title: IL-10-Producing CD1dhiCD5+Regulatory B Cells May Play a Critical Role in Modulating Immune Homeostasis in Silicosis Patients.
abstract: Silicosis is characterized by chronic lung inflammation and fibrosis, which are extremely harmful to human health. The pathogenesis of silicosis involves uncontrolled immune processes. Evidence supports that regulatory B cells (Bregs) produce negative regulatory cytokines, such as IL-10, which can negatively regulate immune responses in inflammation and autoimmune diseases. Our previous study found that IL-10-producing B cells were involved in the development of silica-induced lung inflammation and fibrosis of mice. However, little is known about the role of Bregs in silicosis patients (SP). In this study, we found that serum concentrations of IL-10 were significantly increased in SP by using protein array screening. We further determined that the frequency of IL-10-producing CD1dhiCD5+Bregs, not IL-10-producing non-B lymphocytes, was significantly higher in SP compared to subjects under surveillance (SS) and healthy workers (HW) by flow cytometry. We also found that regulatory T cells (Tregs) and Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13) were significantly increased in SP. Th1 cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-2, and IL-12) and inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α) were not significantly different between SP, SS, and HW. Our study indicated that IL-10-producing CD1dhiCD5+Bregs might maintain Tregs and regulate Th1/Th2 polarization in SP, suggesting that IL-10-producing Bregs may play a critical role in modulating immune homeostasis in SP.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pneumoconiosis, School of Public Health, China Medical University , Shenyang , China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Division of Pneumoconiosis, School of Public Health, China Medical University , Shenyang , China.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Division of Pneumoconiosis, School of Public Health, China Medical University , Shenyang , China.
authors.forename: Yiping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Division of Pneumoconiosis, School of Public Health, China Medical University , Shenyang , China.
authors.forename: Huiying
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhuang
authors.affiliation: Division of Pneumoconiosis, School of Public Health, China Medical University , Shenyang , China.
authors.forename: Weijia
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.affiliation: Division of Pneumoconiosis, School of Public Health, China Medical University , Shenyang , China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Division of Pneumoconiosis, School of Public Health, China Medical University , Shenyang , China.
authors.forename: Fangwei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Shenyang No. 9 Hospital , Shenyang , China.
authors.forename: Jinkai
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Shenyang No. 9 Hospital , Shenyang , China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Division of Pneumoconiosis, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, China; Department of Respiratory Medicine, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.affiliation: Division of Pneumoconiosis, School of Public Health, China Medical University , Shenyang , China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
keywords: IL-10; Th1/Th2 polarization; immune homeostasis; regulatory B cells; regulatory T cells; silicosis patients