title: Understanding B cell activation: from single molecule tracking, through Tolls, to stalking memory in malaria.
abstract: B lymphocyte activation is initiated by the binding of antigens to the clonally expressed B cell receptors (BCRs) triggering signaling cascades that lead to the transcription of a variety of genes associated with B cell activation. Provided with the appropriate T cell help and the microenvironment of germinal centers antigen drives B cells to proliferate and differentiate into long-lived plasma cells and memory B cells that together constitute immunological memory. Here I describe efforts in my laboratory to gain an understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie three processes central to B cell biology namely, the initiation of BCR signaling, the interactions of the BCR with the innate immune system Toll-like receptors, and the generation and maintenance of B cell memory. Such knowledge is likely to aid research efforts in two areas of high public health priority, namely, the development of new therapeutics to control B cell responses in autoimmune disease and the design of effective vaccines to control infectious diseases.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunogenetics, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, NIAID/NIH/Twinbrook II, 12441 Parklawn Drive, Room 200B, MSC 8180, Rockville, MD 20852, USA. spierce@nih.gov
authors.forename: Susan K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Pierce
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D008288:Malaria / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology; D017780:Malaria Vaccines / Q000276:immunology; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000276:immunology; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017780:Malaria Vaccines; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors