Abstract
SummaryBackground The role of B cells in human host response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection is still controversial, but recent evidence suggest that B cell follicle like structures within the lung may influence host responses through regulation of the local cytokine environment. A candidate for such regulation could be the chemokine CXCL10. CXCL10 is mainly produced by human monocytes, but a few reports have also found CXCL10 production by human B cells. The objective of this study was to investigate CXCL10 production by human B cells in response to in vitro stimulation with Mtb antigens. Methodology/principal findings We analyzed human blood samples from 30 volunteer donors using multiparameter flow cytometry, and identified a subgroup of B cells producing CXCL10 in response to in vitro stimulation with antigens. T cells did not produce CXCL10, but CXCL10 production by B cells appeared to be mediated via IFN-γ and dependent on contact with antigen-specific T cells recognizing the antigen. Conclusion Human B cells are able to produce CXCL10 in an IFN-γ and T cell contact-dependent manner. The present findings suggest a possible mechanism through which B cells in part may influence granuloma formation in human tuberculosis (TB) and participate in infection control.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Tuberculosis (Edinburgh, Scotland) |
| Volume | 95 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Pages (from-to) | 40-7 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| ISSN | 1472-9792 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Jan 2015 |
Keywords
- Antigens, Bacterial
- B-Lymphocyte Subsets
- Cells, Cultured
- Chemokine CXCL10
- Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
- Granuloma
- Healthy Volunteers
- Humans
- Immunity, Cellular
- Immunologic Factors
- Interferon-alpha
- Interferon-gamma
- Mycobacterium tuberculosis
- T-Lymphocyte Subsets
- Tuberculosis
