SFTSV infection is associated with transient overproliferation of monoclonal lambda-type plasma cells
Chuansong Quan, Qinghua Liu, Lijuan Yu, Chunjing Li, Kaixiao Nie, Guoyong Ding, Hong Zhou, Xinli Wang, Wenwen Sun, Huiliang Wang, Maokui Yue, Wei Li, Wenjun Zheng, Qiang Lyu, Weijia Xing, Zhenjie Zhang, Michael J. Carr, Hong Zhang, Weifeng Shi
Abstract
The impairment of antibody-mediated immunity is a major factor associated with fatal cases of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS). By collating the clinical diagnosis reports of 30 SFTS cases, we discovered the overproliferation of monoclonal plasma cells (MCP cells, CD38 + cLambda + cKappa − ) in bone marrow, which has only been reported previously in multiple myeloma. The ratio of CD38 + cLambda + versus CD38 + cKappa + in SFTS cases with MCP cells was significantly higher than that in normal cases. MCP cells presented transient expression in the bone marrow, which was distinctly different from multiple myeloma. Moreover, the SFTS patients with MCP cells had higher clinical severity. Further, the overproliferation of MCP cells was also observed in SFTS virus (SFTSV)-infected mice with lethal infectious doses. Together, SFTSV infection induces transient overproliferation of monoclonal lambda-type plasma cells, which have important implications for the study of SFTSV pathogenesis, prognosis, and the rational development of therapeutics.