Atypical and classical memory B cells produce Plasmodium falciparum neutralizing antibodies

TY - JOUR

T1 - Atypical and classical memory B cells produce Plasmodium falciparum neutralizing antibodies

AU - Muellenbeck, Matthias F

AU - Ueberheide, Beatrix

AU - Amulic, Borko

AU - Epp, Alexandra

AU - Fenyo, David

AU - Busse, Christian E

AU - Esen, Meral

AU - Theisen, Michael

AU - Mordmüller, Benjamin

AU - Wardemann, Hedda

PY - 2013/2/11

Y1 - 2013/2/11

N2 - Antibodies can protect from Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) infection and clinical malaria disease. However, in the absence of constant reexposure, serum immunoglobulin (Ig) levels rapidly decline and full protection from clinical symptoms is lost, suggesting that B cell memory is functionally impaired. We show at the single cell level that natural Pf infection induces the development of classical memory B cells (CM) and atypical memory B cells (AtM) that produce broadly neutralizing antibodies against blood stage Pf parasites. CM and AtM contribute to anti-Pf serum IgG production, but only AtM show signs of active antibody secretion. AtM and CM were also different in their IgG gene repertoire, suggesting that they develop from different precursors. The findings provide direct evidence that natural Pf infection leads to the development of protective memory B cell antibody responses and suggest that constant immune activation rather than impaired memory function leads to the accumulation of AtM in malaria. Understanding the memory B cell response to natural Pf infection may be key to the development of a malaria vaccine that induces long-lived protection.

AB - Antibodies can protect from Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) infection and clinical malaria disease. However, in the absence of constant reexposure, serum immunoglobulin (Ig) levels rapidly decline and full protection from clinical symptoms is lost, suggesting that B cell memory is functionally impaired. We show at the single cell level that natural Pf infection induces the development of classical memory B cells (CM) and atypical memory B cells (AtM) that produce broadly neutralizing antibodies against blood stage Pf parasites. CM and AtM contribute to anti-Pf serum IgG production, but only AtM show signs of active antibody secretion. AtM and CM were also different in their IgG gene repertoire, suggesting that they develop from different precursors. The findings provide direct evidence that natural Pf infection leads to the development of protective memory B cell antibody responses and suggest that constant immune activation rather than impaired memory function leads to the accumulation of AtM in malaria. Understanding the memory B cell response to natural Pf infection may be key to the development of a malaria vaccine that induces long-lived protection.

U2 - 10.1084/jem.20121970

DO - 10.1084/jem.20121970

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 23319701

SN - 0022-1007

VL - 210

SP - 389

EP - 399

JO - Journal of Experimental Medicine

JF - Journal of Experimental Medicine

IS - 2

ER -