title: Low expression of the interleukin (IL)-4 receptor alpha chain and reduced signalling via the IL-4 receptor complex in human neonatal B cells.
abstract: Diminished neonatal antibody responses following infection or immunization may stem in part from intrinsic characteristics of neonatal B cells. In this study, we used B-cell subset sorting combined with gene expression assays to investigate major differences in the expression of host genes in neonatal and adult naïve B cells. We discovered significantly reduced expression of the interleukin (IL)-4 receptor alpha chain and reduced IL-4-induced signalling in neonatal B cells. Neonatal naïve B cells were susceptible to more rapid and more profound levels of apoptosis when cultured in vitro. They also exhibited a limited response to IL-4 treatment compared with adult cells. The expression level of the IL-13 receptor alpha 1 chain, a key component of the IL-13 receptor/IL-4 type II receptor, and the response to IL-13 treatment for protection against apoptosis in neonatal B cells were similar to those of the adult B cells. These studies suggest a possible mechanism underlying the limited magnitude and durability of neonatal antibody responses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232-2905, USA.
authors.forename: Cuixia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Grace K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Kron
authors.forename: Kevin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Dischert
authors.forename: James N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Higginbotham
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Crowe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D017209:Apoptosis; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000276:immunology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000494:pharmacology; D053661:Interleukin-13 Receptor alpha1 Subunit / Q000378:metabolism; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000494:pharmacology; D053662:Interleukin-4 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D010766:Phosphorylation; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D050800:STAT6 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: C508181:IL13RA1 protein, human; D018793:Interleukin-13; D053661:Interleukin-13 Receptor alpha1 Subunit; D053662:Interleukin-4 Receptor alpha Subunit; D050800:STAT6 Transcription Factor; D015847:Interleukin-4