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

PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2013;7(3):e2094. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002094. Epub 2013 Mar 7.

Abstract

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.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Animals
  • Anthelmintics / therapeutic use
  • Antibodies, Helminth / blood
  • B-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology*
  • Child
  • Female
  • Gabon
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Praziquantel / therapeutic use
  • Schistosoma haematobium / immunology*
  • Schistosomiasis / drug therapy
  • Schistosomiasis / immunology*
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Anthelmintics
  • Antibodies, Helminth
  • Praziquantel

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft-funded project Deutsch-Afrikanische Kooperationsprojekte in der Infektiologie (DFG-Projekt KR 1150/6-1), the EU-funded project Immunological Interplay between Poverty Related Diseases and Helminth infections: An African-European Research Initiative “IDEA” (HEALTH-F3-2009-241642) and the EU-funded project. The targeted development of a new generation vaccine for schistosomiasis “TheSchistoVac” (HEALTH-F3-2009- 242107). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.