Alterations in peripheral blood B cell subsets and dynamics of B cell responses during human schistosomiasis.

• Main Authors: Lucja A Labuda (Author), Ulysse Ateba-Ngoa (Author), Eliane Ngoune Feugap (Author), Jorn J Heeringa (Author), Luciën E P M van der Vlugt (Author), Regina B A Pires (Author), Ludovic Mewono (Author), Peter G Kremsner (Author), Menno C van Zelm (Author), Ayola A Adegnika (Author), Maria Yazdanbakhsh (Author), Hermelijn H Smits (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS), 2013-01-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.

Summary

Antibody responses are thought to play an important role in control of Schistosoma infections, yet little is known about the phenotype and function of B cells in human schistosomiasis. We set out to characterize B cell subsets and B cell responses to B cell receptor and Toll-like receptor 9 stimulation in Gabonese schoolchildren with Schistosoma haematobium infection. Frequencies of memory B cell (MBC) subsets were increased, whereas naive B cell frequencies were reduced in the schistosome-infected group. At the functional level, isolated B cells from schistosome-infected children showed higher expression of the activation marker CD23 upon stimulation, but lower proliferation and TNF-α production. Importantly, 6-months after 3 rounds of praziquantel treatment, frequencies of naive B cells were increased, MBC frequencies were decreased and with the exception of TNF-α production, B cell responsiveness was restored to what was seen in uninfected children. These data show that S. haematobium infection leads to significant changes in the B cell compartment, both at the phenotypic and functional level.

Item Description

1935-2735
10.1371/journal.pntd.0002094