John F. Kearney

Using an Ig H chain conferring specificity for N-acetyl-d-glucosamine (GlcNAc), we developed transgenic (VHHGAC39 TG) mice to study the role of self-antigens in GlcNAc-reactive B-1 B cell development. In VHHGAC39 TG mice, GlcNAc-reactive B-1 B cell development during ontogeny and in adult bone marrow was normal. However, adult TG mice exhibited a block at transitional-2 immature B cell stages, resulting in impaired allelic exclusion and accumulation of a B cell subset coexpressing endogenous Ig gene rearrangements. Similarly, VHHGAC39 B cell fitness was impeded compared with non-self-reactive VHJ558 B TG cells in competitive mixed bone marrow chimeras. Nonetheless, adult VHHGAC39 mice immunized with Streptococcus pyogenes produce anti-GlcNAc Abs. Peritoneal cavity B cells transferred from VHHGAC39 TG mice into RAG−/− mice also exhibited robust expansion and anti-GlcNAc Ab production. However, chronic treatment of young VHHGAC39 mice with GlcNAc-specific mAbs leads to lower GlcNAc-binding B cell frequencies while increasing the proportion of GlcNAc-binding B1-a cells, suggesting that Ag masking or clearance of GlcNAc Ags impedes maturation of newly formed GlcNAc-reactive B cells. Finally, BCR H chain editing promotes expression of endogenous nontransgenic BCR alleles, allowing potentially self-reactive TG B cells to escape anergy or deletion at the transitional stage of precursor B cell development. Collectively, these observations indicate that GlcNAc-reactive B cell development is sensitive to the access of autologous Ags.

Environmental factors and host microbiota strongly influence type 1 diabetes (T1D) progression. We report that neonatal immunization with group A Streptococcus suppresses T1D development in NOD mice by promoting clonal expansion of N-acetyl-d-glucosamine (GlcNAc)-specific B-1 B cells that recognize pancreatic β cell–derived Ags bearing GlcNAc-containing posttranslational modifications. Early exposure to Lancefield group A cell-wall carbohydrate Ags increased production of GlcNAc-reactive serum Abs and enhanced localization of innate-like GlcNAc-specific B cells to pancreatic tissue during T1D pathogenesis. We show that B-1 B cell–derived GlcNAc-specific IgM engages apoptosis-associated β cell Ags, thereby suppressing diabetogenic T cell activation. Likewise, adoptively transferring GlcNAc-reactive B-1 B cells significantly delayed T1D development in naive recipients. Collectively, these data underscore potentially protective involvement of innate-like B cells and natural Abs in T1D progression. These findings suggest that previously reported associations of reduced T1D risk after GAS infection are B cell dependent and demonstrate the potential for targeting the natural Ab repertoire in considering therapeutic strategies for T1D.