B-1 cell-mediated modulation of M1 macrophage profile ameliorates microbicidal functions and disrupt the evasion mechanisms of Encephalitozoon cuniculi

PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2019 Sep 19;13(9):e0007674. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007674. eCollection 2019 Sep.

Abstract

Here, we have investigated the possible effect of B-1 cells on the activity of peritoneal macrophages in E. cuniculi infection. In the presence of B-1 cells, peritoneal macrophages had an M1 profile with showed increased phagocytic capacity and index, associated with the intense microbicidal activity and a higher percentage of apoptotic death. The absence of B-1 cells was associated with a predominance of the M2 macrophages, reduced phagocytic capacity and index and microbicidal activity, increased pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines production, and higher percentual of necrosis death. In addition, in the M2 macrophages, spore of phagocytic E. cuniculi with polar tubular extrusion was observed, which is an important mechanism of evasion of the immune response. The results showed the importance of B-1 cells in the modulation of macrophage function against E. cuniculi infection, increasing microbicidal activity, and reducing the fungal mechanisms involved in the evasion of the immune response.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis
  • B-Lymphocyte Subsets*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Encephalitozoon cuniculi / immunology*
  • Encephalitozoonosis / immunology*
  • Encephalitozoonosis / pathology*
  • Female
  • Macrophages, Peritoneal / immunology*
  • Macrophages, Peritoneal / microbiology
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Phagocytosis / immunology
  • Spores, Fungal / growth & development
  • Spores, Fungal / immunology
  • X-Linked Combined Immunodeficiency Diseases / genetics

Grants and funding

This study was funded by Fundação de Amparo à Ciência do Estado de São Paulo-Fapesp (http://www.fapesp.br) to MAL (Project number 2015/25948-2). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript