CD4⁺ T Cell–mediated Granulomatous Pathology in Schistosomiasis Is Downregulated by a B Cell–dependent Mechanism Requiring Fc Receptor Signaling

The effector functions of CD4⁺ T lymphocytes are generally thought to be controlled by distinct populations of regulatory T cells and their soluble products. The role of B cells in the regulation of CD4-dependent host responses is less well understood. Hepatic egg granuloma formation and fibrosis in murine schistosomiasis are dependent on CD4⁺ lymphocytes, and previous studies have implicated CD8⁺ T cells or cross-regulatory cytokines produced by T helper (Th) lymphocytes as controlling elements of this pathologic process. In this report, we demonstrate that B cell–deficient (μMT) mice exposed to Schistosoma mansoni develop augmented tissue pathology and, more importantly, fail to undergo the spontaneous downmodulation in disease normally observed during late stages of infection. Unexpectedly, B cell deficiency did not significantly alter T cell proliferative response or cause a shift in the Th1/Th2 balance. Since schistosome-infected Fc receptor–deficient (FcR γ chain knockout) mice display the same exacerbated egg pathology as that observed in infected μMT mice, the B cell– dependent regulatory mechanism revealed by these experiments appears to require receptor-mediated cell triggering. Together, the data demonstrate that humoral immune response/FcR interactions can play a major role in negatively controlling inflammatory disease induced by CD4⁺ T cells.