Autophagy Differentially Influences Toll-like Receptor 9 and B Cell-Receptor-Mediated B Cell Expansion, Expression of Major Histocompatibility Class II Proteins, and Antigenic Peptide Presentation.

B cells contribute to innate and adaptive immunity. In the former, Toll-like receptor (TLR) activation promotes the expansion of inflammatory B cells. In the latter, B cell receptor (BCR) activation results in the production of antibodies or autoantibodies. Antigen processing and presentation are closely associated with major histocompatibility class II (MHC-II) and its companion protein, class II invariant peptide (CLIP). The impact of autophagy on the regulation of these unique mechanisms of B cell activation and subset expansion has not been fully explored. The results from the current study show that activating autophagy with rapamycin (RAPA) or inhibiting autophagy with hydroxycholoroquine (HCQ) differentially influences the TLR9 and BCR activation of B cells. These differences include the selective expansion of B1 and B2 B cell subsets, the regulation of the cell-surface expression of MHC-II and CLIP, and the ability of distinct B cell subsets to present peptide antigens. These novel findings demonstrate that the unique B cell activation mechanisms induced by TLR9 and BCR activation are differentially influenced by RAPA and HCQ, owing to the selective modulation of B cell subset expansion, and antigen processing and presentation by MHC-II proteins.