Leishmania major-specific B cells are necessary for Th2 cell development and susceptibility to L. major LV39 in BALB/c mice.
B lymphocytes are considered to play a minimal role in host defense against Leishmania major. In this study, the contribution of B cells to susceptibility to infection with different strains of L. major was investigated in BALB/c mice lacking mature B cells due to the disruption of the IgM transmembrane domain (microMT). Whereas BALB/c microMT remained susceptible to infection with L. major IR173 and IR75, they were partially resistant to infection with L. major LV39. Adoptive transfer of naive B cells into BALB/c microMT mice before infection restored susceptibility to infection with L. major LV39, demonstrating a role for B cells in susceptibility to infection with this parasite. In contrast, adoptive transfer of B cells that express an IgM/IgD specific for hen egg lysozyme (HEL), an irrelevant Ag, did not restore disease progression in BALB/c microMT mice infected with L. major LV39. This finding was likely due to the inability of HEL Tg B cells to internalize and present Leishmania Ags to specific T cells. Furthermore, specific Ig did not contribute to disease progression as assessed by transfer of immune serum in BALB/c microMT mice. These data suggest that direct Ag presentation by specific B cells and not Ig effector functions is involved in susceptibility of BALB/c mice to infection with L. major LV39.
Ronet
Catherine
C
World Health Organization-Immunology Research and Training Centre, University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland.
Voigt
Heike
H
Himmelrich
Hayo
H
Doucey
Marie-Agnès
MA
Hauyon-La Torre
Yazmin
Y
Revaz-Breton
Mélanie
M
Tacchini-Cottier
Fabienne
F
Bron
Claude
C
Louis
Jacques
J
Launois
Pascal
P
D019264:Adoptive Transfer; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004198:Disease Susceptibility / Q000276:immunology; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000276:immunology; D018320:Leishmania major / Q000276:immunology*; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010641:Phenotype; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan