Abstract
Follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) reside in germinal centers in which their dendrites interdigitate and form non-mobile networks. FDC purification requires the use of collagenase and selection columns and leaves FDCs without detectable dendrites when examined by light microscopy. We have reasoned that isolated FDCs might reattach to a collagen matrix, extend their processes, and form immobile networks in vitro. As a test for this, cells were plated on collagen type I, laminin, biglycan, and hyaluronan. After 12 h, 80%–90% of FDCs adhered to all tested matrices but not to plastic. Within 2 weeks, FDCs adhering to type I collagen had spread out and had begun to acquire processes with occasional interconnections. By day 30, most FDCs had fine processes that formed networks through interdigitation with neighboring cells. FDC identity was confirmed by FDC-M1 labeling, immune complex trapping, and retention by FDCs in the networks. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed that groups of FDCs were in networks composed of convolutions and branching dendrites emanating from FDC cell bodies. In vivo, collagen type I was co-localized with FDCs, 5 h after challenge of immune mice with antigen. However, 2 days later, the collagen type I fibers were largely found at the periphery of the active follicles. Flow cytometry established the expression of CD29 and CD44 on FDCs; this may have partly mediated FDC-collagen interactions. Thus, we report, for the first time, that FDCs attach to collagen type I in vitro and regenerate their processes and networks with features in common with networks present in vivo.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aydar Y, Sukumar S, Szakal AK, Tew JG (2005) The influence of immune complex-bearing follicular dendritic cells on the IgM response, Ig class switching, and production of high affinity IgG. J Immunol 174:5358–5366
Balogh P, Horvath G, Szakal AK (2004) Immunoarchitecture of distinct reticular fibroblastic domains in the white pulp of mouse spleen. J Histochem Cytochem 52:1287–1298
Bofill M, Akbar AN, Amlot PL (2000) Follicular dendritic cells share a membrane-bound protein with fibroblasts. J Pathol 191:217–226
Boyd PJ, Doyle J, Gee E, Pallan S, Haas TL (2005) MAPK signaling regulates endothelial cell assembly into networks and expression of MT1-MMP and MMP-2. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 288:C659–C668
Castanos-Velez E, Biberfeld P, Patarroyo M (1995) Extracellular matrix proteins and integrin receptors in reactive and non-reactive lymph nodes. Immunology 86:270–278
Cyster JG, Ansel KM, Reif K, Ekland EH, Hyman PL, Tang HL, Luther SA, Ngo VN (2000) Follicular stromal cells and lymphocyte homing to follicles. Immunol Rev 176:181–193
Donaldson SL, Kosco MH, Szakal AK, Tew JG (1986) Localization of antibody-forming cells in draining lymphoid organs during long-term maintenance of the antibody response. J Leukoc Biol 40:147–157
Gelse K, Poschl E, Aigner T (2003) Collagens-structure, function, and biosynthesis. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 55:1531–1546
Hanna MG Jr, Szakal AK (1968) Localization of 125I-labeled antigen in germinal centers of mouse spleen: histologic and ultrastructural autoradiographic studies of the secondary immune reaction. J Immunol 101:949–962
Isacke CM, Yarwood H (2002) The hyaluronan receptor, CD44. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 34:718–721
Kaplan ME, Coons AH, Deane HW (1950) Localization of antigen in tissue cells; cellular distribution of pneumococcal polysaccharides types II and III in the mouse. J Exp Med 91:15–30
Klaus GG, Humphrey JH (1977) The generation of memory cells. I. The role of C3 in the generation of B memory cells. Immunology 33:31–40
Kosco MH, Pflugfelder E, Gray D (1992) Follicular dendritic cell-dependent adhesion and proliferation of B cells in vitro. J Immunol 148:2331–2339
Li L, Yoon SO, Fu DD, Zhang X, Choi YS (2004) Novel follicular dendritic cell molecule, 8D6, collaborates with CD44 in supporting lymphomagenesis by a Burkitt lymphoma cell line, L3055. Blood 104:815–821
Lindhout E, Groot C de (1995) Follicular dendritic cells and apoptosis: life and death in the germinal centre. Histochem J 27:167–183
Lindhout E, Mevissen ML, Kwekkeboom J, Tager JM, Groot C de (1993) Direct evidence that human follicular dendritic cells (FDC) rescue germinal centre B cells from death by apoptosis. Clin Exp Immunol 91:330–336
Liu YJ, Mason DY, Johnson GD, Abbot S, Gregory CD, Hardie DL, Gordon J, MacLennan IC (1991) Germinal center cells express bcl-2 protein after activation by signals which prevent their entry into apoptosis. Eur J Immunol 21:1905–1910
Lu L, Woo J, Rao AS, Li Y, Watkins SC, Qian S, Starzl TE, Demetris AJ, Thomson AW (1994) Propagation of dendritic cell progenitors from normal mouse liver using granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor and their maturational development in the presence of type-1 collagen. J Exp Med 179:1823–1834
Ma W, Fitzgerald W, Liu QY, O’Shaughnessy TJ, Maric D, Lin HJ, Alkon DL, Barker JL (2004) CNS stem and progenitor cell differentiation into functional neuronal circuits in three-dimensional collagen gels. Exp Neurol 190:276–288
