Dendritic cell-dependent inhibition of B cell proliferation requires CD22.

Recent studies have shown that dendritic cells (DCs) regulate B cell functions. In this study, we report that bone marrow (BM)-derived immature DCs, but not mature DCs, can inhibit BCR-induced proliferation of B cells in a contact-dependent manner. This inhibition is overcome by treatment with BAFF and is dependent on the BCR coreceptor CD22; however, it is not dependent on expression of the CD22 glycan ligand(s) produced by ST6Gal-I sialyltransferase. We found that a second CD22 ligand (CD22L) is expressed on CD11c(+) splenic and BM-derived DCs, which does not contain ST6Gal-I-generated sialic acids and which, unlike the B cell-associated CD22L, is resistant to neuraminidase treatment and sodium metaperiodate oxidation. Examination of splenic and BM B cell subsets in CD22 and ST6Gal-I knockout mice revealed that ST6Gal-I-generated B cell CD22L plays a role in splenic B cell development, whereas the maintenance of long-lived mature BM B cells depends only on CD22 and not on alpha2,6-sialic acids produced by ST6Gal-I. We propose that the two distinct CD22L have different functions. The alpha2,6-sialic acid-containing glycoprotein is important for splenic B cell subset development, whereas the DC-associated ST6Gal-I-independent CD22L may be required for the maintenance of long-lived mature B cells in the BM.