The Functional Response of B Cells to Antigenic Stimulation: A Preliminary Report of Latent Tuberculosis
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) remains a successful pathogen, causing tuberculosis disease numbers to constantly increase. Although great progress has been made in delineating the disease, the host pathogen interaction is incompletely described. B cells have shown to function as both effectors and regulators of immunity via non humoral methods in both innate and adaptive immune settings. Here we assessed specific B cell functional interaction following stimulation with a broad range of antigens within the LTBI milieu. Our results indicate that B cells readily produce pro and anti inflammatory cytokines (including IL 1b, IL 10, IL 17, IL 21 and TNF a) in response to stimulation. TLR4 and TLR9 based stimulations achieved the greatest secreted cytokine production response and BCG stimulation displayed a clear preference for inducing IL 1b production. We also show that the cytokines produced by B cells are implicated strongly in cell mediated communication and that plasma (memory) B cells (CD19+CD27+CD138+ is the subset with the greatest contribution to cytokine production. Collectively our data provides insight into B cell responses, where they are implicated in and quantifies responses from specific B cell phenotypes. These findings warrant further functional B cell research with a focus on specific B cell phenotypes under conditions of active TB disease to further our knowledge about the contribution of various cell subsets which could have implications for future vaccine development or refined B cell orientated treatment in the health setting.
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