BAFF, stimulatory DNA and IL-15 stimulates IgA(+) memory B cells and provides a novel approach for analysis of memory responses to mucosal vaccines.

• Assessment of immune responses induced by mucosal vaccines is to a large extent based on measurement of IgA levels in mucosal secretions and detection of short-lived effector IgA-secreting cells circulating in peripheral blood. Since these immunological parameters poorly reflect long-term IgA-mediated responses, we sought to investigate novel approaches that would enable detection of vaccine specific IgA memory B cells. We demonstrate that stimulation of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells in vitro with immunostimulatory DNA in combination with B cell-activating factor (BAFF) and IL-15 promotes differentiation of IgA memory B cells to IgA-secreting cells. By using the inactivated oral cholera vaccine Dukoral we demonstrate that vaccine specific IgA memory B cells are induced by oral immunization and are circulating for at least 9 months after vaccination. We also show that stimulated IgA memory B cells do not secrete IgA unless they reencounter the specific antigen.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper -- Mikrobiologi inom det medicinska området (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine -- Microbiology in the medical area (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Adjuvants

Immunologic

pharmacology

Adult

Antibodies

Bacterial

blood

immunology

B-Cell Activating Factor

immunology

pharmacology

B-Lymphocytes

immunology

Cholera Vaccines

immunology

pharmacology

DNA

immunology

pharmacology

Female

Humans

Immunity

Mucosal

drug effects

immunology

Immunization

methods

Immunoglobulin A

blood

immunology

Immunologic Memory

drug effects

immunology

Interleukin-15

immunology

pharmacology

Male

Time Factors

Vaccines

Inactivated

immunology

pharmacology

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)