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The role of B cells in immunity against larval Strongyloides stercoralis in mice
Author(s) -
Herbert De’broski R.,
Nolan Thomas J.,
Schad Gerhard A.,
Abraham David
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
parasite immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.795
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1365-3024
pISSN - 0141-9838
DOI - 10.1046/j.0141-9838.2001.00441.x
Subject(s) - biology , strongyloides stercoralis , immune system , immunology , immunity , antibody , b cell , bruton's tyrosine kinase , humoral immunity , microbiology and biotechnology , helminths , signal transduction , tyrosine kinase
Summary The objective of this study was to examine the role of B cells in primary and challenge infections of larval Strongyloides stercoralis in mice. Two strains of B‐cell deficient mice were used in these studies, µMT mice that lack all B cells and Xid mice that lack B‐1 cells. Primary immune responses in µMT mice were sufficient to eliminate all parasites within 1 week after infection. Immunized µMT and Xid mice, however, were unable to kill challenge parasites at 24 h post infection, the time that they were eliminated in immunized wild‐type mice. This was despite having a significant increase in interleukin‐5 secreting cells and high numbers of eosinophils in the microenvironment of the challenge larvae. In addition, immunized Xid mice did not generate parasite‐specific immunoglobulin (Ig)M but did develop a weak IgG response compared to wild‐type mice. These results demonstrate a dichotomy in the requirement of B cells in immunity to S. stercoralis . B cells are not required in the primary response, yet they are required in the secondary immune response. B‐1 cells are required for the secondary immune response and their role appears to be the production of IgM and not as a source of immunoregulatory molecules.