title: Innate B cells: oxymoron or validated concept?
abstract: B lymphocytes promote the initial innate interferon response to viral pathogens without the need for antigen receptor activation. B cell dependent IFN production requires the cytokine, lymphotoxin-β. The LTβ pathway is well known to regulate lymphoid organogenesis and homeostasis by differentiating stromal cells and macrophages. However, in response to viral pathogens these same B cell-regulated populations rapidly produce type 1 interferons. Thus, B cells act as innate effector cells via LTβ homeostatic pathways, which serve as innate host barriers to viral pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases Center, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, California, 92037, USA.
authors.forename: Carl F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Ware
authors.affiliation: Division of Immune Regulation, La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, California, 92037, USA.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Benedict