Increased B�cell activating factor is associated with B�cell class switching in patients with tuberculous pleural effusion

Abstract

B cell activating factor (BAFF), a member of the tumor necrosis factor family, is a key cytokine for B cell survival, a function that is essential for B cell maturation and memory. The expression levels of BAFF and its potential contribution to B cell maturation remain elusive in patients with tuberculous pleural effusion (TPE). The present study enrolled 40 healthy controls (HC) and 45 TPE patients, and investigated the levels of BAFF in the plasma and pleural effusion. Concomitantly, B cell subsets including naïve B cell (CD19+IgD+CD27‑), unswitched B cell (CD19+IgD+CD27+), switched B cell (CD19+IgD‑CD27+), total memory B cell (CD19+CD27+), plasma B cell (CD19+IgD‑CD38+CD27+) and transitional B cell (CD19+IgDdim CD38+) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and pleural fluid mononuclear cells (PFMCs) were assessed using multicolor flow cytometry. Finally, the associations between BAFF and each sub‑group of B cells in TPE patients were analyzed. Compared with HC cases, an increased BAFF level and elevated frequency of switched B cell were observed in the blood and pleural effusion from patients with TPE. The proportions of naïve B cell, plasma B cell and transitional B cell were lower in the PFMCs of TPE patients. Furthermore, a significant correlation was observed between the level of BAFF, and the proportion of switched B cell in the peripheral blood and pleural effusion of TPE patients. These findings indicated that the B cell profile may be different in the pleural effusion, and BAFF may activate switched B cells to enhance the humoral immune responses in patients with TPE. Further studies are required to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and determine the potential immunotherapy of the BAFF‑switched B cell axis.

Silicon or Calcium Doping Coordinates the Immunostimulatory Effects of Aluminum Oxyhydroxide Nanoadjuvants in Prophylactic Vaccines

“…Si-AlOOH-4 and Ca-AlOOH-4 induced similar percentages of CD27 + /CD19 + cells compared to that of Alhydrogel, which were higher than those of HBsAg, CD27 expression on B cells suggested the activation of memory B cells. 56,57 Additionally, Si-AlOOH-4 induced CD4 + and CD8 + T cells to express higher levels of CD69 (Figures 5F,G, S20 and S21A,B). Compared with Ca-AlOOH-1, Ca-AlOOH-4 also induced higher expressions of CD69 in T cells.…”

Inflammatory immune profiles associated with disease severity in pulmonary tuberculosis patients with moderate to severe clinical TB or anemia

“…Accordingly, neutrophils have been shown to produce BAFF that highly accelerated plasma cell generation and antigen-specific antibody production (71). It has also been reported that elevated levels of BAFF may activate class switching of B cells to enhance humoral immune responses in patients with TB pleuritis (72). A role of BAFF/APRIL on T cell function and survival has also been proposed (73) and increased levels of BAFF and APRIL mRNA were previously found in peripheral CD4+ T cells isolated from patients with active TB (74).…”