Single-cell analysis reveals dynamics of human B cell differentiation and identifies novel B and antibody-secreting cell intermediates

Differentiation of B cells into antibody-secreting cells (ASCs) is a key process to generate protective humoral immunity. A detailed understanding of the cues controlling ASC differentiation is important to devise strategies to modulate antibody formation. Here, we dissected differentiation trajectories of human naive B cells into ASCs using single-cell RNA sequencing. By comparing transcriptomes of B cells at different stages of differentiation from an in vitro model with ex vivo B cells and ASCs, we uncovered a novel pre-ASC population present ex vivo in lymphoid tissues. For the first time, a germinal-center-like population is identified in vitro from human naive B cells and possibly progresses into a memory B cell population through an alternative route of differentiation, thus recapitulating in vivo human GC reactions. Our work allows further detailed characterization of human B cell differentiation into ASCs or memory B cells in both healthy and diseased conditions.

Automated summary

In this study, the differentiation trajectories of human naive B cells into antibody-secreting cells (ASCs) were investigated using single-cell RNA sequencing. By comparing transcriptomes of B cells at different stages of differentiation from in vitro and ex vivo sources, a novel pre-ASC population was identified in lymphoid tissues. This study also revealed the existence of a germinal-center-like population in vitro, which may undergo an alternative route of differentiation to become memory B cells, mimicking in vivo human germinal center reactions. This work provides a detailed characterization of human B cell differentiation into ASCs or memory B cells under healthy and diseased conditions.