Inhibitory Fcγ receptor is required for the maintenance of tolerance through distinct mechanisms

The inhibitory FcγR FcγRIIB is widely expressed on B cells, dendritic cells (DCs), and myeloid effector cells and modulates a variety of Ab-driven in vivo functions. Although it has been established that FcγRIIB plays an important role in the maintenance of peripheral tolerance, the responsible cell-specific FcγRIIB expression remains to be determined. In this study, we generated mice with selective deletion of FcγRIIB in B cells, DCs, and myeloid effector cells and evaluated these novel strains in models of tolerance and autoimmune diseases. Our results demonstrate that mice with selective deletion of FcγRIIB expression in B cells and DCs have increased Ab and T cell responses, respectively, and display enhanced susceptibility to disease in distinct models, suggesting that FcγRIIB expression in distinct cellular populations contributes to the maintenance of peripheral tolerance through different mechanisms.