT B6 mice. In addition, significantly lower percentages of Tfh cells, as well as GC B cells, plasma cells, and T-bet+CD11chi B cells, were observed in Cd38-/- mice than in WT mice, while the expansion of Treg cells and Tfr cells was normal, suggesting that the ability of Cd38-/- B cells to respond to allogeneic help from bm12 CD4+ T cells is greatly diminished. The frequencies of T-bet+CD11chi B cells, which are considered the precursors of the autoantibody-secreting cells, correlate with anti-ssDNA autoantibody serum levels, IL-27, and sCD40L. Proteomics profiling of the spleens from WT cGVHD mice reflects a STAT1-driven type I IFN signature, which is absent in Cd38-/- cGVHD mice. Kidney, spleen, and liver inflammation was mild and resolved faster in Cd38-/- cGVHD mice than in WT cGVHD mice. We conclude that CD38 in B cells functions as a modulator receptor that controls autoimmune responses.<br></div><p><br></p> | <p>Front Immunol. 2021 Aug 24;12:713697. <br></p> | 370 | | |
