title: Identification of germinal center B cells in blood from HIV-infected drug-naive individuals in Central Africa.
abstract: To better understand the pathophysiology of B cell populations-the precursors of antibody secreting cells-during chronic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, we examined the phenotype of circulating B cells in newly diagnosed Africans. We found that all African individuals displayed low levels of naive B cells and of memory-type CD27+ B cells, and high levels of differentiated B cells. On the other hand, HIV-infected African patients had a population of germinal center B cells (i.e. CD20+, sIgM-, sIgD+, CD77+, CD138(+/-)), which are generally restricted to lymph nodes and do not circulate unless the lymph node architecture is altered. The first observations could be linked to the tropical environment whereas the presence of germinal center B cells may be attributable to chronic exposure to HIV as it is not observed in HIV-negative African controls and HAART treated HIV-infected Europeans. It may impact the management of HIV infection in countries with limited access to HIV drugs and urges consideration for implementation of therapeutic vaccines.
authors.affiliation: CGIMAP EA3064, Faculté de Médecine, Université Jean Monnet, 15 Rue A. Paré 42023, Saint Etienne cédex 2, France.
authors.forename: Lydie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Béniguel
authors.forename: Evelyne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bégaud
authors.forename: Fabrice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cognasse
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gabrié
authors.forename: Christophe D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Mbolidi
authors.forename: Odile
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sabido
authors.forename: Mary A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Marovich
authors.forename: Christiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: DeFontaine
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Frésard
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lucht
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Genin
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Garraud
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018951:Antigens, CD20 / Q000032:analysis; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D001782:Blood Donors; D005260:Female; D018858:Germinal Center / Q000276:immunology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014281:Trihexosylceramides / Q000032:analysis; D018127:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7 / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D018951:Antigens, CD20; D014281:Trihexosylceramides; D018127:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7; C018549:globotriaosylceramide