Diet and Defenses: Low Affinity Antibodies in Bats are Affected by Food Quality

Bats are reservoirs of many zoonotic viruses that are fatal in humans but do not cause disease in bats. Moreover, bats generate low neutralizing antibody titers in response to experimental infection, although more robust antibody responses have been observed in wild caught bats during times of food stress. Here we compare the antibody titers and B cell receptor (BCR) diversity of Jamaican fruit bats (Artibeus jamaicensis; JFBs) and BALB/c mice in response to T-dependent and T-independent antigens. We then manipulated the diet of JFB bats and infected them with H18N11 influenza A-like virus. Bats generated a weaker antibody response and possessed more BCR mRNA diversity compared to mice. However, withholding protein from JFBs enhanced serum antibody titers specific to H18 and reduced BCR mRNA diversity. Our results suggest that T cell help to B cells is dampened in bats resulting in low affinity antibodies, but this phenotype can be manipulated with dietary changes. For more information visit: http://plowrightlab.org/ *Contents* 00:00 - General Material 03:33 - Diet and Defenses: Low Affinity Antibodies in Bats are Affected by Food Quality 36:22 - Q&A Moderator: James A. Glazier, PhD, Indiana University, Bloomington To view the slides for this video, please visit: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/181ffGDepT9prQEAvbLWw1p-w43p-Ypj_/ If you found this video useful, please check out our other videos on computational modeling, infection and immunology: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiEtieOeWbMKh9VcQoinSwODcSZKMTGat Please consider joining our IMAG/MSM WG on Multiscale Modeling and Viral Pandemics: https://www.imagwiki.nibib.nih.gov/content/msm-viral-pandemics-meetings Please also consider joining the Global Alliance for Immune Prediction and Intervention: http://glimprint.org/