Increase of tuberculous infection in the organs of B cell-deficient mice.
Vordermeier, H. M.; Venkataprasad, N.; Harris, D. P.; Ivanyi, J.
[Miscellaneous Article] Clinical & Experimental Immunology. 106(2):312-316, November 1996.

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Protective immunity against infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis is imparted by T cells rather than antibodies, but B cells can play a role as antigen-presenting cells and in granuloma formation. We re-evaluated the role of B cells in the course of tuberculous infection in[mu]-chain knock-out (Ig-) mice. Surprisingly, the organs ofM. tuberculosis-infected Ig- mice were found to have three- to eight-fold elevated counts of viable bacilli compared with normal littermates at 3-6 weeks post-infection. Splenic interferon-gamma responses to whole antigen were unimpaired, whilst proliferation to certain mycobacterial peptides was found to be diminished. However, bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination significantly reduced the infection in Ig- mice. The mechanisms by which B cells can influence primary tuberculous infection need further study.

(C) 1996 Blackwell Science Ltd.