Transcriptomic analysis of in vitro induced germinal centre-like B cells and plasmablast differentiation

To elucidate molecular mechanisms that regulate the terminal differentiation of B cells into plasmablasts, we analysed how the B cell transcriptome changes during an in vitro culture system that mimics the germinal centre response (known as iGB culture). By culturing B cells on feeder cells expressing CD40L and B-cell activating factor BAFF in the presence of interleukin 4 and interleukin 21, this system allows class switch recombination to IgG1-producing cells and formation of CD138+ TACI+ B220low CD19int/low plasmablasts. B220high CD138- and B220low CD138+ cells were FACS sorted from splenic mouse B cells that were cultured for 8 days in iGB conditions (n= 3 biological replicates)