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.

IL-10+ Innate-like B Cells Are Part of the Skin Immune System and Require α4β1 Integrin To Migrate between the Peritoneum and Inflamed Skin

“…For example, IL-10 + peritoneal B1 cells suppress inflammation in mouse models of cutaneous hypersensitivity and colitis (12, 13). IL-10 producing B cells in general have recently received wide attention due to their ability to limit T cell-mediated inflammation in both the skin and non-cutaneous sites, such as the joints, central nervous system and colon, mainly by suppressing T cells and other cell types in lymphoid tissues (reviewed in (14, 15)). B cell-depleting therapies like the CD20-targeting antibody rituximab can exacerbate or induce the inflammatory skin disease psoriasis, supporting a protective role of B cells in skin inflammation also in humans (16-18).…”

Recent pathogenetic advances in ANCA-associated vasculitis

“…CD5 is one of several cell surface markers that characterize regulatory B cells. Although there is currently controversy in the field about which set of markers characterizes regulatory B cells, it is generally agreed upon that a regulatory B cell must be functionally capable of producing interleukin-10 [33]. Given the discrepancy in the field regarding the role of monitoring B cells to assess disease activity as well as the utility of monitoring CD5 + B cells specifically, more work is needed to determine appropriate phenotypic methods to detect regulatory B cells and inclusion of these measurements in future clinical trials is warranted.…”

Analysis of polymorphisms in the FUT1 and TAP1 genes and their influence on immune performance in Pudong White pigs

“…IL-10 is a classic anti-inflammatory cytokine, which displays immunosuppressive activities (Nishimoto and Kishimoto, 2006;Yao et al, 2014). IL-10 has also been reported to enhance B cell activation, proliferation, and differentiation into immunoglobulin (Ig) secreting cells (Itoh and Hirohata, 1995;Hilgenberg et al, 2014). Our results showed there were no significant differences in the levels of IL-6 and IL-10 among the three genotypes in both Pudong White and Large White pigs (P > 0.05) for both the FUT1 and TAP1 gene, which suggests that Pudong White pigs have the same ability to enhance the hepatocyte inflammatory response and the same ability of B cell activation, proliferation, and differentiation as Large White pigs.…”