title: Alterations in peripheral blood B cell subsets and dynamics of B cell responses during human schistosomiasis.
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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Lucja A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Labuda
authors.forename: Ulysse
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ateba-Ngoa
authors.forename: Eliane Ngoune
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Feugap
authors.forename: Jorn J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Heeringa
authors.forename: Luciën E P M
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: van der Vlugt
authors.forename: Regina B A
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Pires
authors.forename: Ludovic
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mewono
authors.forename: Peter G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Kremsner
authors.forename: Menno C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: van Zelm
authors.forename: Ayola A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Adegnika
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yazdanbakhsh
authors.forename: Hermelijn H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Smits
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005681:Gabon; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011223:Praziquantel / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012548:Schistosoma haematobium / Q000276:immunology*; D012552:Schistosomiasis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D011223:Praziquantel