title: Interleukin-10-producing B cells and the regulation of immunity.
abstract: B cells are usually considered primarily for their unique capacity to produce antibodies after differentiation into plasma cells. In addition to their roles as antibody-producing cells, it has become apparent during the last 10 years that B cells also perform important functions in immunity through the production of cytokines. In particular, it was shown that B cells could negatively regulate immunity through provision of interleukin (IL)-10 during autoimmune and infectious diseases in mice. Here, we review data on the suppressive functions of B cells in mice with particular emphasis on the signals controlling the acquisition of such suppressive functions by B cells, the phenotype of the B cells involved in the negative regulation of immunity, and the processes targeted by this inhibitory circuit. Finally, we discuss the possibility that human B cells might also perform similar inhibitory functions through the provision of IL-10, and review data suggesting that such B cell-mediated regulatory activities might be impaired in patients with autoimmune diseases.
authors.affiliation: Deutsches Rheuma-Forschungszentrum, a Leibniz Institute, Chariteplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hilgenberg
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Van Duc
authors.initials: VD
authors.lastname: Dang
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ries
authors.forename: Imme
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sakwa
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fillatreau
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000502:physiology*; D008088:Listeriosis / Q000276:immunology; D012480:Salmonella Infections / Q000276:immunology; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium
chemical_list: D016753:Interleukin-10