A model for induction of T cell-independent humoral immunity in response to polysaccharide antigens.

We provide a model for induction of T cell-independent, polysaccharide-specific Ig secretion in response to bacterial challenge. Two predominant pathways are defined that require the concerted action of multivalent membrane Ig cross-linking by the polysaccharide Ag with 1) various B cell-activating moieties contained within the bacterial pathogen and/or 2) cytokines, such as IFN-gamma and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor produced by NK cells and macrophages, that become activated in a T cell-independent manner during bacterial infection.