How a “neglected” immune response could lead to new pathways for developing TB vaccines

An “unconventional” immune response now identified by scientists from the Hackensack Meridian Center for Discovery and Innovation (CDI) is a potential new pathway for developing new vaccines for tuberculosis (TB), according to a new publication. Marginal zone B (MZB) cells are a natural response to TB infection which has been long overlooked – and which might be a welcome new target that could be bolstered through new vaccines to better combat and prevent the disease, according to the new publication in the journal Cell Reports. “Our results indicate that B cells skew their immune landscape toward MZB cells to execute regulatory functions against TB, emphasizing the importance of antibody-independent mechanisms of B cells for controlling infectious disease, a previously neglected mechanism,” write the authors. Using high-dimensional flow cytometry, the team mapped the progress of infection in an animal model. They showed that B cells shifted their immune landscape toward the MZB cells. Through detailed...