Leishmania donovani Exploits Tunneling Nanotubes for Dissemination and Propagation of B Cell Activation

• DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.05096-22
• Publication Date: 2023-07-05T14:00:22Z
• Authors: Tanja Stögerer; Sasha Silva-Barrios; Liseth Carmona-Pérez; Sharada Swaminathan; Linh Thuy Mai; Louis-Philippe Le...; Maritza Jaramillo; Albert Descoteaux; Simona Stäger
• Keywords: Leishmania; B cells; Macrophages; 610; 600; polyclonal B cell activation; Microbiology; QR1-502; 3. Good health; tunneling nanotubes; Humans; Leishmaniasis, Visceral; Research Article; Leishmania donovani

Leishmania donovani is a causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis, a potentially lethal disease characterized by strong B cell activation and the subsequent excessive production of nonprotective antibodies, which are known to worsen the disease. How Leishmania activates B cells is still unknown, particularly because this parasite mostly resides inside macrophages and would not have access to B cells during infection.