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REVIEW article

Front. Immunol.
Sec. B Cell Biology
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1456220
This article is part of the Research Topic Community Series in BCR Signaling and B Cell Activation: Volume 2 View all 5 articles

Both Sides Now: Evolutionary Traits of Antigens and B Cells in Tolerance and Activation

Provisionally accepted
Youngjae Hong Youngjae Hong 1,2Kihyuck Kwak Kihyuck Kwak 1,2*
  • 1 Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, Seoul, Republic of Korea
  • 2 Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, Seoul, Republic of Korea

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    B cells are the cornerstone of our body’s defense system, producing precise antibodies and safeguarding immunological memory for future protection against pathogens. While we have a thorough understanding of how naïve B cells differentiate into plasma or memory B cells, the early B cell response to various antigens—whether self or foreign—remains a thrilling and evolving area of study. Advances in imaging have illuminated the molecular intricacies of B cell receptor (BCR) signaling, yet the dynamic nature of B cell activation continues to reveal new insights based on the nature of antigen exposure. This review explores the evolutionary journey of B cells as they adapt to the unique challenges presented by pathogens. We begin by examining the specific traits of antigens that influence their pathogenic potential, then shift our focus to the distinct characteristics of B cells that counteract these threats. From foundational discoveries to the latest cutting-edge research, we investigate how B cells are effectively activated and distinguish between self and non-self antigens, ensuring a balanced immune response that defends against pathogenic diseases but not self-antigens.

    Keywords: B cell activation, B cell tolerance, BCR signaling, Antigen format, Vaccine, Autoimmunity

    Received: 28 Jun 2024; Accepted: 25 Jul 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Hong and Kwak. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Kihyuck Kwak, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Seoul, Republic of Korea

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.