B cells are usually considered primarily for their unique capacity to produce antibodies after differentiation into plasma cells. In addition to their roles as antibody-producing cells, it has become apparent during the last 10 years that B cells also perform important functions in immunity through the production of cytokines. In particular, it was shown that B cells could negatively regulate immunity through provision of interleukin (IL)-10 during autoimmune and infectious diseases in mice. Here, we review data on the suppressive functions of B cells in mice with particular emphasis on the signals controlling the acquisition of such suppressive functions by B cells, the phenotype of the B cells involved in the negative regulation of immunity, and the processes targeted by this inhibitory circuit. Finally, we discuss the possibility that human B cells might also perform similar inhibitory functions through the provision of IL-10, and review data suggesting that such B cell-mediated regulatory activities might be impaired in patients with autoimmune diseases. © 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.
CITATION STYLE
Hilgenberg, E., Shen, P., Dang, V. D., Ries, S., Sakwa, I., & Fillatreau, S. (2014). Interleukin-10-producing B cells and the regulation of immunity. Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology. Springer Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-43492-5_4
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