PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Moens, Leen
AU  - Wuyts, Margareta
AU  - Meyts, Isabelle
AU  - De Boeck, Kris
AU  - Bossuyt, Xavier
TI  - Human Memory B Lymphocyte Subsets Fulfill Distinct Roles in the Anti-Polysaccharide and Anti-Protein Immune Response
AID  - 10.4049/jimmunol.181.8.5306
DP  - 2008 Oct 15
TA  - The Journal of Immunology
PG  - 5306--5312
VI  - 181
IP  - 8
4099  - http://www.jimmunol.org/content/181/8/5306.short
4100  - http://www.jimmunol.org/content/181/8/5306.full
SO  - J. Immunol.2008 Oct 15; 181
AB  - There is controversy on the role of IgM memory and switched memory B lymphocytes in the Ab response to T cell-independent and T cell-dependent Ags. We transplanted SCID/SCID mice with human B lymphocyte subsets and immunized them with heat-inactivated Streptococcus pneumoniae or with a pneumococcal vaccine. Inactivated S. pneumoniae and soluble pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides elicited an IgM anti-polysaccharide and anti-protein Ab response from IgM memory B lymphocytes and an IgG anti-polysaccharide and anti-protein response from switched memory B lymphocytes. In addition to the IgM Ab response, IgM memory B cells elicited an IgG anti-polysaccharide and anti-protein Ab response after immunization with inactivated S. pneumoniae or soluble pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides. In conclusion, our findings provide evidence for a versatile role of IgM memory B cells in T-independent and T-dependent immune responses.