Antibodies specific for platelet factor 4 (PF4)/heparin complexes are central to the pathogenesis of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia. Marginal zone B cells appear to be the source of such antibodies, but whether T-cell help is required is unclear. Here, we showed that induction of PF4/heparin-specific antibodies by PF4/heparin complexes was markedly impaired in mice depleted of CD4 T cells by anti-CD4 antibodies. Furthermore, Rag1-deficient recipient mice produced PF4/heparin-specific antibodies upon PF4/heparin challenge when reconstituted with a mixture of wild-type splenic B cells and splenocytes from B-cell-deficient (μMT) mice but not splenocytes from T- and B-cell-deficient (Rag1 knockout) mice. Lastly, mice with B cells lacking CD40, a B-cell costimulatory molecule that helps T-cell-dependent B-cell responses, displayed a marked reduction of PF4/heparin-specific antibody production following PF4/heparin challenge. Together, these findings show that helper T cells play a critical role in production of PF4/heparin-specific antibodies.
© 2015 by The American Society of Hematology.