Metabolic defects in splenic B cell compartments from patients with liver cirrhosis

Cell Death Dis. 2020 Oct 24;11(10):915. doi: 10.1038/s41419-020-03060-1.

Abstract

Liver cirrhosis is associated with defective vaccine responses and increased infections. Dysregulated B cell compartments in cirrhotic patients have been noticed but not well characterized, especially in the spleen. Here, we comprehensively investigated B cell perturbations from the spleens and peripheral blood of cirrhotic patients. We found that liver cirrhosis significantly depleted both switched and nonswitched splenic memory B cells, which was further confirmed histologically. Bulk RNA-seq revealed significant metabolic defects as the potential mechanism for the impaired splenic B cell functions. Functionally, the splenic memory B cells from cirrhotic patients showed strong metabolic defects and reduced proliferation compared with those from healthy controls. Thus, liver cirrhosis extensively disturbs the splenic and peripheral B cell compartments, which may contribute to defective humoral immunity during liver cirrhosis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • B-Lymphocytes / pathology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Liver Cirrhosis / physiopathology*
  • Male
  • Metabolic Diseases / physiopathology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Spleen / pathology*
  • Young Adult