B cells as a cellular adjuvant: induction or control of T-cell immunity – or both?

Abstract

Evaluation of: Reichhardt P, Dornbach B, Rong S et al. Naive B cells generate regulatory T cells in the presence of a mature immunologic synapse. Blood 110 (5), 1519–1529 (2007).

Cellular adjuvants, such as dendritic cells (DCs) are in the focus of tumor immunology and immunotherapy as tools to enhance immune responses in order to control cancer. Recent observations suggest that so-called tolerogenic DCs can be employed to achieve the opposite – the control of adverse immune reactions in transplantation or autoimmunity. However, the use of DCs is limited due to their low frequency, lack of purity and expansion in cell culture. Activated B cells have previously been shown to efficiently present antigen and be expandable to almost unlimited amounts, rendering them an interesting alternative to induce antitumor immune responses. The paper under evaluation extends this concept to B cells as tolerogenic cells by providing insight in a novel mechanism – the induction of regulatory T cells.

Keywords::

• antigen-presenting cell
• B cell
• CD40-activated B cell
• cellular adjuvant

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The author has no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.