Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), is still a major threat to mankind, urgently requiring improved vaccination and therapeutic strategies to reduce TB-disease burden. Most present vaccination strategies mainly aim to induce cell-mediated immunity (CMI), yet a series of independent studies has shown that B-cells and antibodies (Abs) may contribute significantly to reduce the mycobacterial burden. Although early studies using B-cell knock out animals did not support a major role for B-cells, more recent studies have provided new evidence that B-cells and Abs can contribute significantly to host defense against Mtb. B-cells and Abs exist in many different functional subsets, each equipped with unique functional properties. In this review, we will summarize current evidence on the contribution of B-cells and Abs to immunity toward Mtb, their potential utility as biomarkers, and their functional contribution to Mtb control.
Highlights
Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), remains a significant health threat to mankind and is undoubtedly the most successful disease caused by a single infectious agent ever [1]
Mtb-infection leads to a spectrum of infectious states ranging from various levels of asymptomatic states, collectively referred to as latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) and to a spectrum of active tuberculosis diseases (ATB), ranging from local to pulmonary to disseminating ATB [4, 5]
This study showed that subcutaneous BCGvaccination elicited an impaired Th1 response in the absence of B-cells
Summary
Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), remains a significant health threat to mankind and is undoubtedly the most successful disease caused by a single infectious agent ever [1]. Lu et al reported that highly exposed, but TST- and IFN-γ release assay (IGRA)-negative, Ugandan individuals harbored Mtb-specific IgM and IgG, while diminished CD4-mediated IFN-γ responses directed toward Mtb early secreted Ag of 6 kDa (ESAT-6), 10 kDa culture filtrate protein (CFP-10), Ag85A and Ag85B were found [163] Taken together, these studies implicate that humoral immunity is detectable in frequently exposed individuals with persistently negative skin testing or QFN evaluation, which represent read-outs of effector T-cell responses. The data obtained from mouse, NHP and human vaccination studies support the possibility that AMI might contribute to the protective effects of certain TB-vaccines
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