SorLA regulates B cell receptor uptake, trafficking, and B cell-mediated immune responses in vivo.

Berzosa M., McShane AN., Kliszczak AE., Aflalo A., Nanda P., Shen Y., Williams MH., Hills F., Shepherd CM., Saunders KO., Alam SM., Ternette N., Andersen OM., Borrow P., Malinova D.

A high-affinity antibody response to both infection and vaccination critically relies on the ability of B cells to capture and process antigen for presentation to CD4+ T cells. The cellular processes from antigen recognition to full B cell activation require a finely orchestrated series of events, involving signalling and intracellular trafficking mechanisms. Here, we describe a novel regulator of B cell receptor (BCR) endocytosis and intracellular trafficking. Multidomain trafficking protein sorting-related receptor with A-type repeats (SorLA) associates with the BCR and regulates uptake of both soluble and substrate-bound antigens. SorLA deletion results in altered BCR-antigen intracellular trafficking to degradative compartments, modulating eventual antigen presentation. Crucially, this change in antigen trafficking results in a significant reduction in plasma cells and humoral responses in vivo. Given the critical importance of antigen presentation in immunity, as well as autoimmune disease and malignancy, these results identify a new cellular pathway in B cell biology with potential implications for immune regulation.

DOI

10.1084/jem.20252357

Type

Journal article

Publication Date

2026-09-01T00:00:00+00:00

Volume

223

Addresses

Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University Belfast , Belfast, UK.

Keywords

B-Lymphocytes, Animals, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Mice, Knockout, Humans, Mice, Membrane Transport Proteins, LDL-Receptor Related Proteins, Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell, Endocytosis, Immunity, Cellular, Antigen Presentation, Protein Transport

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