Abstract
Stromal-derived follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) are essential for germinal centers (GCs), the site where B cells maturate their antibodies. FDCs present native antigen to B cells and maintain a CXCL13 gradient to form the B cell follicle. Yet despite their essential role, the transcriptome of human FDCs remains undefined. Using single-cell RNA sequencing and microarray, we provided the transcriptome of these enigmatic cells as a comprehensive resource. Key genes were validated by flow cytometry and microscopy. Surprisingly, marginal reticular cells (MRCs) rather than FDCs expressed B cell activating factor (BAFF). Furthermore, we found that human FDCs expressed TLR4 and can alter antigen availability in response to pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). High expression of PD-L1 and PD-L2 on FDCs activated PD1 on T cells. In addition, we found expression of genes related to T cell regulation, such as HLA-DRA, CD40, and others. These data suggest intimate contact between human FDCs and T cells.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | e20210790 |
| Pages (from-to) | 1-16 |
| Journal | Journal of Experimental Medicine |
| Volume | 218 |
| Issue number | 10 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 23 Aug 2021 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This work is supported by an ERC Starting Grant from the European Commission (802780 to R.P. de Vries) and a Dutch Research Council (NWO) ZonMw Veni fellowship (91618032 to B.A. Heesters).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Heesters et al.