Mechanics and polarity in B cells

Paolo Pierobon (Institut Cochin, Paris)

27 October 2022

Seminar

Pratical info

12:00 - 13:00
Conference room Rosalind Franklin
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Reduced mobility access

B cells are the antibody producing cells of immune system. To mount an efficient immune response, they recognize and internalize the antigen through a specific signaling platform called immune synapse. The formation of such a structure entails force generation and polarization of cellular structures. We use microfluidics and micro-fabricated tools to study the forces occurring at the cell-cell contact and the events leading to a rearrangement of the cell upon antigen recognition. We recently introduced functionalized oil droplets as antigen presenting tool and propose an unexpected role for microtubules in restricting F-actin polymerization to allow the formation and maintenance of a unique immune synapse. New projects at institute Cochin are built on these discoveries and include the interaction of these cells with the lymph node microenvironment and the role of mechanics in their immune function.

Paolo Pierobon just arrived in the team Clotilde Randriamampita, with projects at the interface between biophysics and biology. 

He is invited bu Jérôme Delon.

Selected publications:

  • Microtubules restrict F-actin polymerization to the immune synapse via GEF-H1 to maintain polarity in lymphocytes J Pineau, et al, Elife 11, e78330 2022
  • Phenotyping Polarization Dynamics Of Immune Cells Using A Lipid Droplet-Cell Pairing Microfluidic Platform, L Pinon, et al bioRxiv , 2021.12. 22.473360, 2021
  • Actomyosin-driven force patterning controls endocytosis at the immune synapse
  • A Kumari, J Pineau, et al Nature communications 10 (1), 1-14 24, 2019
  • Polarity protein Par3 controls B-cell receptor dynamics and antigen extraction at the immune synapse, A Reversat, et al Molecular biology of the cell 26 (7), 1273-1285 43 2015
  • Polarized secretion of lysosomes at the B cell synapse couples antigen extraction to processing and presentation MI Yuseff,  et al, Immunity 35 (3), 361-374, 2011