title: Development of Plasmodium falciparum specific naïve, atypical, memory and plasma B cells during infancy and in adults in an endemic area.
abstract: B-cells are essential in immunity against malaria, but which sub-sets of B-cells specifically recognize Plasmodium falciparum and when they appear is still largely unknown.
  
  
  
  Using the flow cytometry technique for detection of P. falciparum specific (Pf+) B-cells, this study for the first time measured the development of Pf+ B cell (CD19+) phenotypes in Ugandan babies from birth up to nine months, and in their mothers. The babies showed increases in Pf+ IgG memory B-cells (MBCs), atypical MBCs, and plasma cells/blasts over time, but the proportion of these cells were still lower than in the mothers who displayed stable levels (5, 18, and 3%, respectively). Pf+ non-IgG+ MBCs and naïve B-cells binding to P. falciparum antigens were higher in the babies compared to the mothers (12 and 50%). In ELISA there was an increase in IgG and IgM antibodies over time in babies, and stable levels in mothers. At baby delivery, multigravidae mothers had a higher proportion of Pf+ IgG MBCs and less Pf+ naïve B-cells than primigravidae mothers.
  
  
  
  In newborns, naïve B-cells are a major player in recognizing P. falciparum. In adults, the high proportion of Pf+ atypical MBCs suggests a major role for these cells. Both in infants and adults, non-IgG+ MBCs were higher than IgG MBCs, indicating that these cells deserve more focus in future.
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.|Department of Microbiology, Tumor, and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Allan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lugaajju
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Tumor, and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Sreenivasulu B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Tumor, and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Mats
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wahlgren
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.|Habib Medical School, Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU), Kampala, Uganda.
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kironde
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Tumor, and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. kristina.persson@med.lu.se.|Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden. kristina.persson@med.lu.se.
authors.forename: Kristina E M
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Persson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014454:Uganda; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M
keywords: Atypical; B-cells; Immunity; Malaria; Memory; Plasmodium falciparum