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Signalling crosstalk in B cells: managing worth and need

Nature Reviews Immunology volume 9, pages 657–661 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

The B cell receptor (BCR) and the receptor for B cell-activating factor (BAFFR) have complementary roles in B cells: BCR signals provide a cell-intrinsic measure of suitability for negative or positive selection, whereas BAFFR responds to homeostatic demands based on a cell-extrinsic measure of the size of the mature B cell pool. Because continuous signals from both receptors are required for B cell survival, it is probable that there are mechanisms to integrate the selective and homeostatic signals from these receptors. In this Opinion article, I describe recent evidence to indicate that crosstalk between the downstream biochemical pathways of these receptors mediates this interdependence, such that BCR signals generate a limiting substrate for BAFFR signal propagation.

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Figure 1: B cell differentiation and selection are controlled by the specificity of the BCR and the availability of BAFF.
Figure 2: Signalling crosstalk underlies the mutual dependence of the BCR and BAFFR in B cell development and survival.

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Acknowledgements

I thank A. Bhandoola for thoughtful discussion and criticism.

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  1. Michael Cancro is at 284 John Morgan Building, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 36th and Hamilton Walk, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA. cancro@mail.med.upenn.edu,

    Michael P. Cancro

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Cancro, M. Signalling crosstalk in B cells: managing worth and need. Nat Rev Immunol 9, 657–661 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/nri2621

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