title: B cell selection and susceptibility to autoimmunity.
abstract: Autoreactive B cells arise routinely as part of the naive B cell repertoire. The immune system employs several mechanisms in an attempt to silence these autoreactive cells before they achieve immunocompetence. The BCR plays a central role in B cell development, activation, survival, and apoptosis, and thus is a critical component of the regulation of both protective and autoreactive B cells. The strength of signal mediated by the BCR is determined by numerous factors, both B cell intrinsic and B cell extrinsic. Perturbations in the molecules that regulate the BCR signal strength or that activate pathways that engage in cross talk with the BCR-mediated signaling pathways can lead to the aberrant survival and activation of autoreactive B cells. In this review, we will discuss the some newly identified genetic loci and factors that modulate the BCR signal transduction pathway and, therefore, the regulation of autoreactive B cells. We will also provide evidence for a model of autoreactivity in which a reduction in the strength of the BCR signal allows the survival and the modulation of a naive B cell repertoire replete with autoreactivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors.forename: Christine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Grimaldi
authors.forename: Ruthmarie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hicks
authors.forename: Betty
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Diamond
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D004198:Disease Susceptibility / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell