Contact and mutual impact between NK and B cells
(A) Co-staining of B cells and NK cells in pLN during primary SIVagm infection. pLN were analyzed at day 9 p.i. A representative section showing a BCF and the surrounding interfollicular area is shown. The white dashed line delineates the BCF. White squares show zoomed areas, (n = 3 AGM).
(B) Analysis of potential contacts between NK and B cells isolated from PBMC of non-infected AGM after 1 day of co-culture. (n = 3 AGM). Two representative examples for each marker are shown (top and bottom, from the same culture). The CD3 labeling is used here as a control and is absent on either NK or B cells.
(C) Analysis of the phenotype of B cells after co-culture with autologous NK cells or co-culture with autologous NK cells separated by a transwell membrane. B and NK cells were isolated from PBMC of uninfected AGMs. The fold change in B cell frequency of a given phenotype among total B cells compared to B cells cultured alone is shown after 6 days of co-culture (n = 6 AGM).
(D) Analysis of the phenotype of B cells after 6 days of co-culture with autologous NK cells, separated or not by a transwell membrane. Cells were isolated from PBMC of uninfected MAC (n = 6 MAC). Fold-change compared with B cells cultured alone (p value = ∗ <0.05, trends (p = 0.06) are also indicated, Wilcoxon test).
(E) Analysis of the phenotype of NK cells co-cultured with B cells or co-cultured with B cells separated by a transwell membrane. NK and B cells were isolated from PBMC of uninfected AGMs. The fold change in NK cell frequency of a given phenotype among total NK cells compared with NK cells cultured alone is shown after 6 days of co-culture (n = 6 AGM) (p value = ∗ <0.05, trends (p = 0.06 and p = 0.09) are also indicated, Wilcoxon test).
(F) Analysis of the phenotype of NK cells after 6 days of co-culture with autologous B cells, separated or not by a transwell membrane. Cells were isolated from PBMC of uninfected MAC (n = 6 MAC). Fold-change compared with NK cells cultured alone (p value = ∗ <0.05, trends (p = 0.06) are also indicated, Wilcoxon test). Each dot bar indicates median values, and error bars indicate interquartile ranges.