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The Isolation, Differentiation, and Quantification of Human Antibody-secreting B Cells from Blood: ELISpot as a Functional Readout of Humoral Immunity
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Changes in B Cell Pool of Patients With Multibacillary Leprosy: Diminished Memory B Cell and Enhanced Mature B in

Otto Castro Nogueira1, Mariana Gandini1, Natasha Cabral1

  • 1Cellular Microbiology Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Frontiers in Immunology
|October 8, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Leprosy infection alters B cell populations, decreasing memory cells and increasing mature cells. This immune shift correlates with increased IgG levels and disease severity in patients.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Leprosy remains a significant global health issue, with its complex immunopathogenesis not fully understood.
  • B cells, crucial for immune defense, exist in diverse subpopulations with specialized functions.
  • Understanding B cell dynamics in leprosy is vital for elucidating disease mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the profile of B cell subpopulations in leprosy patients.
  • To analyze changes in memory, transitional, plasmablast, and mature B cells.
  • To correlate B cell alterations with IgG levels and clinical leprosy types.

Main Methods:

  • Peripheral blood samples from leprosy patients (paucibacillary, multibacillary, erythema nodosum leprosum) were analyzed.
  • Flow cytometry was used to quantify B cell subpopulations.
  • Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) measured immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels.

Main Results:

  • *Mycobacterium leprae* infection significantly altered B cell proportions, characterized by an increase in mature B cells and a decrease in memory B cells.
  • Elevated total IgG levels were observed in leprosy patients.
  • These B cell and IgG changes were associated with the patient's clinical presentation and disease severity.

Conclusions:

  • Circulating B cells play a role in modulating the immune response across different leprosy forms.
  • B cell subpopulation shifts may indicate a patient's capacity to combat *Mycobacterium leprae* infection.
  • Further research into B cell functions can offer insights into leprosy pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets.

Keywords:
B cell differentiationB lymphocytesMycobacterium lepraeactive immune responseerythema nodosum leprosum

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