Arsenic trioxide inhibits the response of primary human B cells to influenza virus A in vitro

• Published in: Toxicology in vitro 2024-04, Vol.96, p.105783-105783, Article 105783
• Main Authors: Kaiser, Luca M., Freeborn, Robert A., Boss, Allison P., Jin, Yining, Rockwell, Cheryl E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Arsenic; B cell; Human; IgG; Immunoglobulin; Influenza
• ISSN: 0887-2333; 1879-3177
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2024.105783

Arsenic compounds are common environmental toxicants worldwide and particularly enriched in the Northeast and the Southwestern United States, the Alps, and Bangladesh. Exposure to arsenic is linked with various detrimental health outcomes, including cancer, cognitive decline, and kidney damage. Our group has previously shown that arsenic trioxide alters T cell cytokine production. In the current study, we demonstrate that exposure to arsenic compounds alters B cell function in an in vitro influenza model. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from blood and cultured with arsenic trioxide (As3O2) and subsequently challenged with Influenza A virus. B cells showed decreased expression of CD267, surface IgG and CD80 when treated with As3O2. Taken together, the data suggest that As3O2 affects the activation and surface antibody expression of human peripheral B cells. Overall, this suggests that As3O2 exposure could cause impaired humoral immunity. •Arsenic inhibits induction of CD25 and CD80 in B cells responding to influenza, suggesting inhibition of B cell activation.•Arsenic decreases the number of B cells expressing IgG in response to influenza, suggesting impairment of humoral immunity.•The human B cell response to influenza can be assessed in vitro; this assay could be used as an immunotoxicity screening tool.