Correction: Autoimmunity: Regulatory B cells—IL-35 and IL-21 regulate the regulators

IL-21-producing Th cells in immunity and autoimmunity.

IL-21 is a member of the common γ-chain signaling family of cytokines. Analyses of the behavior of immune cells in response to IL-21 in vitro and studies of mice deficient in IL-21 or its receptor indicate that IL-21 has a role in lymphocyte activation, proliferation, differentiation, and survival. IL-21-producing CD4(+) Th cells constitute a broad array of helper subtypes including T follicula...

Spontaneous Systemic Autoimmunity in B Cell-Derived IL-10 Does Not Regulate

IL-21 acts directly on B cells to regulate Bcl-6 expression and germinal center responses

During T cell-dependent responses, B cells can either differentiate extrafollicularly into short-lived plasma cells or enter follicles to form germinal centers (GCs). Interactions with T follicular helper (Tfh) cells are required for GC formation and for selection of somatically mutated GC B cells. Interleukin (IL)-21 has been reported to play a role in Tfh cell formation and in B cell growth, ...

[IL-21 induces regulatory B cell differentiation and immunosuppressive effect through cognate interaction with T cells].

For a long time, it has been thinking that B cells regulate immune responses by producing antigen-specific antibodies. However, previous studies have revealed that specific B-cell subsets can also negatively regulate T-cell immune responses, and have been termed regulatory B cells. Recently, our study showed that mouse CD1d(hi)CD5(+) B cell subsets mainly produce IL-10. Therefore, we named thes...

Release from regulatory T cell-mediated suppression during the onset of tissue-specific autoimmunity is associated with elevated IL-21.

The activity of regulatory T cells (Treg) is widely accepted to play a central role in preventing pathogenic immune responses against self-Ags. However, it is not clear why such regulation breaks down during the onset of autoimmunity. We have studied self-Ag-specific Treg during the induction of spontaneous diabetes. Our data reveal a shift in the balance between regulatory and pathogenic islet...