Published in

Wiley Open Access, EMBO Molecular Medicine, 9(15), 2023

DOI: 10.15252/emmm.202217341

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Functions of double‐negative B cells in autoimmune diseases, infections, and cancers

This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

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Abstract

AbstractMost mature B cells can be divided into four subtypes based on the expression of the surface markers IgD and CD27: IgD+CD27 naïve B cells, IgD+CD27+ unswitched memory B cells, IgDCD27+ switched memory B cells, and IgDCD27 double‐negative (DN) B cells. Despite their small population size in normal peripheral blood, DN B cells play integral roles in various diseases. For example, they generate autoimmunity in autoimmune conditions, while these cells may generate both autoimmune and antipathogenic responses in COVID‐19, or act in a purely antipathogenic capacity in malaria. Recently, DN B cells have been identified in nasopharyngeal carcinoma and non‐small‐cell lung cancers, where they may play an immunosuppressive role. The distinct functions that DN B cells play in different diseases suggest that they are a heterogeneous B‐cell population. Therefore, further study of the mechanisms underlying the involvement of DN B cells in these diseases is essential for understanding their pathogenesis and the development of therapeutic strategies. Further research is thus warranted to characterize the DN B‐cell population in detail.