Studies on the interactions between SARS-CoV-2 and humoral immunity are fundamental to elaborate effective therapies including vaccines. We used polychromatic flow cytometry, coupled with unsupervised data analysis and principal component analysis (PCA), to interrogate B cells in untreated patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. COVID-19 patients displayed normal plasma levels of the main immunoglobulin classes, of antibodies against common antigens or against antigens present in common vaccines. However, we found a decreased number of total and naïve B cells, along with decreased percentages and numbers of memory switched and unswitched B cells. On the contrary, IgM+ and IgM− plasmablasts were significantly increased. In vitro cell activation revealed that B lymphocytes showed a normal proliferation index and number of dividing cells per cycle. PCA indicated that B-cell number, naive and memory B cells but not plasmablasts clustered with patients who were discharged, while plasma IgM level, C-reactive protein, D-dimer, and SOFA score with those who died. In patients with pneumonia, the derangement of the B-cell compartment could be one of the causes of the immunological failure to control SARS-Cov2, have a relevant influence on several pathways, organs and systems, and must be considered to develop vaccine strategies.
Expansion of plasmablasts and loss of memory B cells in peripheral blood from COVID-19 patients with pneumonia / De Biasi, S., Lo Tartaro, D., Meschiari, M., Gibellini, L., Bellinazzi, C., Borella, R., Fidanza, L., Mattioli, M., Paolini, A., Gozzi, L., Jaacoub, D., Faltoni, M., Volpi, S., Milic, J., Sita, M., Sarti, M., Pucillo, C., Girardis, M., Guaraldi, G., Mussini, C., et al.. - In: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY. - ISSN 0014-2980. - 50:9(2020), pp. 1283-1294. [10.1002/eji.202048838]
Expansion of plasmablasts and loss of memory B cells in peripheral blood from COVID-19 patients with pneumonia
De Biasi S.;Lo Tartaro D.;Meschiari M.;Gibellini L.;Bellinazzi C.;Borella R.;Fidanza L.;Mattioli M.;Paolini A.;Faltoni M.;Volpi S.;Sita M.;Girardis M.;Guaraldi G.;Mussini C.;Cossarizza A.
2020
Abstract
Studies on the interactions between SARS-CoV-2 and humoral immunity are fundamental to elaborate effective therapies including vaccines. We used polychromatic flow cytometry, coupled with unsupervised data analysis and principal component analysis (PCA), to interrogate B cells in untreated patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. COVID-19 patients displayed normal plasma levels of the main immunoglobulin classes, of antibodies against common antigens or against antigens present in common vaccines. However, we found a decreased number of total and naïve B cells, along with decreased percentages and numbers of memory switched and unswitched B cells. On the contrary, IgM+ and IgM− plasmablasts were significantly increased. In vitro cell activation revealed that B lymphocytes showed a normal proliferation index and number of dividing cells per cycle. PCA indicated that B-cell number, naive and memory B cells but not plasmablasts clustered with patients who were discharged, while plasma IgM level, C-reactive protein, D-dimer, and SOFA score with those who died. In patients with pneumonia, the derangement of the B-cell compartment could be one of the causes of the immunological failure to control SARS-Cov2, have a relevant influence on several pathways, organs and systems, and must be considered to develop vaccine strategies.
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