Differential regulation of IgG anti-capsular polysaccharide and antiprotein responses to intact Streptococcus pneumoniae in the presence of cognate CD4+ T cell help.
The relative lack of memory for IgG antipolysaccharide responses is believed to be secondary to the inability of polysaccharides to associate with MHC class II molecules and thus a failure to recruit cognate CD4+ T cell help. However, little is known concerning the role of T cells and the generation of memory for antipolysaccharide Ig responses to intact extracellular bacteria. We used heat-killed, intact Streptococcus pneumoniae, capsular type 14 (Pn14), to evaluate the IgM and IgG responses specific for the capsular polysaccharide (PPS14), the phosphorylcholine determinant of the cell wall C-polysaccharide, and the cell wall protein, pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA). We demonstrate that the IgG (but not IgM), anti-PPS14, and anti-PspA responses to Pn14 are CD4+ T cell dependent and TCR specific. Nevertheless, in contrast to the anti-PspA response, the IgG anti-PPS14 response shows no apparent memory, an accelerated kinetics of primary Ig induction, and a more rapid delivery of CD4+ T cell help. In contrast, the IgG anti-phosphorylcholine response, although also dependent on CD4+ T cells, is TCR nonspecific. We make similar observations using soluble conjugates of PPS14-PspA and C-polysaccharide-PspA. These data lead us to suggest that the central issue concerning the mechanisms underlying different functional outcomes for anti-bacterial IgG responses to capsular polysaccharide vs protein Ags is not necessarily based on the ability to recruit cognate CD4+ T cell help, but perhaps on the nature of the B cell Ag receptor signaling that occurs and/or on the responding B cell subpopulations.
Khan
Abdul Q
AQ
Department of Pathology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.
Lees
Andrew
A
Snapper
Clifford M
CM
D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016667:Bacterial Capsules / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D023201:CD40 Ligand / Q000502:physiology; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D007117:Immunization, Secondary; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008819:Mice, Nude; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D019081:O Antigens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D010767:Phosphorylcholine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D012995:Solubility; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology*; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D015164:Vaccines, Inactivated / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D019081:O Antigens; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate; D015164:Vaccines, Inactivated; C056696:pneumococcal polysaccharide, type 14; C051592:pneumococcal surface protein A; D010767:Phosphorylcholine; D023201:CD40 Ligand