IgD expression on B cells is more efficient than IgM but both receptors are functionally equivalent in up-regulation CD80/CD86 co-stimulatory molecules.

The expression and function of IgM and IgD antigen receptors were studied in a series of anti-hen egg lysozymes (HEL) immunoglobulin (Ig)-transgenic mice expressing either IgM alone, IgD alone, or both IgM and IgD. B cell surface expression of IgD was found to be more efficient than that of IgM. Thus antigen receptor density on IgD+, IgM- B cells was twofold higher than on IgM+, IgD- B cells despite the presence of sevenfold lower levels of membrane heavy chain mRNA, and coexpression of IgD with IgM led to almost complete inhibition of surface IgM. In addition, less extensive down-regulation of IgD occurred following exposure to antigen in vitro. When regulation of CD80/CD86 co-stimulatory molecules by surface Ig was examined, up-regulation of the former was initiated at lower antigen concentrations on IgM-, IgD+ compared to IgM+, IgD- B cells. On correcting for antigen receptor density, however, induction of CD80/CD86 by IgM and IgD was comparable. Taken together, these results reinforced the functional similarity of IgM and IgD antigen receptors while at the same time revealing differences in expression which may explain their simultaneous presence on mature B cells.