Interactions between B cells and T follicular regulatory cells enhance susceptibility to Brucella infection independent of the anti-Brucella humoral response

by Alexis S. Dadelahi, Mostafa F. N. Abushahba, Bárbara Ponzilacqua-Silva, Catherine A. Chambers, Charles R. Moley, Carolyn A. Lacey, Alexander L. Dent, Jerod Skyberg

Brucellosis, caused by facultative, intracellular Brucella spp., often results in chronic and/or lifelong infection. Therefore, Brucella must employ mechanisms to subvert adaptive immunity to cause chronic infection. B lymphocytes enhance susceptibility to infection with Brucella spp. though the mechanisms remain unclear. Here we investigated the role of antibody secretion, B cell receptor (BCR) specificity, and B cell antigen presentation on susceptibility to B. melitensis. We report that mice unable to secrete antibody do not display altered resistance to Brucella. However, animals with B cells that are unable to recognize Brucella through their BCR are resistant to infection. In addition, B cell MHCII expression enhances susceptibility to infection in a CD4⁺ T cell-dependent manner, and we found that follicular B cells are sufficient to inhibit CD4⁺ T cell-mediated immunity against Brucella. B cells promote development of T follicular helper (T_FH) and T follicular regulatory (T_FR) cells during Brucella infection. Inhibition of B cell and CD4⁺ T cell interaction via CD40L blockade enhances resistance to Brucella in a B cell dependent manner concomitant with suppression of T_FH and T_FR differentiation. Conversely, PD-1 blockade increases Brucella burdens in a B and CD4⁺ T cell dependent manner while augmenting T regulatory (T_Reg) and T_FR responses. Intriguingly, T_FR deficiency enhances resistance to Brucella via a B cell dependent, but antibody independent mechanism. Collectively, these results demonstrate B cells support T_FR responses that promote susceptibility to Brucella infection independent of the antibody response.