Allogeneic dendritic cells stimulated with antibodies against HLA class II polarize naive T cells in a follicular helper phenotype

Sci Rep. 2018 Mar 5;8(1):4025. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-22391-w.

Abstract

Follicular helper T cells (Tfh) are crucial for the production of high-affinity antibodies, such as alloantibodies, by providing the signals for B-cell proliferation and differentiation. Here, we demonstrate that human allogeneic dendritic cells (DC) stimulated with antibodies against HLA class II antigens preferentially differentiate human naive CD4+ T cells into Tfh cells. Following coculture with DCs treated with these antibodies, CD4+ T cells expressed CXCR5, ICOS, IL-21, Bcl-6 and phosphorylated STAT3. Blockade of IL-21 abrogated Bcl-6, while addition of the IL-12p40 subunit to the coculture increased CXCR5, Bcl-6, phosphorylated STAT3 and ICOS, indicating that they were both involved in Tfh polarization. We further phenotyped the peripheral T cells in a cohort of 55 kidney transplant recipients. Patients with anti-HLA-II donor-specific antibodies (DSA) presented higher blood counts of circulating Tfh cells than those with anti-HLA-I DSAs. Moreover, there was a predominance of lymphoid aggregates containing Tfh cells in biopsies from patients with antibody-mediated rejection and anti-HLA-II DSAs. Collectively, these data suggest that alloantibodies against HLA class II specifically promote the differentiation of naive T cells to Tfh cells following contact with DCs, a process that might appear in situ in human allografts and constitutes a therapeutic target.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cells, Cultured
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology*
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Immunophenotyping
  • Isoantibodies / immunology*
  • Kidney Transplantation
  • Receptors, CXCR5 / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*

Substances

  • CXCR5 protein, human
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class II
  • Isoantibodies
  • Receptors, CXCR5