AUTHOR=Martínez-Blanco África , Domínguez-Pantoja Marilú , Botía-Sánchez María , Pérez-Cabrera Sonia , Bello-Iglesias Nerea , Carrillo-Rodríguez Paula , Martin-Morales Natividad , Lario-Simón Antonio , Pérez-Sánchez-Cañete María M. , Montosa-Hidalgo Laura , Guerrero-Fernández Salvador , Longobardo-Polanco Victoria M. , Redondo-Sánchez Sandra , Cornet-Gomez Alberto , Torres-Sáez María , Fernández-Ibáñez Ana , Terrón-Camero Laura , Andrés-León Eduardo , O’Valle Francisco , Merino Ramón , Zubiaur Mercedes , Sancho Jaime TITLE=CD38 Deficiency Ameliorates Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease Murine Lupus via a B-Cell-Dependent Mechanism JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology VOLUME=12 YEAR=2021 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2021.713697 DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2021.713697 ISSN=1664-3224 ABSTRACT=

The absence of the mouse cell surface receptor CD38 in Cd38−/− mice suggests that this receptor acts as a positive regulator of inflammatory and autoimmune responses. Here, we report that, in the context of the chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) lupus inducible model, the transfer of B6.C-H2bm12/KhEg(bm12) spleen cells into co-isogenic Cd38−/− B6 mice causes milder lupus-like autoimmunity with lower levels of anti-ssDNA autoantibodies than the transfer of bm12 spleen cells into WT B6 mice. In addition, significantly lower percentages of Tfh cells, as well as GC B cells, plasma cells, and T-bet+CD11chi B cells, were observed in Cd38−/− mice than in WT mice, while the expansion of Treg cells and Tfr cells was normal, suggesting that the ability of Cd38−/− B cells to respond to allogeneic help from bm12 CD4+ T cells is greatly diminished. The frequencies of T-bet+CD11chi B cells, which are considered the precursors of the autoantibody-secreting cells, correlate with anti-ssDNA autoantibody serum levels, IL-27, and sCD40L. Proteomics profiling of the spleens from WT cGVHD mice reflects a STAT1-driven type I IFN signature, which is absent in Cd38−/− cGVHD mice. Kidney, spleen, and liver inflammation was mild and resolved faster in Cd38−/− cGVHD mice than in WT cGVHD mice. We conclude that CD38 in B cells functions as a modulator receptor that controls autoimmune responses.