Staphylococcal toxin induced preferential and prolonged in vivo deletion of innate-like B lymphocytes

Contributing to host defenses from the adaptive immune system, splenic marginal zone (MZ) B cells, with their preactivated state and special topographical location, serve essential roles as primary defenders from blood-borne microbes. From studies designed to define the immunologic impact of protein A of Staphylococcus aureus (SpA), a virulence factor with targeted B cell antigen receptor-binding properties, we found that within minutes of in vivo exposure, SpA became surface associated with B lymphocytes and induced trafficking. Within several hours, MZ were completely effaced of affected B cells. This was rapidly followed by massive B cell apoptosis, with accelerated preferential deletion of targeted MZ B cells and impaired responsiveness to T independent immunogens. Subsequently, the temporal recovery of MZ B cells was significantly delayed compared to peripheral follicular B cells (B-2 cells). These studies elucidate the cellular program induced by a natural toxin that is shown to be highly efficient at depleting innate-like B cells important for defense from systemic infection.