Work

Chronic simian immunodeficiency virus infection is associated with contrasting phenotypes of dysfunctional Bcl6+ germinal center B cells or Bcl6−Bcl2+ non‐germinal center B cells

Year: 2018

Type: article

Abstract: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is characterized by dysfunctional B cell responses. Here we show that chronic simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection is characterized by an expansion of either lymph node germinal center (GC) B cells that co-express Bcl6, Ki-67 and IL-21R and correlate with expanded T follicular helper (Tfh) cells or B cells that lack Bcl6, Ki-67 and IL-21R but express high levels of anti-apoptotic Bcl2 that negatively correlate with Tfh cells. The lack of Tfh cells likely contributes to persistence of dysfunctional non-proliferating B cells during chronic infection. These findings have implications for protective immunity in HIV-infected individuals who harbour low frequencies of Tfh cells.

Source: Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine

DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.13844

Authors: Olusegun O. Onabajo, Mark G. Lewis, Joseph J. Mattapallil

Institutions: Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bioqual

Language: English

Topic: HIV Research and Treatment

Subfield: Virology

Field: Immunology and Microbiology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $5,210