摘要
As key players in humoral immunity,B cells play diverse roles in immune responses and disease development.Although early studies focused on the hallmark features of antibody production in B cells,increasing evidence has demonstrated the effector functions of cytokine secretion and antigen presentation by B cells in the development of various human diseases.Recent studies on the interactions of immune cells and nerve systems through neurotransmitters,including acetylcholine(ACh),have revealed novel functions of B cells in immune regulation and tissue homeostasis.Two newly published studies in Nature Immunology and Immunity demonstrated that B cells produce ACh to modulate antiviral inflammatory responses and liver regeneration after injury[1,2].These pivotal findings suggest the existence of a new functional subset of ACh-producing B cells,termed“cholinergic B cells”,which are characterized by their ability to synthesize ACh via high expression of choline acetyltransferase(ChAT).Cholinergic B cells span both innate B1 and conventional B2 cells and play a unique role in bridging neuroimmune crosstalk.Thus,elucidation of the functional features of cholinergic B cells will open new avenues for therapeutic intervention in acute inflammatory and regenerative disorders.
基金
supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(82471821)
the Hong Kong Research Grants Council(17116424,17111222,17103821)
the Centre for Oncology and Immunology under the Health@InnoHK Initiative funded by the Innovation and Technology Commission,Hong Kong,China.
