SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “CD40”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

14 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2025

CD40 transcriptomic expression patterns across malignancies: implications for clinical trials of CD40 agonists.

BACKGROUND: CD40 is a T-cell co-stimulatory receptor targeted by next-generation immunotherapies. We conducted a pan-cancer transcriptome analysis of CD40, its ligand, and related immune markers to evaluate co-expression patterns and clinical outcomes. METHODS: We analyzed transcriptome data for CD40, its ligand, and other common checkpoints and co-stimulators (PD-1, PD-L1, PD-L2, CTLA-4, LAG-3, ICOS, CD27, CD28, OX40, and GITR). RNA expression was classified as high (75-100th percentile), moderate (25-74th), or low (0-24th) against a reference population of 735 previously tested solid tumors. RESULTS: Of 514 patients, 114 (22%) showed high, 247 (48%) moderate, and 153 (30%) low CD40 RNA expression. High CD40 expression was most frequent in liver and bile duct (42%), pancreatic (42%), and ovarian (40%) cancers. Both high CD40 and low-moderate CD40 ligand expression-potentially conducive to CD40 agonist therapy-was most frequent in ovarian (33%) and pancreatic (24%) cancer. In both UCSD (N = 514) and TCGA (N = 10,953) cohorts, high CD40 expression significantly correlated with high CD28 and GITR. High CD40 RNA levels were not prognostic for overall survival (OS) from metastatic disease (P = 0.2) (n = 272 immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-naïve patients). High CD40 expression correlated with longer OS from immunotherapy initiation (n = 217 ICI-treated patients; P = 0.04, univariable analysis), but not multivariable analysis, suggesting it may not be an independent predictive biomarker. CONCLUSION: High CD40 expression correlated with liver and bile duct, pancreatic, and ovarian cancers, as well as with CD28 and GITR transcripts. Immune marker co-expression in individual patients merits further exploration for the development of CD40-based and other immunotherapy interventions.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Genetic evidence supports the prioritization of CD40 among prespecified immune-related candidate drug targets in myasthenia gravis.

AIM: To prioritize prespecified immune-related candidate drug targets in myasthenia gravis for further validation based on integrated genetic evidence. METHODS: We integrated drug-target Mendelian randomization (MR) using cis-expression quantitative trait loci (cis-eQTLs), protein-level MR of plasma CD40 abundance using plasma protein quantitative trait loci (pQTLs), and colocalization analyses to evaluate genetically proxied associations with overall MG, early-onset myasthenia gravis (EOMG), and late-onset myasthenia gravis (LOMG). RESULTS: In this study, CD40 showed the most consistent genetic evidence among the six prespecified targets. Effect estimates are reported as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Higher CD40 expression proxied by cis-eQTLs was associated with increased risk of overall MG (OR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.05-1.24, Bonferroni-adjusted p = 0.022) and EOMG (OR = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.12-1.56, Bonferroni-adjusted p = 0.015). Genetically predicted higher plasma CD40 protein abundance was associated with increased overall MG risk (OR = 1.31, 95% CI: 1.08-1.57, Bonferroni-adjusted p = 0.010), whereas the protein-level MR result for EOMG was directionally consistent but not statistically significant. Colocalization analysis provided suggestive but not definitive evidence of colocalization between CD40 expression and EOMG risk. FCGRT, IL2RA, and SYK showed additional exploratory MR signals requiring further validation. CONCLUSION: CD40 showed the most consistent genetic support among the prespecified targets, supporting its prioritization for functional validation and further therapeutic investigation in MG.

CD40↗

PubMed2026

A phase I clinical study of the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of SHR-2106, an anti-CD40 antibody, following single intravenous or subcutaneous administration in healthy participants.

BACKGROUND: SHR-2106 is a humanized IgG1 monoclonal antibody that blocks CD40-CD40L interactions and has demonstrated immunosuppressive activity and graft-prolonging effects in preclinical studies. This first-in-human Phase I study evaluated the safety, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and immunogenicity of single intravenous or subcutaneous doses of SHR-2106 in healthy adults. METHODS: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase I study enrolled healthy participants. Fifty-one participants were enrolled in seven cohorts and received five intravenous doses (50-1200 mg) or two subcutaneous doses (300 and 600 mg). Safety, serum pharmacokinetics, CD40 occupancy on B cells, and anti-drug antibodies were assessed using standard clinical and bioanalytical methods. RESULTS: SHR-2106 demonstrated a favorable safety and tolerability profile, and most treatment-emergent adverse events were mild to moderate laboratory abnormalities with incidence rates comparable to placebo. SHR-2106 exhibited nonlinear pharmacokinetics consistent with target-mediated drug disposition, with a dose-dependent increase in geometric mean terminal half-life following intravenous administration (1.83-10.7 days). Absolute bioavailability after subcutaneous administration was approximately 60%. CD40 occupancy exceeded 80% within 24 h at all doses, with saturation duration increasing from 7 to 70 days across the intravenous dose range and remaining comparable between routes at matched doses. Anti-drug antibody incidence decreased with increasing intravenous dose and did not significantly affect pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics. CONCLUSION: SHR-2106 was well tolerated and achieved rapid and sustained CD40 engagement, supporting dose and route selection for Phase II studies.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Inflammatory cytokines mediate thoracic aortic aneurysm formation via plasma metabolites: A two-step Mendelian randomization and single cell sequencing-based investigation.

Thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) is a life-threatening condition characterized by pathological dilation of the aorta. While inflammatory responses have been implicated in TAA pathogenesis, the causal relationships remain elusive. This study aimed to elucidate potential causal associations between inflammatory cytokines, plasma metabolites, and TAA risk using Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. We conducted bidirectional two-sample MR analysis utilizing genome-wide association study data from 91 inflammatory cytokines (n = 14,824), 1400 plasma metabolites (n = 8299), and TAA (n = 385,857). The inverse-variance weighted method served as the primary analytical approach, with comprehensive sensitivity analyses performed to assess pleiotropy and heterogeneity. Two-step MR analysis was employed to explore potential mediating roles of plasma metabolites. Single-cell sequencing analysis was utilized to detect cell type enrichment and elucidate cellular functions of identified cytokines. Additionally, we conducted an analysis to identify druggable proteins as potential therapeutic targets for TAA. MR analysis revealed that genetically-determined increases in C-X-C motif chemokine 10 (CXCL10) (odds ratios [OR] = 1.149, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.009-1.309, P = .037) and fibroblast growth factor 5 (OR = 1.101, 95% CI: 1.013-1.196, P = .024) were associated with elevated TAA risk. Conversely, C-C motif chemokine 20 (CCL20) (OR = 0.870, 95% CI: 0.759-0.996, P = .043) and CD40L receptor (CD40) (OR = 0.906, 95% CI: 0.827-0.992, P = .033) demonstrated inverse associations with TAA risk. Two-step MR analysis identified potential mediating metabolites: the phosphate to linoleoyl-arachidonoyl-glycerol ratio for CXCL10, thyroxine and X-24585 for FGF-5, and the creatine to carnitine ratio for CCL20. Single-cell sequencing analysis revealed enrichment of these cytokines in specific cell types and pathways relevant to TAA pathogenesis. Drug-gene interaction analysis identified CXCL10, CCL20, and CD40 as potential targets for treatment of TAA. This study provides robust genetic evidence supporting causal relationships between specific inflammatory cytokines and TAA risk, with plasma metabolites potentially mediating these effects. CXCL10 and FGF-5 were identified as potential risk factors, while CCL20 and CD40 may confer protective effects. These findings offer novel insights into TAA pathogenesis and suggest potential targets for intervention. Further research is warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and validate these results across diverse populations.

Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic↗

PubMed2025

Cross-Phenotype Genome-Wide Association Study on the Shared Genetic Susceptibility to Systemic Sclerosis and Primary Biliary Cholangitis.

OBJECTIVE: An increased risk of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) has been reported in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Our study aims to investigate the shared genetic susceptibility between the two disorders and to define candidate causal genes using cross-phenotype genome-wide association study (GWAS) meta-analysis. METHODS: We performed cross-phenotype GWAS meta-analysis and Bayesian colocalization analysis for patients with SSc and patients with PBC. We performed both genome-wide and locus-based analysis, including tissue and pathway enrichment analyses, fine-mapping, Bayesian colocalization analyses with expression quantitative trait loci and protein quantitative trait loci (pQTL) datasets, and phenome-wide association studies. Finally, we used an integrative approach to prioritize candidate causal genes from the novel loci. RESULTS: We detected a strong genetic correlation between SSc and PBC (global genetic correlation = 0.84, P = 1.7 × 10-6). In the cross-phenotype GWAS meta-analysis, we identified 44 nonhuman leukocyte antigens loci that reached genome-wide significance (P < 5 × 10-8). Evidence of shared causal variants between patients with SSc and patients with PBC was found for nine loci, five of which were novel. Integrating multiple sources of evidence, we prioritized CD40, ERAP1, PLD4, SPPL3, and CCDC113 as novel candidate causal genes. The CD40 risk locus colocalized with trans-pQTLs of multiple plasma proteins involved in B cell function. CONCLUSION: Our study supports a strong shared genetic susceptibility between SSc and PBC. Using cross-phenotype analyses, we have prioritized several novel candidate causal genes and pathways for these disorders.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Intratumoral Sotigalimab with Pembrolizumab Induces Rapid Activation of Antigen-Presenting Cells and Drives Antitumor Responses in Non-injected Tumors in Metastatic Melanoma: A Phase I/II Study.

