High-dimensional immune profiling of total and rotavirus VP6-specific intestinal and circulating B cells by mass cytometry

Mucosal Immunol. 2016 Jan;9(1):68-82. doi: 10.1038/mi.2015.36. Epub 2015 Apr 22.

Abstract

In-depth phenotyping of human intestinal antibody secreting cells (ASCs) and their precursors is important for developing improved mucosal vaccines. We used single-cell mass cytometry to simultaneously analyze 34 differentiation and trafficking markers on intestinal and circulating B cells. In addition, we labeled rotavirus (RV) double-layered particles with a metal isotope and characterized B cells specific to the RV VP6 major structural protein. We describe the heterogeneity of the intestinal B-cell compartment, dominated by ASCs with some phenotypic and transcriptional characteristics of long-lived plasma cells. Using principal component analysis, we visualized the phenotypic relationships between major B-cell subsets in the intestine and blood, and revealed that IgM(+) memory B cells (MBCs) and naive B cells were phenotypically related as were CD27(-) MBCs and switched MBCs. ASCs in the intestine and blood were highly clonally related, but associated with distinct trajectories of phenotypic development. VP6-specific B cells were present among diverse B-cell subsets in immune donors, including naive B cells, with phenotypes representative of the overall B-cell pool. These data provide a high dimensional view of intestinal B cells and the determinants regulating humoral memory to a ubiquitous, mucosal pathogen at steady-state.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens, Viral / genetics
  • Antigens, Viral / immunology*
  • B-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology*
  • B-Lymphocyte Subsets / pathology
  • B-Lymphocyte Subsets / virology
  • Capsid Proteins / genetics
  • Capsid Proteins / immunology*
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Lineage / genetics
  • Cell Lineage / immunology*
  • Cell Movement
  • Chlorocebus aethiops
  • Cytokines / genetics
  • Cytokines / immunology*
  • Epithelial Cells / immunology
  • Epithelial Cells / virology
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation / immunology*
  • Host-Pathogen Interactions
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Mucosal*
  • Immunoglobulin M / genetics
  • Immunoglobulin M / immunology
  • Immunologic Memory
  • Immunophenotyping
  • Jejunum / immunology
  • Jejunum / pathology
  • Jejunum / virology
  • Principal Component Analysis
  • Rotavirus / immunology
  • Staining and Labeling / methods
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7 / deficiency
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7 / genetics
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7 / immunology

Substances

  • Antigens, Viral
  • Capsid Proteins
  • Cytokines
  • Immunoglobulin M
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7
  • VP6 protein, Rotavirus