%0 Journal Article
%T Regulation of Germinal Center Reactions by B and T Cells
%A Young Uk Kim
%A Xindong Liu
%A Shinya Tanaka
%A Dat Quoc Tran
%A Yeonseok Chung
%J Antibodies
%D 2013
%I MDPI AG
%R 10.3390/antib2040554
%X Break of B cell tolerance to self-antigens results in the development of autoantibodies and, thus, leads to autoimmunity. How B cell tolerance is maintained during active germinal center (GC) reactions is yet to be fully understood. Recent advances revealed several subsets of T cells and B cells that can positively or negatively regulate GC B cell responses in vivo. IL-21-producing CXCR5 + CD4 + T cells comprise a distinct lineage of helper T cells¡ªtermed follicular helper T cells (T FH)¡ªthat can provide help for the development of GC reactions where somatic hypermutation and affinity maturation take place. Although the function of T FH cells is beneficial in generating high affinity antibodies against infectious agents, aberrant activation of T FH cell or B cell to self-antigens results in autoimmunity. At least three subsets of immune cells have been proposed as regulatory cells that can limit such antibody-mediated autoimmunity, including follicular regulatory T cells (T FR), Qa-1 restricted CD8 + regulatory T cells (CD8 +T REG), and regulatory B cells (B REG). In this review, we will discuss our current understanding of GC B cell regulation with specific emphasis on the newly identified immune cell subsets involved in this process.
%K TFH
%K TFR
%K BREG
%K Qa-1 restricted CD8+TREG
%K Germinal center
%K B cells
%K antibody
%U http://www.mdpi.com/2073-4468/2/4/554