Key points:
- Researchers from the Linterman lab have found that immune responses launched from the lung tissue are effective in producing lasting defences.
- Comparison of B cell responses in the lung and lymph node showed the lung can support efficient B cell generated antibody development to the same extent as in the lymph node, albeit at a delay.
- This study directly compared germinal centre responses in the lymph nodes and lung tissue and demonstrates that the lung can generate local memory B cell populations.
Researchers from the Linterman lab at the Babraham Institute have compared the germinal centres, a hub for immune cell training, in the lung tissue with those that appear in the lymph nodes. In their study published in PNAS, they found that despite being smaller, the response formed in the tissue is capable of generating immune memory after allergen exposure. Their results show that tissue resident responses should not be overlooked when considering the immune response and suggest there may be a benefit in designing treatment delivery methods and vaccines that would induce germinal centres in the lung.
The existence of germinal centres in the lung tissue was previously described in inflammatory and autoimmune conditions, as well as in tumors where they are thought to contribute to anti-cancer immunity. The Linterman lab’s work focussed on understanding whether these lung germinal centres are functional. Typically, germinal centres form in the lymph node, where the complex pre-existing tissue architecture aids the development of the different zones needed to train and improve immune cells in response to ongoing inflammation and disease.
Credit: The Babraham Institute | Image description: Germinal centres in the lymph node and germinal center