Hemorrhage in mice produces alterations in pulmonary B cell repertoires

Nosocomial pneumonia occurs frequently after hemorrhage and trauma and contributes to the increased incidence of morbidity and mortality after severe injury. The production of secretory antibodies by mucosally associated B cells is an important component of pulmonary host defense mechanisms. To determine the effects of hemorrhage on pulmonary B cell function, we examined hemorrhage induced alterations in pulmonary B cell repertoires. There were no changes in the relative distribution of T or B cells among intraparenchymal pulmonary lymphocytes after blood loss. Hemorrhage induced decreases of between 5- and 10-fold in the frequencies and numbers of pulmonary B cell clonal precursors specific for the bacterial Ag levan and Pseudomonas aeruginosa polysaccharide. These decreases in numbers and frequencies of bacterial Ag-specific pulmonary B cell clonal precursors were present between 3 and 10 days after blood loss. Similar decreases in numbers and frequencies were found among pulmonary clonal precursors specific for the autoantigen mouse transferrin, but not for the autoantigen dsDNA or the external antigens OVA and keyhole limpet hemocyanin. These results demonstrate that hemorrhage produces marked alterations in pulmonary B cell repertoires, which may contribute to postinjury abnormalities in host defenses.