Distinct profiles and antibody production by splenic and lymph node antibody-secreting cells in Trypanosoma cruzi infection

Splenic plasmablasts in acute Trypanosoma cruzi infection show higher secretion of IgM, IgA, and IgG than inguinal lymph node plasmablasts, with distinct transcriptional and functional profiles.

• Why it matters: Local microenvironments are known to shape antibody-secreting cells, but it was unclear whether secondary lymphoid organs contain distinct plasmablast populations during infection.
• What they did: The study compared plasmablasts from spleen versus inguinal lymph nodes in acute Trypanosoma cruzi infection using transcriptional, phenotypic, and functional assays, including high-dimensional flow cytometry.
• The result: Splenic plasmablasts produced more parasite-specific and autoreactive antibodies, while lymph node plasmablasts preferentially produced IgG against peptide 72 of SAPA despite lower overall T. cruzi-specific antibody production.

AI summary of the abstract · may contain errors · not medical advice · read the paper.