Studies on functional subpopulations of B cells in mice. Correction of the immune defect of CBA/N mice by transfer of C3 receptor-bearing B cells

Streptococcus pneumoniae: virulence factors, pathogenesis, and vaccines

Although pneumococcal conjugate vaccines are close to being licensed, a more profound knowledge of the virulence factors responsible for the morbidity and mortality caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae is necessary. This review deals with the major structures of pneumococci involved in the pathogenesis of pneumococcal disease and their interference with the defense mechanisms of the host. It is well known that protection against S. pneumoniae is the result of phagocytosis of invading pathogens. For this process, complement and anticapsular polysaccharide antibodies are required. Besides, relatively recent experimental data suggest that protection is also mediated by the removal of disintegrating pneumococci and their degradation products (cell wall, pneumolysin). These structures seem to be major contributors to illness and death caused by pneumococci. An effective conjugate vaccine should therefore preferably include the capsular polysaccharide and at least one of these inflammatory factors.

Role of CR2 in the human adult and neonatal in vitro antibody response to type 4 pneumococcal polysaccharide

A number of studies have indicated that the complement receptor type 2 (CR2), which is the receptor for C3d, a degradation fragment of the complement component C3, regulates B lymphocyte activation and growth. Early reports have described that C3 regulates T cell-dependent (TD) antibody responses. The involvement of CR2 in the antibody response to T cell-independent type 2(TI-2) antigens was investigated because neonatal B cells, which are unresponsive to TI-2 antigens both in vivo and in vitro, express a significantly decreased level of CR2 as compared to B cells of adult donors. We utilized type 4 pneumococcal polysaccharide (PS4) as a model TI-2 antigen. In order to study the relationship between CR2 and the response to PS4, B cells were costimulated with PS4 and monoclonal antibodies (MAb) to CR2. HB5 and OKB7 anti-CR2 monoclonal antibodies enhanced the in vitro response of adult B cells to PS4, as measured in a PS4-specific spot-forming cell assay. Neonatal B cells could only be induced to respond to PS4 using high concentrations of OKB7 anti-CR2 MAb. The 8-mercaptoguanosine (8MGuo), an agent that can overcome the in vitro unresponsiveness to PS4 of neonatal B cells, increased CR2 expression on adult and neonatal B cells. Furthermore, 8MGuo synergizes strongly with anti-CR2 antibodies in augmenting the anti-PS4 antibody response. Data presented in this report provide evidence of CR2 involvement in the antibody response to PS4 and that the neonatal B cell unresponsiveness to TI-2 antigens may be due to the decreased expression of CR2.

Pneumococcal polysaccharides complexed with C3d bind to human B lymphocytes via complement receptor type 2

The immunoregulatory function of the complement system has been the focus of many investigations. In particular, fragments of complement factor C3 have been shown to play a role in B-lymphocyte activation and proliferation, lymphokine production, and the generation of in vitro antibody production. Purified pneumococcal polysaccharides (PS) can induce direct activation of C3 via the alternative pathway. Using sera of C1q-deficient patients and healthy subjects, we demonstrated that C3d, a split product of C3 that is generated after degradation of iC3b, can be bound to PS antigens. The binding of C3d to PS can occur in the absence of specific antibodies. Subsequently, we showed that PS complexed with C3d can be recognized by complement receptor type 2 that is expressed on B cells. Treatment of B cells with a monoclonal antibody recognizing the C3d-binding site of complement receptor type 2 reduces the binding of PS-C3d to the cells. In addition, we showed that PS4 complexed with C3d exerted an increased immunogenicity compared with free PS4. Our results show that the complement system plays a role in the activation of PS-specific B cells, carrying membrane receptors for C3d. Consequently, the complement system plays a regulatory role in the antibody response to T-cell-independent type 2 antigens such as PS.

Identification of murine complement receptor type 2

A rabbit antiserum reactive with the human complement component C3d/Epstein-Barr virus receptor (complement receptor type 2, CR2) immunoprecipitates a Mr 155,000 murine B-cell surface antigen. The apparent molecular weight and cellular distribution of this murine antigen are similar to those of human CR2. Cells expressing the murine protein bind sheep erythrocytes coated with antibody and murine C1-C3d but do not bind Epstein-Barr virus at all. The monospecific antiserum to human CR2 together with goat F(ab')2 anti-rabbit IgG blocks attachment of the C3d-coated erythrocytes to receptor-bearing murine B lymphocytes. To further characterize murine CR2, a lambda gt11 library from the murine late pre-B-cell line 70Z/3 was screened with human CR2 cDNA. A partial cDNA clone of 3.5 kilobases with 79% amino acid sequence identity to human CR2 in the unique intracytoplasmic region and 63% identity to the sixth human CR2 repeat was obtained. Blot hybridization with the murine cDNA clone identified an RNA species of approximately 4.7 kilobases, similar in size to human CR2 mRNA, from a murine B-cell line but not from a murine T-cell line.

Surface immunoglobulin phenotype of complement receptor-positive and complement receptor-negative B cells of normal and xid immunodeficient mice

Single- and dual-parameter fluorescence-activated cell sorter analyses of complement receptor-positive and -negative (CR+ and CR-) splenic B cells of normal and xid immunodeficient mice were performed to determine the frequencies of surface (s) IgM+ and sIgD+ cells, as well as the quantities of sIgM and sIgD on these cells. Single parameter analysis revealed identical frequencies of sIgM+ and sIgD+ cells in the CR+ B cell population of normal mice. In contrast, the percentage of sIgM+ cells exceeded that of sIgD+ cells in the CR- normal and CR+ xid B cell population to a similar extent. CR- xid B cells showed an even greater discrepancy between sIgM+ and sIgD+ cells. Dual-parameter analysis of CR+ normal B cells showed the typical sIg phenotype of mature B cells, i.e. an intermediate density of sIgM and a high density of sIgD. The CR+ xid B cell population displayed an increase in cells with high sIgM and no-to-low sIgD and a decrease in cells with intermediate sIgM and high sIgD when compared to CR+ normal cells. CR- B cells from normal and xid immunodeficient mice were similar in that both consisted largely of a cell population with low sIgM and no-to-low sIgD. However, the CR- normal B cell population also contained cells with intermediate sIgM and high sIgD, which were lacking in the CR- xid cell population. Similar results were obtained when CR+ and CR- B cells from normal and xid mice were purified from a small resting B cell population, isolated by elutriation. This indicates that the sIg phenotype of CR- cells is not due to the presence of large cells which have lost sIgD during activation.