Description:

Title: Adoptive B Cell Therapy Improves Viral Control During Chronic Viral Infection

Speaker: Young Rock Chung, Graduate Student / Penaloza-MacMaster Lab

Host: Pablo Penaloza-MacMaster, PhD

Topic:

T cell-based therapies have been explored for the treatment of cancer and chronic infection. However, B cell-based therapies have remained largely understudied. To evaluate the antiviral effect of adoptive B cell therapy, we adoptively transferred transgenic virus-specific B cells into mice that were chronically infected with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV). This
resulted in a significant increase in antibody titers and reduction of viral loads. Interestingly, blockade of the IFN-I pathway using IFNAR1 blocking antibodies abrogated the antiviral effect of adoptive B cell therapy, suggesting that IFN-I signalling is necessary to control infection after adoptive B cell therapy. These findings provide a proof-of-concept that adoptive B cell therapy can be effective for the treatment of chronic infections.