Regulatory B Cells Induce Formation of IL-10-Expressing T Cells in Mice with Autoimmune Neuroinflammation

Abstract

Although B cells are traditionally known for their role in propagating proinflammatory immune responses, their immunosuppressive effects have only recently begun to be appreciated. How regulatory B cells (B_regs) suppress the immune response remains to be fully understood. In this article, we show that B_regs can induce the formation of conventional regulatory T cells (T_regs) as well as type 1 regulatory T cells (Tr1s). When B_regs are transferred into mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), they home to secondary lymphoid organs, leading to an expansion of T_regs and Tr1s in vivo T_regs and Tr1s are also found in greater proportions in the CNS of mice with EAE treated with B_regs and are correlated with the remission of symptoms.