Alterations in peripheral blood B cell subsets and dynamics of B cell responses during human schistosomiasis.

• Main Authors: Lucja A Labuda, Ulysse Ateba-Ngoa, Eliane Ngoune Feugap, Jorn J Heeringa, Luciën E P M van der Vlugt, Regina B A Pires, Ludovic Mewono, Peter G Kremsner, Menno C van Zelm, Ayola A Adegnika, Maria Yazdanbakhsh, Hermelijn H Smits
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2013-01-01
• Series: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
• Online Access: http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3591311?pdf=render

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.