Cell intrinsic expression of TLR9 in autoreactive B cells constrains BCR/TLR7-dependent responses. Mus musculus

Endosomal Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play an important role in the etiology of systemic autoimmune diseases such as SLE, where DNA- and RNA-associated autoantigens activate autoreactive B cells through TLR9- and TLR7-dependent pathways, respectively. Nevertheless, TLR9-deficient autoimmune prone mice develop more severe clinical disease, while TLR7-deficient and TLR7/9-double deficient autoimmune-prone mice develop less severe disease. To determine whether the regulatory activity of TLR9 is B cell intrinsic, we have now directly compared the functional properties of autoantigen activated WT, TLR9-deficient and TLR7-deficient B cells, in an experimental system where proliferation depends on BCR/TLR co-engagement. In vitro, TLR9-deficient cells are less dependent on survival factors for a sustained proliferative response than either WT or TLR7-deficient cells. The TLR9-deficient cells also preferentially differentiate toward the plasma cell lineage, as indicated by expression of CD138, sustained expression of IRF4, and other molecular markers of plasma cells. In vivo, autoantigen-activated TLR9-deficient cells give rise to greater numbers of autoantibody producing cells. Our results identify distinct roles for TLR7 and TLR9 in the differentiation of autoreactive B cells that explain the capacity of TLR9 to limit, and TLR7 to promote, the clinical features of SLE. Overall design: AM14 WT, Tlr7-/-, Tlr9-/- and Tlr7/9-/- B cells were stimulated with PL2-3 for 0, 6, 24, and 42 hours, for a total of 16 samples.