Low protease activity in B cell follicles promotes retention of intact antigens after immunization

PPublication Type:

Article

Authors:

Aereas Aung, Ang Cui, Laura Maiorino, Ava P. Amini, Justin R. Gregory, Maurice Bukenya, Yiming Zhang, Heya Lee, Christopher A. Cottrell, Duncan M. Morgan, Murillo Silva, Heikyung Suh, Jesse D. Kirkpatrick, Parastoo Amlashi, Tanaka Remba, Leah M. Froehle, Shuhao Xiao, Wuhbet Abraham, Josetta Adams, J. Christopher Love, Phillip Huyett, Douglas S. Kwon, Nir Hacohen, William R. Schief, Sangeeta N. Bhatia, Darrell J. Irvine

Source:

Science (2023)

URL:

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abn8934

Abstract:

To generate protective immune responses, vaccine antigens are designed to mimic native protein structures on foreign pathogens. After vaccination, antigens are transported from the injection site by lymphatic vessels to the draining lymph nodes, tissues where immune responses are initiated. Aung et al. found that in order to mount a successful antibody response, incoming antigens need to be localized to specific sites within the lymph nodes called follicles (see the Perspective by Kalia and Hickman). Those antigens that were not rapidly directed to follicles were destroyed by proteases. Vaccines that resulted in speedy delivery of antigens to follicles preserved intact antigen and generated better antibody responses. These findings may have implications for the design of vaccines against difficult to neutralize or genetically variable pathogens. —PNK and SMH

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