Schistosomes induce regulatory features in human and mouse CD1dhi B Cells: inhibition of allergic inflammation by IL-10 and regulatory T cells

van der Vlugt, L.E.P.M. et al. (2012) Schistosomes induce regulatory features in human and mouse CD1dhi B Cells: inhibition of allergic inflammation by IL-10 and regulatory T cells. PLoS ONE, 7(2), e30883. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0030883)

Abstract

Chronic helminth infections, such as schistosomes, are negatively associated with allergic disorders. Here, using B cell IL-10-deficient mice, Schistosoma mansoni-mediated protection against experimental ovalbumin-induced allergic airway inflammation (AAI) was shown to be specifically dependent on IL-10-producing B cells. To study the organs involved, we transferred B cells from lungs, mesenteric lymph nodes or spleen of OVA-infected mice to recipient OVA-sensitized mice, and showed that both lung and splenic B cells reduced AAI, but only splenic B cells in an IL-10-dependent manner. Although splenic B cell protection was accompanied by elevated levels of pulmonary FoxP3+ regulatory T cells, in vivo ablation of FoxP3+ T cells only moderately restored AAI, indicating an important role for the direct suppressory effect of regulatory B cells. Splenic marginal zone CD1d+ B cells proved to be the responsible splenic B cell subset as they produced high levels of IL-10 and induced FoxP3+ T cells in vitro. Indeed, transfer of CD1d+ MZ-depleted splenic B cells from infected mice restored AAI. Markedly, we found a similarly elevated population of CD1dhi B cells in peripheral blood of Schistosoma haematobium-infected Gabonese children compared to uninfected children and these cells produced elevated levels of IL-10. Importantly, the number of IL-10-producing CD1dhi B cells was reduced after anti-schistosome treatment. This study points out that in both mice and men schistosomes have the capacity to drive the development of IL-10-producing regulatory CD1dhi B cells and furthermore, these are instrumental in reducing experimental allergic inflammation in mice.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Barr, Dr Tom
• Authors: van der Vlugt, L.E.P.M., Labuda, L.A., Ozir-Fazalalikhan, A., Lievers, E., Gloudemans, A.K., Liu, K.-Y., Barr, T.A., Sparwasser, T., Boon, L., Ngoa, U.A., Feugap, E.N., Adegnika, A.A., Kremsner, P.G., Gray, D., Yazdanbakhsh, M., and Smits, H.H.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity
• Journal Name: PLoS ONE
• Publisher: Public Library of Science
• ISSN: 1932-6203
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2012 The Authors
• First Published: First published in PLoS ONE 7(2):e30883
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License