{
  "abstract": "Mice nasally vaccinated with the Brucella melitensis (BM) double-mutant (Δ znuA Δ norD B. melitensis -mCherry [znBM-mC]) showed increased numbers of B cells residing in the lungs 5 days post-vaccination and contributing to antigen-presentation. Studies were pursued to determine the relevance of B cells in protection conferred by mucosal znBM-mC vaccination of BALB/c compared to B cell null (µMT) mice. Two vaccination regimens were applied: oral prime, nasal boost versus a single nasal vaccination. Both methods have proven efficacious in immunocompetent mice. BALB/c mice, but not µMT mice, vaccinated with znBM-mC showed the expected efficacy. Robust T cell recruitment and differentiation were observed in the lungs in both mouse strains with no significant differences in total CD4 ⁺ and CD8 ⁺ T cells post-vaccination, although some subset phenotypic differences were noted in µMT mice. Specifically, more proinflammatory T cells were present in µMT lungs 4 weeks post-boost evident by increased numbers of TNF-α ⁺ CD4 ⁺ and CD8 ⁺ T cells, polyfunctional CD4 ⁺ and CD8 ⁺ T cells, and IFN-γ ⁺ CD8 ⁺ T cells. Examination of lung memory T cells showed no differences between vaccinated mouse groups in numbers of resident memory T cells (TRMs), central memory T cells (TCMs), and CD8 ⁺ effector memory T cells (TEMs); the CD4 ⁺ TEMs were slightly reduced in µMT lungs. Adoptive transfer of naive or immune B cells prior to wild-type (wt) BM 16M challenge in vaccinated µMT mice enabled protection. In the context of a vaccine-induced response, adoptive transfer of immune B cells into unvaccinated µMT mice failed to protect against wt BM 16M challenge demonstrating that znBM-induced protection involves both B and T cell contributions. In addition to triggering recruitment and expansion of proinflammatory and memory T cell subsets, mucosal vaccination recruits a population of B cells, which enhance protection to challenge.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Infectious Diseases & Immunology, University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine",
    "Department of Veterinary Science, College of Agriculture, Life Sciences, & Natural Resources, University of Wyoming"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 4,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Zakia I. Goodwin"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Carol Hoffman"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Ella Bhagyaraj"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "David W. Pascual"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/fa57ce01e1xpr.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3389/fimmu.2026.1925725",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2026.1925725/full",
  "id": "fa57ce01e1xpr",
  "issns": [
    "1664-3224"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2026.1925725/full",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "lcc",
      "RC581-607"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "3404|Brucella: diagnosis, epidemiology, treatment"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7223269035",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2026.1925725/pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-23",
  "publisher": "Frontiers Media SA",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/fa57ce01e1xpr.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:19:17Z",
      "native_id": "10.3389/fimmu.2026.1925725",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2026.1925725/full"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T13:43:48Z",
      "native_id": "b68651d146854fdcb4beb59e3ce6c034",
      "source": "doaj",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2026.1925725"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "issn:1664-3224",
      "subfield": "immunology"
    },
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "lcc:RC581-607",
      "subfield": "general"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Co-requirement for B cells to protect against pulmonary wild-type Brucella melitensis challenge following mucosal vaccination with a live Brucella vaccine prototype",
  "title_text": "Co-requirement for B cells to protect against pulmonary wild-type Brucella melitensis challenge following mucosal vaccination with a live Brucella vaccine prototype",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T13:43:48Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/fa57ce01e1xpr",
  "venue": "Frontiers in Immunology",
  "versions": []
}