Regulatory B Cells

Dear Colleagues,

Besides antigen presentation and antibody production, B cells also play an important role in immune regulation by producing both pro-inflammatory (IL-6, TNF) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10, TGFβ) cytokines. A variety of B cell subsets have been identified as regulatory B cells (Bregs) on the basis of their suppressive function, although no specific marker or transcription factor have been identified. Inflammation provoked by microbes or dying cells may induce the development of Bregs.  Breg cells can suppress the immune response by blocking antigen presentation by dendritic cells, inhibiting proliferation and cytokine production by helper T cells, while stimulating the differentiation of regulatory T cells (Tregs). Bregs suppress the inflammatory response by multiple mechanisms, including the secretion of IL-10 and TGFβ, direct cell–cell contact, expression of PD-L1 or FasL.

A lot of work has been conducted to identify Bregs, characterize the signals inducing them, and reveal the regulatory mechanisms involved; however, open questions still remain on the origin of Bregs and on the way they are induced and regulated. Breg cells have been extensively studied in autoimmune diseases and allergy, and emerging evidence suggests that Bregs are pivotal in inducing tolerance in kidney transplantation and a play a protective role in neuroinflammation and experimental stroke. However, tumor-induced Breg cells may promote tumor cell growth.

Thus, although Bregs are crucial players in several immune-mediated disorders, and potential Breg-targeted therapies have been suggested, we have much more to learn about immune response regulation by Bregs before developing Breg-based immunotherapies. 

We expect contributions to this Special Issue including recent research on the induction and control of Breg cells, cellular interactions and regulatory mechanisms of Bregs, and their potential therapeutic applications.

Prof. Dr. Gabriella Sármay
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Antibodies is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• B lymphocyte
• Regulatory B cells
• Immunotherapies
• Cellular therapies
• Breg targeting
• Autoimmune diseases
• Inflammation
• Immunoregulation
• Tolerance induction