B-cell tolerance.
Autoreactive B cells are actively tolerized to more abundant self-antigens by a series of checkpoints involving receptor editing, deletion, anergy and competition for growth factors. In contrast, B cells reactive against rare, sequestered or tissue specific self-antigens remain functionally naïve. During an immune response, the autoimmune danger from these cells is countered by a variety of mechanisms comprising control of self-antigen presentation, limitation of immunogenic and tolerogenic costimuli including T cell help, homeostatic control of growth and strict regulation of germinal centre reactions. In this overview we consider how knowledge of these checkpoints may be used to gain a better understanding of transplant tolerance and the generation of alloantibodies.
Henry Wellcome Building of Molecular Physiology, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
Helen
H
Ferry
Janson C H
JC
Leung
Graham
G
Lewis
Anastasia
A
Nijnik
Karlee
K
Silver
Teresa
T
Lambe
Richard J
RJ
Cornall
D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology*; D015551:Autoimmunity; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D017635:Clonal Anergy; D006801:Humans; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology; D014181:Transplantation Immunology; D023001:Transplantation Tolerance
D001324:Autoantigens