Influenza H2 haemagglutinin activates B cells via a MyD88-dependent pathway.

Influenza viruses are serious respiratory pathogens, responsible for half a million deaths each year. The viral surface haemagglutinin (HA) protein has been shown to be an important determinant of viral pathogenicity. HA is the virion attachment and fusion protein, and the major target for neutralizing antibodies; however, it is also involved in triggering innate responses that may have an important impact on the disease course. We have examined the role of the toll-like receptor (TLR) family in innate responses to influenza virus and influenza HA. TLR7 has recently been found to mediate recognition of influenza RNA. Here, we show for the first time that influenza HA of the H2 subtype induces innate responses in murine B lymphocytes via a MyD88-dependent pathway distinct from that involved in sensing viral RNA. We also show that inactivated influenza virus induces activation of human B cells. Our findings suggest that the molecule mediating these responses may be a novel member of the TLR family.

A differential requirement for phosphoinositide 3-kinase reveals two pathways for inducible upregulation of major histocompatibility complex class II molecules and CD86 expression by murine B lymphocytes.

Constitutive expression of major histocompatibility complex class II molecules (MHC II) is restricted to dendritic cells, cells of the macrophage lineage and B lymphocytes. In all three lineages, peptide fragments of captured antigen are loaded into newly synthesized MHC II molecules. In B-lineage cells, MHC II synthesis is dramatically increased on encounter with antigen, by T-cell-derived signals and by microbial products. We have previously shown that immature B cells fail to hyperexpress MHC II after antigen receptor [B-cell receptor (BCR)] ligation, but are responsive to other stimuli. Expression of the costimulatory molecule, CD86, was similarly regulated. This suggested the existence of two pathways regulating expression of these important molecules. Here we present data supporting this hypothesis. We show that activity of the enzyme phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase is critical for MHC II hyperexpression and induction of CD86 in response to ligation of the BCR or CD38, but not for responses to other stimuli including interleukin-4, lipopolysaccharide and CD40 ligation.