AUTHOR=HUEBER Anne-Odile , KONCZ Gabor 

TITLE=The Fas/CD95 Receptor Regulates the Death of Autoreactive B Cells and the Selection of Antigen-Specific B Cells

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology

VOLUME=3

YEAR=2012

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2012.00207

DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2012.00207

ISSN=1664-3224

ABSTRACT=<p>Cell death receptors have crucial roles in the regulation of immune responses. Here we review recent <italic>in vivo</italic> data confirming that the Fas death receptor (TNFSR6) on B cells is important for the regulation of autoimmunity since the impairment of only Fas function on B cells results in uncontrolled autoantibody production and autoimmunity. Fas plays a role in the elimination of the non-specific and autoreactive B cells in germinal center, while during the selection of antigen-specific B cells different escape signals ensure the resistance to Fas-mediated apoptosis. Antigen-specific survival such as BCR or MHCII signal or coreceptors (CD19) cooperating with BCR inhibits the formation of death inducing signaling complex. Antigen-specific survival can be reinforced by antigen-independent signals of IL-4 or CD40 overproducing the anti-apoptotic members of the Bcl-2 family proteins.</p>