Activation of human B cells through the CD19 surface antigen results in homotypic adhesion by LFA-1-dependent and -independent mechanisms.

Addition of CD19 monoclonal antibodies (mAb) to highly purified tonsillar B cells resulted in homotypic adhesion and the formation of cell clusters. This response was completely blocked by antibody to LFA-1, indicating an LFA-1-dependent adhesion mechanism. In contrast, aggregate formation by B cells activated with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) was only partially inhibited by anti-LFA-1 antibody, and those formed in response to PMA plus CD19 antibody were not inhibited at all, suggesting aggregation of activated B cells stimulated with CD19 antibody was LFA-1 independent. This was confirmed with B-cell lines. The pre-B-cell line Nalm-6 formed aggregates in response to CD19 antibody which were not inhibited with anti-LFA-1. In addition, CD19 antibody induced aggregate formation by an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-transformed B-cell line derived from an LFA-1-deficient donor. These results suggest that different adhesion molecules may operate at different stages of B-cell activation, and that CD19 may be important in cell-cell interactions involved in regulation of antibody responses.