A fundamental goal in modern immunology is to understand the factors that contribute to the homeostatic balance between commensal microbes and the host immune system. Although a great deal has been done to understand the role of commensals in shaping T cell responses, a large gap remains in understanding how commensals impact B lymphocyte development and associated antibody diversification. Continued existence of this gap is an important problem because until filled, our understanding of regulatory principles underlying humoral immune fitness as well as vulnerability to allergic and inflammatory diseases will remain incomplete. The overall objective of this proposal is to determine how commensal microbes affect primary B cell development and pre-immune immunoglobulin (Ig) diversification. Based on recent findings from the applicant, the central hypothesis is that commensal microbes provide inputs through host sensory instruments to regulate early B cell developmental activities in the host gut mucosa, thus empowering luminal antigens with the capacity to influence the primary Ig repertoire locally. This is consistent with observations that several other species, such as rabbits and sheep, utilize the intestine as a significant site for primary Ig diversification early in post-natal life. The rationale for the proosed research is that, once accomplished, the field will move vertically towards a greater understanding of the role of commensals in immune homeostasis and will open the door to further exploration of modifiable environmental factors that could be targeted, resulting in new and innovative approaches to influence a variety of health issues relevant to antibody production. Using both new as well as established technologies, this proposal's three aims will build upon the applicant's recent work. With the deployment of ex vivo co-culture as well as established in vivo labeling methods, aim 1 will test the notion that commensals influence both gut-resident as well as bone marrow support systems to stimulate early B lineage cell development and is expected to identify the gut-resident support mechanisms enabling early B lineage cells to survive and respond to microbial input. With the use of germ-free and gnotobiotic facilities, aim 2 will determine the extent to which microbe composition has specific effects to shape the primary Ig repertoire. With sophisticated genetically modified mouse models as well as powerful imaging technologies, aim 3 will evaluate the degree to which luminal antigens gain access to the intestinal lamina propria and interact with freshly-produced, cell-bound Ig in young mice. The proposed research is significant for the following three reasons - first, it promises to provide a more complete picture of the general principles of host:microbe interactions in immune regulation; second, it will be a first step to identify the extent to which primary Ig repertoires can be influenced by modifiable environmental exposures early in life; and third, it provides an essential component to establish a platform for testing future hypotheses regarding the effect of specific commensal microbe ecologies on downstream antibody responses to pathogens, allergens and vaccines.

Public Health Relevance

The proposed research is relevant to public health because the discovery of the role of commensal microbes on cells that generate antibodies is ultimately expected to increase understanding of health issues in which antibodies play a key role - such as allergy, autoimmunity and vaccine development. Thus, the proposed research is relevant to the part of the NIH's mission that pertains to developing fundamental knowledge that will help to reduce the burdens of human disability.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AI113217-03
Application #
9185268
Study Section
Cellular and Molecular Immunology - B Study Section (CMIB)
Program Officer
Rothermel, Annette L
Project Start
2014-12-01
Project End
2019-11-30
Budget Start
2016-12-01
Budget End
2017-11-30
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2017
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Department
Type
DUNS #
030811269
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02115
Chen, Yuezhou; Chaudhary, Neha; Yang, Nicole et al. (2018) Microbial symbionts regulate the primary Ig repertoire. J Exp Med 215:1397-1415
Chaudhary, Neha; Wesemann, Duane R (2018) Analyzing Immunoglobulin Repertoires. Front Immunol 9:462
Silver, Jared; Zuo, Teng; Chaudhary, Neha et al. (2018) Stochasticity enables BCR-independent germinal center initiation and antibody affinity maturation. J Exp Med 215:77-90
Tong, Pei; Granato, Alessandra; Zuo, Teng et al. (2017) IgH isotype-specific B cell receptor expression influences B cell fate. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 114:E8411-E8420
Gosmann, Christina; Anahtar, Melis N; Handley, Scott A et al. (2017) Lactobacillus-Deficient Cervicovaginal Bacterial Communities Are Associated with Increased HIV Acquisition in Young South African Women. Immunity 46:29-37
Wesemann, Duane R; Nagler, Cathryn R (2016) The Microbiome, Timing, and Barrier Function in the Context of Allergic Disease. Immunity 44:728-38
Tong, Pei; Wesemann, Duane R (2015) Molecular Mechanisms of IgE Class Switch Recombination. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 388:21-37
Wesemann, Duane R (2015) Microbes and B cell development. Adv Immunol 125:155-78
Granato, Alessandra; Chen, Yuezhou; Wesemann, Duane R (2015) Primary immunoglobulin repertoire development: time and space matter. Curr Opin Immunol 33:126-31
Gallagher, Michael P; Shrestha, Akritee; Magee, Jennifer M et al. (2014) Detection of true IgE-expressing mouse B lineage cells. J Vis Exp :