B1b lymphocyte-derived antibodies control Borrelia hermsii independent of Fcα/μ receptor and in the absence of host cell contact.

Publication/Presentation Date

12-1-2011

Abstract

The critical role of IgM in controlling pathogen burden has been demonstrated in a variety of infection models. In the murine model of Borrelia hermsii infection, IgM is necessary and sufficient for the rapid clearance of bacteremia. Convalescent, but not naïve, B1b cells generate a specific IgM response against B. hermsii, but the mechanism of IgM-mediated protection is unknown. Here, we show that neither Fcα/μR, a high-affinity receptor for IgM, nor IgM-dependent complement activation is required for controlling B. hermsii. Bacteria in diffusion chambers with a pore size impermeable to cells were killed when diffusion chambers were implanted into either convalescent or passively immunized mice. Furthermore, adoptively transferred convalescent B1b cells in Rag1(-/-) mice produced specific IgM that also cleared B. hermsii in diffusion chambers independent of complement. These results demonstrate that IgM-mediated clearance of B. hermsii does not require opsonophagocytosis and indicate that a mechanism for in vivo B1b cell-mediated protection is through the generation of bactericidal IgM.

Volume

51

Issue

2-3

First Page

249

Last Page

256

ISSN

1559-0755

Disciplines

Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Health and Medical Administration | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods

PubMedID

22139824

Department(s)

Administration and Leadership

Document Type

Article

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