Helminth-induced CD9+ B-cell subset alleviates obesity-associated inflammation via IL-10 production

It has been shown that helminth infection can protect against obesity and improve insulin sensitivity to a certain extent, based on epidemiological investigations and animal experiments. Meanwhile, helminths induce a network of regulatory immune cells, including regulatory B cells (Bregs). However, the molecule characteristics and function of these Bregs in improving whole-body metabolic homeostasis remains largely unclear. We established a mouse model with chronic Schistosoma japonicum infection, and compared the differences in B10 cells (CD19+CD5+CD1dhi) and B10- cells (CD19+CD5-CD1d-) from splenic B cells of infected mice using RNA-seq. A unique Breg population was identified. Furthermore, these Bregs were evaluated for their ability to produce inhibitory cytokines in vitro and suppress obesity when adoptively transferred into mice on a high-fat diet. We found that schistosome infection could expand Breg cell populations in mice. CD9 was demonstrated to be a key surface marker for most murine IL-10+ B cells in spleen. CD19+CD9+ B cells produced more IL-10 than conventional B10 cells. Adoptive transfer of CD9+ B cells had the capacity to alleviate obesity-associated inflammation via promoting Tregs, Th2 cells and decreasing Th1, Th17 cells in high-fat diet mice. In conclusion, schistosome infection can induce regulatory CD9+ B cell production, which plays a critical role in the regulation of metabolic disorders through IL-10 production.