Nieuwenhuis P, Opstelten D (1984) Functional anatomy of germinal centers. Am J Anat 170:421–435
Nossal GJ, Abbot A, Mitchell J, Lummus Z (1968) Antigens in immunity. XV. Ultrastructural features of antigen capture in primary and secondary lymphoid follicles. J Exp Med 127:277–290
Papamichail M, Gutierrez C, Embling P, Johnson P, Holborow EJ, Pepys MB (1975) Complement dependence of localisation of aggregated IgG in germinal centres. Scand J Immunol 4:343–347
Qin D, Wu J, Burton GF, Szakal AK, Tew JG (1999) Follicular dendritic cells mediated maintenance of primary lymphocyte cultures for long-term analysis of a functional in vitro immune system. J Immunol Methods 226:19–27
Qin D, Wu J, Vora KA, Ravetch JV, Szakal AK, Manser T, Tew JG (2000) Fc gamma receptor IIB on follicular dendritic cells regulates the B cell recall response. J Immunol 164:6268–6275
Raspanti M, Congiu T, Guizzardi S (2002) Structural aspects of the extracellular matrix of the tendon: an atomic force and scanning electron microscopy study. Arch Histol Cytol 65:37–43
Schriever F, Freedman AS, Freeman G, Messner E, Lee G, Daley J, Nadler LM (1989) Isolated human follicular dendritic cells display a unique antigenic phenotype. J Exp Med 169:2043–2058
Schwarz YX, Yang M, Qin D, Wu J, Jarvis WD, Grant S, Burton GF, Szakal AK, Tew JG (1999) Follicular dendritic cells protect malignant B cells from apoptosis induced by anti-Fas and antineoplastic agents. J Immunol 163:6442–6447
Sukumar S, Szakal AK, Tew JG (2006) Isolation of functionally active murine follicular dendritic cells. J Immunol Methods 313:81–95
Szakal AK, Hanna MG Jr (1968) The ultrastructure of antigen localization and viruslike particles in mouse spleen germinal centers. Exp Mol Pathol 8:75–89
Szakal AK, Holmes KL, Tew JG (1983) Transport of immune complexes from the subcapsular sinus to lymph node follicles on the surface of nonphagocytic cells, including cells with dendritic morphology. J Immunol 131:1714–1727
Szakal AK, Gieringer RL, Kosco MH, Tew JG (1985) Isolated follicular dendritic cells: cytochemical antigen localization, Nomarski, SEM, and TEM morphology. J Immunol 134:1349–1359
Szakal AK, Kosco MH, Tew JG (1989) Microanatomy of lymphoid tissue during humoral immune responses: structure function relationships. Annu Rev Immunol 7:91–109
Tasaki A, Yamanaka N, Kubo M, Matsumoto K, Kuroki H, Nakamura K, Nakahara C, Onishi H, Kuga H, Baba E, Tanaka M, Morisaki T, Katano M (2004) Three-dimensional two-layer collagen matrix gel culture model for evaluating complex biological functions of monocyte-derived dendritic cells. J Immunol Methods 287:79–90
Tew JG, Phipps RP, Mandel TE (1980) The maintenance and regulation of the humoral immune response: persisting antigen and the role of follicular antigen-binding dendritic cells as accessory cells. Immunol Rev 53:175–201
Tew JG, Thorbecke GJ, Steinman RM (1982) Dendritic cells in the immune response: characteristics and recommended nomenclature (A report from the Reticuloendothelial Society Committee on Nomenclature). J Reticuloendothel Soc 31:371–380
Tew JG, Wu J, Qin D, Helm S, Burton GF, Szakal AK (1997) Follicular dendritic cells and presentation of antigen and costimulatory signals to B cells. Immunol Rev 156:39–52
Tew JG, Wu J, Fakher M, Szakal AK, Qin D (2001) Follicular dendritic cells: beyond the necessity of T-cell help. Trends Immunol 22:361–367
Thorbecke GJ, Amin AR, Tsiagbe VK (1994) Biology of germinal centers in lymphoid tissue. FASEB J 8:832–840
Tsunoda R, Nakayama M, Onozaki K, Heinen E, Cormann N, Kinet-Denoel C, Kojima M (1990) Isolation and long-term cultivation of human tonsil follicular dendritic cells. Virchows Arch [B] 59:95–105
Wysocki L, Manser T, Gefter ML (1986) Somatic evolution of variable region structures during an immune response. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 83:1847–1851
Yoshida K, Berg TK van den, Dijkstra CD (1993) Two functionally different follicular dendritic cells in secondary lymphoid follicles of mouse spleen, as revealed by CR1/2 and FcR gamma II-mediated immune-complex trapping. Immunology 80:34–39
Acknowledgment
We thank Dr. David Simpson and his group at the Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University for giving us access to their imaging facilities. We also thank Mrs. Judy Williamson for her excellent technical assistance in preparing samples for SEM. Scanning Electron Microscopy was performed at the VCU-Dept. of Neurobiology & Anatomy Microscopy Facility, supported, in part, with funding from NIH-NINDS Center core grant (5P30NS047463).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Financial support for this work was provided by VaxDesign (Orlando, FL 32826) and NIH (grant no. AI-17142).
This document was cleared for public release (distribution unlimited) by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA; 9/27/2006).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
El Shikh, M.E., El Sayed, R.M., Tew, J.G. et al. Follicular dendritic cells stimulated by collagen type I develop dendrites and networks in vitro. Cell Tissue Res 329, 81–89 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-007-0394-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-007-0394-6