Spontaneous membrane transfer through homotypic synapses between lymphoma cells

M Poupot, JJ Fournié - The Journal of Immunology, 2003 - journals.aai.org
M Poupot, JJ Fournié
The Journal of Immunology, 2003journals.aai.org
Formation of an immunological synapse by T, B, or NK cells is associated with an
intercellular transfer of some membrane fragments from their respective target cells. This
capture is thought to require effector cell activation by surface recognition of stimulatory
ligand (s). However, spontaneous synaptic transfers between homotypic lymphoid cells has
never been described. In this study, we show that without adding Ag, resting healthy
lymphoid cells and several tumor cell lines are inactive. Conversely, however, some …
Abstract
Formation of an immunological synapse by T, B, or NK cells is associated with an intercellular transfer of some membrane fragments from their respective target cells. This capture is thought to require effector cell activation by surface recognition of stimulatory ligand (s). However, spontaneous synaptic transfers between homotypic lymphoid cells has never been described. In this study, we show that without adding Ag, resting healthy lymphoid cells and several tumor cell lines are inactive. Conversely, however, some leukemia cell lines including the Burkitt’s lymphoma Daudi continuously uptake patches of autologous cell membranes. This intercellular transfer does not involve cytosol molecules or exosomes, but requires cell contact. In homotypic Daudi cell conjugates, this occurs through immunological synapses, involves constitutive protein kinase C and mitogen-activated protein/extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase activity and strongly increases upon B cell receptor activation. Thus, spontaneous homosynaptic transfer may reflect the hitherto unsuspected autoreactivity of some leukemia cell lines.
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