Regulatory B cell development

Regulatory B lymphocytes (Bregs) are a novel subset of B cells emerging as an important part of immune regulatory system, but are not well understood. While we do know that Bregs can inhibit immune responses through the production of immune suppressive cytokine IL-10, not all IL-10-producing B cells are functionally immune suppressive. Additionally, no specific marker currently exists to identify Bregs. My laboratory has obtained evidence that many B cells can produce IL-10 when they are activated, but only one subset of IL-10-producing cells is able to differentiate into Bregs, while others become immune activators or antibody producers. The objective of this research program is to understand the biology of Bregs, particularly the signaling pathways underlying their differentiation and function. The long term goal of this program is to establish a theory that can explain why and how IL-10-producing B cells develop into functionally different cells. We will carefully examine the function and signaling pathways in different subsets of B cells using molecular biology, cell biology and animal models. The knowledge attained from this research program will significantly advance our basic understanding about the signaling pathways in controlling the fate differentiation and functional development of novel regulatory B cells.