title: B lymphocytes in inflammatory airway diseases.
abstract: B lymphocytes are key players in all facets of adaptive immune responses and are responsible for the production of IgE antibodies, initiators of allergic hypersensitivity reactions. Recent evidence indicates that B cells may be a crucial player in allergic and inflammatory airway pathology, directly populating upper and lower airway tissues. This review examines human and animal studies that directly demonstrated the presence of B lymphocytes in airway tissues and elaborates on their function as antibody-secreting cells, antigen-presenting cells and producers of inflammatory and regulatory cytokines. B lymphocytes appear to contribute to multiple facets of immune homeostasis in inflammatory diseases of the upper and lower airways.
authors.affiliation: Meakins-Christie Laboratories, McGill University Health Center Research Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: J-P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Drolet
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Frangie
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guay
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hajoui
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Hamid
authors.forename: B D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Mazer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells / Q000276:immunology; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D051379:Mice
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines