Age Associated B Cells positively associate with atherosclerosis in mice and Humans

• Published in: The Journal of immunology (1950) Vol. 208; no. 1_Supplement; pp. 48 - 48.09
• Main Authors: Srikakulapu, Prasad, Pattarabanjird, Tanyaporn, Bontha, Sai Vineela, Upadhye, Aditi, Drago, Fabrizio, Marshall, Melissa, McNamara, Coleen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.05.2022
• ISSN: 0022-1767; 1550-6606
• DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.208.Supp.48.09

Age-Associated B cells (ABCs: CD19+CD11c+) have recently been reported as a new subset of B cells with unique cell surface and transcriptional signatures. ABCs are mostly comprised of antigen experienced memory B cells that arise in response to microbial infections. ABCs have been reported to be elevated in autoimmune diseases, where in, these cells have characteristics of auto-antibody producing memory B cells. However, the role of ABCs during atherosclerosis has not be studied. Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease and the major underlying cause for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). We for the first time report the role of ABCs in both atherosclerotic mice and in human CVD. Chow fed 50- and 100- week old, male, ApoEKO mice were used to study atherosclerosis. Lesion area was measured following Sudan-IV enface staining of aorta. 100-week-old mice developed significantly more disease than the 50-week-old mice. Further, through flow cytometric analysis ABCs were detected in spleen, bone marrow (BM) and blood of these mice. The frequency of ABCs from total B cells was significantly higher in all these tissue compartments in 100-week-old mice compared to 50-week-old mice. Additionally, most ABCs (>80 %) were actively proliferating cells (Ki67+), as compared to normal CD11c− B cells (~35 %). In mice, we observed a significant correlation of atherosclerosis disease levels with the frequency of ABCs in spleen (p=0.004, R2=0.61), BM (p=0.01, R2=0.53), and blood (p=0.0005, R2=0.75). In humans as well, the frequency of circulating ABCs was significantly higher in CVD subjects compared to non-CVD subjects. Results from this study suggest a strong association of ABCs with aggravated atherosclerosis in both murine models and humans with CVD.