title: The 'short' history of regulatory B cells.
abstract: The maintenance of tolerance is the sine qua non of a sophisticated regulatory apparatus to prevent or dampen overzealous immune responses. In addition to the ability of B cells to prime and activate the immune system, B cells with regulatory function (Bregs) have been identified in experimental models of autoimmunity, infections, and cancer, supporting the notion that, similar to regulatory T cells (Tregs), Breg-mediated suppression is an important means for the maintenance of peripheral tolerance. This regulatory function appears to be directly mediated by the production of IL-10 and/or TGFbeta and by the ability of B cells to interact with pathogenic T cells to inhibit harmful immune responses. The identification of their existence is of great relevance to the understanding of autoimmune diseases and to the development of new therapeutic strategies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University College London, 46 Cleveland Street, London W1T 4JF, UK. c.mauri@ucl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mauri
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Ehrenstein
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015551:Autoimmunity; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D018448:Models, Immunological; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D010272:Parasitic Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D016753:Interleukin-10