The zwitterionic type I Streptococcus pneumoniae polysaccharide does not induce memory B cell formation in humans

Abstract

In contrast to other pneumococcal serotypes, which are thought to be T-independent antigens, type 1 Streptococcus pneumoniae polysaccharide (Sp1) is a zwitterionic polysaccharide (ZPS). It has previously been shown to be processed and presented by antigen-presenting cells utilizing the MHC-II pathway, which leads to Sp1-induced T cell proliferation, a hallmark of thymus-dependent immune responses. We used peripheral blood mononuclear cells obtained from adults enrolled in a randomised clinical trial to investigate memory B cell responses following immunisation with the 23-valent pneumococcal plain polysaccharide vaccine. Administration of this serotype 1 containing vaccine resulted in the depletion of serotype 1 antigen-specific pre-existing memory B cells compared to baseline. This finding indicates that this ZPS is not processed by a classical TD mechanism within the MHC-II pathway.