Expression profiles of novel cell surface molecules on B-cell subsets and plasma cells as analyzed by flow cytometry

Cell surface molecules are present on several lymphocyte subsets and are differentially expressed during lymphocyte development and activation. Human Leukocyte Differentiation Antigen (HLDA) Workshops have played an essential role in the identification and characterization of the molecules found in the membrane of hematopoietic cells. In the present study, the reactivities of sixty-five monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) submitted to the HLDA9 Workshop were tested. A multicolor flow cytometric analysis was performed in order to determine the expression profiles of these proteins on peripheral blood lymphocytes, hematopoietic cell lines, and tonsil B-cells. The following B-cell subsets were assessed: mature naïve, pre-germinal center, germinal center, unswitched and switched memory, plasmablasts, and plasma cells. Immunohistochemical analysis on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tonsils was also carried out. Remarkably, a large group of immunoglobulin family inhibitory cell surface molecules were observed on several distinct B-cell subsets including: CD152 (CTLA4), CD170 (Siglec-5), CD272 (BTLA), CD305 (LAIR1), CD307d (FCRL4), and CD329 (Siglec-9). The following molecules were also found to be differentially expressed on B-cell subsets (CD80, CD185 (CXCR5), CD196 (CCR6), CD270 (TNFRSF14), CD307a–c (FCRL1–3), CD319 (SLAMF7) and CD362 (SDC2)) or delineated B-cell subpopulations (CD126 (IL-6R), CD255 (TNFSF12), CD264 (TNFRSF10D), CD267 (TNFRSF13B) and CD329 (Siglec-9)). Of these, only CD307a, CD307b, and CD307d presented a B-cell-specific expression pattern. Our results show that several of these molecules are capable of further subdividing the known B-cell subsets and, in fact, may represent new markers for research, diagnosis, and eventually targets for the treatment of B-cell malignancies and autoimmune diseases.

Research highlights▶ HLDA Workshops have identified and characterized a large number of cell surface molecules expressed on B cells. ▶ CD307a, CD307b and CD307d present a B-cell-specific expression pattern. ▶ A significant group of immunoglobulin superfamily inhibitory molecules are expressed by distinct B-cell subsets.