Immunity system complexity: how B cells recognize antigens (Introduction)

by David Turell , Friday, March 10, 2023, 20:46 (623 days ago) @ David Turell

A whole new concept:

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-03-immune.html

"The researchers have examined the earliest step in activating the B cells, namely the activation mechanism that is triggered when the cells recognize a specific target or 'enemy'—an antigen.

"'Previously, it was believed that the antigens from, for example, viruses or vaccines would have to cross-bind a B-cell's receptors on the cell surface. That's what it says in all the textbooks. But now we have shown that even antigens that can only bind one receptor at a time are able to activate the B cells," says Søren Degn, associate professor at Department of Biomedicine, who is the senior author of the article.

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"The discovery is interesting for both the immunological field and for cell biology in general, because the researchers have shed new light on the foundation for how receptors on the surface of cells send signals into the cells—a key biological process.

"'The study enables us to better understand the background for one of the most important processes in the immune system, and one of the most important processes in cell biology. But it is clear that, in the long term, this could also have important application-oriented aspects," says Søren Degn.

"The researchers have begun preclinical vaccine trials with the aim of translating the findings into clinically relevant vaccine design. They are also attempting to use the same tools in reverse, to target and turn off harmful immune system responses such as allergic reactions and autoimmune diseases.

"'When we understand how the B cells are activated, we can create better vaccines. In the slightly longer term, we may also be able to switch off B-cell activation in cases where it is harmful. We are studying both of these in the CellPAT basic research center at Aarhus University," says Søren Degn.

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"'We have shown that the way in which the activation of B cells has been explained over the past thirty or forty years is wrong. This is an important finding, because it opens the door to better vaccines and better treatment of a large group of diseases," says Søren Degn.

Comment: The B cell membrane will decode the foreign molecule which is attached to it and either recognize it is an antigen it knows from its library, or it will activate a new antibody all automatically.