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Plasma cells are terminally differentiated antibody-secreting B lymphocytes that contribute to humoral immunity by producing large numbers of antibodies. Increasing evidence suggests that teleost fish B cells share certain characteristics with mammalian B1 B cells, including antibody-secreting, phagocytic, and antigen-presenting capacities. However, the difference between mature B cells and plasma cells remains unclear. In this study, we found that, based on their light-scattering characteristics, tilapia anterior kidney (AK) leukocytes can be categorized into two IgM + B-cell subsets: the lymphoid (L) gate and granulocyte-monocyte/macrophage (G-M) subsets. G-M gate cells are more numerous than L-gate cells and have higher mean fluorescence, but lower forward scatter and side scatter. We analyzed the morphological and ultrastructural features of sorted IgM + cells and found that L-gate IgM + cells have a high nucleus-cytoplasm ratio and lymphocyte-like morphology, whereas G-M gate IgM + cells have a small nucleus, more abundant endoplasmic reticulum, and a larger number of mitochondria, and have a plasma cell-like or macrophage-like morphology. To further characterize the cell types, we examined the specific patterns of expression of B-cell- and T-cell-related genes. We found that B-cell-specific genes were expressed by both L-gate and G-M gate IgM + cells, and that G-M gate IgM + cells secreted extremely high levels of IgM. However, T-cell-related genes were highly expressed only in L-gate IgM - cells. These results suggest that G-M gate IgM + cells are similar to plasma-like cells, with high antibody-secreting capacity. Given that G-M gate cells include the granulocyte, monocyte, and macrophage cell types, but not B cells, monocyte/macrophage markers were used to investigate the cell types further. A macrophage receptor with a collagenous structure was frequently observed, and macrophage-expressed gene-1 was highly expressed, in the G-M gate IgM + cells. Phagocytic capacity, as determined by ingestion of beads or bacteria, was significantly higher in G-M gate IgM + cells than in L-gate IgM + cells, as was antigen-processing capacity. Our findings show that tilapia AK leukocytes can be divided into two IgM + B-cell subsets and that G-M gate IgM + cells resemble plasma-like cells, having high antibody-secreting, phagocytic, and antigen-presenting capacities. Thus, this study increases our understanding of the functions of teleost fish plasma-like cells., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Wu, Yang, Gao, Li and Ye.)

Copper (Cu), as an essential micronutrient in human and animal metabolism, easily spreads and excessively accumulates in rearing water, which make it more susceptible to fish farms and threatens the health of aquatic animals. In this issue, the protective effect of vitamin C against oxidative damage caused by copper exposure was studied in monocytes/macrophages (MO/MФ) and IgM + B cells of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), the cell types possessing phagocytic activities. The significant increase of ROS level and up-regulation of proinflammatory factors accompanied by depletion of GSH and down-regulation of antioxidative molecules in MO/MФ and IgM + B cells, when stressed with CuO NPs or Cu ions, indicated the induction of oxidative damage due to the toxicological effects with copper exposure. Copper induced cell apoptosis through mitochondrial-dependent pathway in these two cell populations was demonstrated with disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) and activation of apoptosis factor. Furthermore, the phagocytic abilities for microspheres and bioparticle uptake significantly decreased in these two cell populations upon CuO NPs or Cu ions; meanwhile, antigen presentation of MO/MФ and antibody production of IgM + B cells were also inhibited. However, vitamin C supplementation reversed all these biochemical indices, as well as cell apoptosis and phagocytic abilities in MO/MФ and IgM + B cells that were induced by CuO NPs or Cu ions. In conclusion, these results revealed that vitamin C exerts cytoprotective effects against oxidative damage through its antioxidant properties and may be of therapeutic use in preventing toxicological effects caused by copper exposure., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)