B Cell Immunity in Solid Organ Transplantation

The contribution of B cells to alloimmune responses is gradually being understood in more detail. We now know that B cells can perpetuate alloimmune responses in multiple ways: (i) differentiation into antibody-producing plasma cells; (ii) sustaining long-term humoral immune memory; (iii) serving as antigen-presenting cells; (iv) organizing the formation of tertiary lymphoid organs; and (v) secreting pro- as well as anti-inflammatory cytokines. The cross-talk between B cells and T cells in the course of immune responses forms the basis of these diverse functions. In the setting of organ transplantation, focus has gradually shifted from T cells to B cells, with an increased notion that B cells are more than mere precursors of antibody-producing plasma cells. In this review, we discuss the various roles of B cells in the generation of alloimmune responses beyond antibody production, as well as possibilities to specifically interfere with B cell activation.