Biomaterials direct functional B cell response in a material specific manner

B cells are an adaptive immune target of biomaterials development in vaccine research but despite their role in wound healing have not been studied in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. We evaluated the B cell response to biomaterial scaffold materials implanted in a muscle wound; a biological extracellular matrix (ECM) and synthetic polyester polycaprolactone. In the local muscle tissue, small numbers of B cells are recruited in response to tissue injury and biomaterial implantation. ECM materials induced plasmablasts in lymph nodes and antigen presentation in the spleen while the synthetic PCL implants delayed B cell migration and induced an antigen presenting phenotype. In muMt- mice lacking B cells, the fibrotic response to the synthetic biomaterials decreased. Immunofluorescence confirmed antigen presenting B cells in fibrotic tissue surrounding silicone breast implants. In sum, the adaptive B cell immune response to biomaterial depends on composition and induces local, regional and systemic immunological changes.