Immune modulation by schistosomes : mechanisms of regulatory B cell induction and inhibition of allergic asthma

Parasitic\nhelminths modulate host immune responses. While the induction of type 2 immune\nresponses is a widely recognized feature of helminth infections, a network of\nregulatory immune responses is often dominant during the chronic phase of\ninfection. Suppression of the host immune system during helminth infections\ninhibits anti-parasite immunity, prevents tissue damage due to excessive\ninflammation and conveys spill-over suppression to inflammatory conditions such\nas allergy and asthma. The first part of this thesis focuses on the role of\nregulatory B cells, a prominent member of the immune regulatory network, in\nprotection from allergic asthma by chronic Schistosoma (S.) mansoni infections.\nIt furthermore identifies signals required for schistosome-induced regulatory B\ncell development. The second part of this thesis describes the protective\neffect of S. mansoni eggs, and a specific egg-derived glycoprotein, against\nallergic asthma in the absence of chronic infection. A better understanding how\nhelminthes including S. mansoni modulate host immune responses, and the\nimplications this has for inflammatory diseases such as allergic asthma, may\nprovide valuable leads for the development of novel pharmaceutical agents for\nthe treatment of allergic disorders.