Profiling antibody responses by multiparametric analysis of primary B cells

Determining the efficacy of a vaccine generally relies on measuring neutralizing antibodies in sera. This measure cannot elucidate the mechanisms responsible for the development of immunological memory at the cellular level, however. Quantitative profiles that detail the cellular origin, extent, and diversity of the humoral (antibody-based) immune response would improve both the assessment and development of vaccines. Here, we describe a novel approach to collect multiparametric datasets that describe the specificity, isotype, and apparent affinity of the antibodies secreted from large numbers of individual primary B cells (approximately 10(3)-10(4)). The antibody/antigen binding curves obtained by this approach can be used to classify closely related populations of cells using algorithms for data clustering, and the relationships among populations can be visualized graphically using affinity heatmaps. The technique described was used to evaluate the diversity of antigen-specific antibody-secreting cells generated during an in vivo humoral response to a series of immunizations designed to mimic a multipart vaccination. Profiles correlating primary antibody-producing cells with the molecular characteristics of their secreted antibodies should facilitate both the evaluation of candidate vaccines and, broadly, studies on the repertoires of antibodies generated in response to infectious or autoimmune diseases.