TY - JOUR
T1 - Interactions of Mycoplasmas with B Cells
T2 - Antibody Production and Nonspecific Effects
AU - Simecka, Jerry W.
AU - Ross, Suzanne E.
AU - Cassell, Gail H.
AU - Davis, Jerry K.
N1 - Funding Information:
Financial support: This work was supported by grant HL-19741 from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to G.H.C. S.E.R. is a Parker B. Francis Fellow in Pulmonary Research.
PY - 1993/8
Y1 - 1993/8
N2 - Interactions between mycoplasmas and B cells consist primarily of the development of specific antibody and of nonspecific interactions with B lymphocytes or antibody. Antibody responses are important in the resistance to mycoplasmal disease in both humans and animals. However, the ability of mycoplasmas to survive in their host despite vigorous responses suggests that these play a limited role in the host's recovery from infection. Antibody also may prevent dissemination of mycoplasmal infections from mucosal sites and may account for the appearance of systemic mycoplasmal infections in immunocompromised patients. In some cases, antibody responses may contribute to disease pathogenesis through the development of hypersensitivity responses or the deposition of immune complexes. In addition, nonspecific interactions between mycoplasmas and B lymphocytes have been implicated in disease pathogenesis, possibly leading to autoimmune reactions, modulation of immunity, and/or promotion of lesion development. for example, several mycoplasmas, including Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Mycoplasma pulmonis, are able to activate B cells polyclonally in vitro and in vivo, but the mechanisms and consequences of these responses have yet to be defined. In addition to activating B lymphocytes, mycoplasmas are capable of producing chemotactic factors, Fc receptors, and immunoglobulin proteases that may also be involved in lesion development and/or survival of the organisms. Thus, both specific and nonspecific interactions of mycoplasmas with B cells can have important effects on disease progression, especially since many mycoplasmal infections are chronic and the cumulative effect of these interactions may be substantial.
AB - Interactions between mycoplasmas and B cells consist primarily of the development of specific antibody and of nonspecific interactions with B lymphocytes or antibody. Antibody responses are important in the resistance to mycoplasmal disease in both humans and animals. However, the ability of mycoplasmas to survive in their host despite vigorous responses suggests that these play a limited role in the host's recovery from infection. Antibody also may prevent dissemination of mycoplasmal infections from mucosal sites and may account for the appearance of systemic mycoplasmal infections in immunocompromised patients. In some cases, antibody responses may contribute to disease pathogenesis through the development of hypersensitivity responses or the deposition of immune complexes. In addition, nonspecific interactions between mycoplasmas and B lymphocytes have been implicated in disease pathogenesis, possibly leading to autoimmune reactions, modulation of immunity, and/or promotion of lesion development. for example, several mycoplasmas, including Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Mycoplasma pulmonis, are able to activate B cells polyclonally in vitro and in vivo, but the mechanisms and consequences of these responses have yet to be defined. In addition to activating B lymphocytes, mycoplasmas are capable of producing chemotactic factors, Fc receptors, and immunoglobulin proteases that may also be involved in lesion development and/or survival of the organisms. Thus, both specific and nonspecific interactions of mycoplasmas with B cells can have important effects on disease progression, especially since many mycoplasmal infections are chronic and the cumulative effect of these interactions may be substantial.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0027248626&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/clinids/17.Supplement_1.S176
DO - 10.1093/clinids/17.Supplement_1.S176
M3 - Article
C2 - 8399911
AN - SCOPUS:0027248626
SN - 1058-4838
VL - 17
SP - S176-S182
JO - Clinical Infectious Diseases
JF - Clinical Infectious Diseases
ER -