Multi-dimensional analysis of B cells reveals the expansion of memory and regulatory B-cell clusters in humans living in rural tropical areas
Chayé, Mathilde AM; van Hengel, Oscar RJ; Voskamp, Astrid L; Ozir-Fazalalikhan, Arifa; König, Marion H; Stam, Koen A; Manurung, Mikhael D; Mouwenda, Yoanne D; Aryeetey, Yvonne A; Kurniawan, Agnes; Kruize, Yvonne CM; Sartono, Erliyani; Buisman, Anne-Marie; Yazdanbakhsh, Maria; Tak, Tamar; Smits, Hermelijn H
Series / Report no.
Open Access
Type
Journal Article
Article
Article
Language
en
Date
2025-01-21
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Title
Multi-dimensional analysis of B cells reveals the expansion of memory and regulatory B-cell clusters in humans living in rural tropical areas
Translated Title
Published in
Clin Exp Immunol 2025; 219(1):uxae074
Abstract
B-cells play a critical role in the formation of immune responses against pathogens by acting as antigen-presenting cells, by modulating immune responses, and by generating immune memory and antibody responses. Here, we studied B-cell subset distributions between regions with higher and lower microbial exposure, i.e. by comparing peripheral blood B-cells from people living in Indonesia or Ghana to those from healthy Dutch residents using a 36-marker mass cytometry panel. By applying an unbiased multidimensional approach, we observed differences in the balance between the naïve and memory compartments, with higher CD11c+ and double negative (DN-IgDnegCD27neg) memory (M)B-cells in individuals from rural tropical areas, and conversely lower naïve B-cells compared to residents from an area with less pathogen exposure. Furthermore, characterization of total B-cell populations, CD11c+, DN, and Breg cells showed the emergence of specific memory clusters in individuals living in rural tropical areas. Some of these differences were more pronounced in children compared to adults and suggest that a higher microbial exposure accelerates memory B-cell formation, which "normalizes" with age.