Human immunoglobulin M memory B cells controlling Streptococcus pneumoniae infections are generated in the spleen

Splenectomized and asplenic patients have a high incidence of infections by encapsulated bacteria and do not respond to polysaccharide vaccines. To understand whether the absence of the spleen is associated with a defined B cell defect, we analyzed B cell subsets in the peripheral blood. We found th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of experimental medicine 2003-04, Vol.197 (7), p.939-945
Main Authors: Kruetzmann, Stephanie, Rosado, M Manuela, Weber, Holger, Germing, Ulrich, Tournilhac, Olivier, Peter, Hans-Hartmut, Berner, Reinhard, Peters, Anke, Boehm, Thomas, Plebani, Alessandro, Quinti, Isabella, Carsetti, Rita
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Age Factors
B-Lymphocytes - immunology
Brief Definitive Report
CD5 Antigens - analysis
Common Variable Immunodeficiency - immunology
Female
Humans
Immunoglobulin M - biosynthesis
Immunologic Memory
Infant
Middle Aged
Pneumococcal Infections - immunology
Spleen - physiology
T-Lymphocytes - immunology
Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7 - analysis
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Summary:Splenectomized and asplenic patients have a high incidence of infections by encapsulated bacteria and do not respond to polysaccharide vaccines. To understand whether the absence of the spleen is associated with a defined B cell defect, we analyzed B cell subsets in the peripheral blood. We found that a population of B cells known as immunoglobulin (Ig)M memory is lacking in patients without spleen. The absence of IgM memory B cells correlates with an impaired immune response to encapsulated bacteria not only in splenectomized patients, but also in individuals with an intact spleen. We show that the physiological and transient predisposition to pneumococcal infections of young children (0-2 yr) is associated with the lack of circulating IgM memory B cells and of serum antipolysaccharide IgM. We also demonstrate that IgM memory B cells are undetectable in a fraction of patients with common variable immunodeficiency, who have recurrent and invasive infections by encapsulated bacteria. IgM memory B cells, therefore, require the spleen for their generation and/or survival and are responsible for the protection against encapsulated bacteria.
ISSN:0022-1007
1540-9538
DOI:10.1084/jem.20022020