UNLABELLED: Immune checkpoint blockers (ICB) improve outcomes in metastatic melanoma (MM), but resistance limits benefit. This phase I/II (NCT02706353) study evaluated intratumoral sotigalimab (anti-CD40 agonist) with pembrolizumab in 32 patients with ICB-naïve MM. Primary endpoints were safety and objective response rate (ORR). Sotigalimab was well tolerated. At the recommended phase II dose, the ORR was 50%, and the disease control rate was 92%, with ORRs of 67% in injected and 50% in non-injected tumors. Multiomic analyses of tumor and blood showed that sotigalimab effectively engaged the CD40 pathway, boosting infiltration and activation of myeloid cells, including CD11c+DC-LAMP+ dendritic cells and macrophages. The combination therapy activated innate and adaptive immunity in injected tumors and cytotoxic responses in non-injected tumors. T-cell receptor sequencing showed increased T-cell clonality with expanded new clones shared across tumors. Clinical responses correlated with these immunologic changes but not with baseline features associated with response to anti-PD-1 monotherapy. SIGNIFICANCE: In this study, we provide compelling data that intratumoral sotigalimab combined with pembrolizumab is safe, activates antigen-presenting cells, and elicits broad innate and adaptive immune responses in both injected and non-injected tumors, supporting further randomized phase II trials to evaluate sotigalimab's potential to enhance anti-PD-1 therapy through "in situ" immunization.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

X-linked hyper-IgM syndrome presenting as severe Pneumocystis pneumonia in a 6-month-old infant: a case report.

BACKGROUND: X-linked hyper-immunoglobulin M (XHIGM) syndrome is a rare primary immunodeficiency caused by mutations in the CD40 ligand gene (CD40LG), characterized by defective T-cell-dependent B-cell class-switch recombination. Patients typically present with recurrent infections in early childhood, but diagnosis is often delayed due to heterogeneous clinical manifestations and the fact that serum IgM levels may remain within the normal range in a significant proportion of patients. Here we report a case of XHIGM in an infant whose diagnostic journey began with recurrent lymphadenitis and culminated in life-threatening Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP). CASE PRESENTATION: A 6-month-old male infant was admitted with severe respiratory distress and hypoxemia. He had recurrent axillary lymphadenitis at 1 and 2 months of age and significant failure to thrive. Chest CT showed bilateral consolidative and interstitial opacities. Immunological evaluation revealed markedly decreased IgA, normal IgM and IgG, and profound T-cell lymphopenia. Sputum metagenomic sequencing identified Pneumocystis jirovecii. Whole-genome sequencing identified a hemizygous likely pathogenic CD40LG mutation (NM_000074.3:c.520C>T, p.Q174*); his mother was a carrier. He was treated with mechanical ventilation, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), micafungin, corticosteroids, and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), and was discharged after 36 days. CONCLUSIONS: In infants with recurrent or opportunistic infections, persistently low IgA and declining T-cell counts-even when initial screening appears normal-should raise suspicion for underlying immunodeficiency and prompt genetic evaluation. Early aggressive management and evaluation for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation are essential to improve outcomes.Serial immunological evaluation is essential in infants with recurrent or opportunistic infections, as persistently low IgA and declining T-cell counts-even when initial screening appears normal-should prompt genetic evaluation for underlying immunodeficiency. Early aggressive management and evaluation for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation are essential to improve outcomes.

Humans↗

PubMed2025

Circulating miRNAs and inflammatory markers - Associations between miRNAs and cytokine levels point to miRNA-mediated sCD40L release from platelets.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are gaining increasing attention, particularly because of their involvement in immune-related signaling pathways. We investigated the association between 179 plasma-circulating miRNAs (Plasma Focus microRNA PCR Panel) and 47 cytokines ("MILLIPLEX® panel) in 692 participants of the population-based SHIP-TREND cohort (age range 21-79) and two additional cohorts to present a comprehensive map of miRNA-cytokine relations. Multivariate linear regression models identified Bonferroni-corrected significant associations between miRNAs and cytokines for EGF (pro-epidermal growth factor), PDGF-AA, PDGF-AB/BB (platelet-derived growth factor subunit A and B), VEGF-A (vascular endothelia growth factor A), and sCD40L (soluble CD40 ligand) with sCD40L showing the most robust pattern. These models were adjusted for age, sex, platelet count, BMI, smoking, and technical parameters. In the follow-up sample (N = 191, 7 years after initial sampling), we confirmed that the observed associations were stable over time and replicated our findings in an independent clinical cohort (N = 74). Furthermore, the causal mediation results provide evidence for the involvement of platelet activity in the regulation of sCD40L mediated by five miRNAs in the range of 25 %-69 % of the effect being mediated (strongest mediation for hsa-miR-223-3p). Our study highlights a strong and stable miRNA-mediated modulation of sCD40L, at the stage of platelet activation with potential subsequent effects on the interaction of immune cells and haemostasis pointing to a complex regulatory mechanism. Future research is needed to determine the clinical relevance of our observations in the context of vascular thrombosis, immunological disorders, and neurodegeneration.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Dendritic cells control tertiary lymphoid structure development and maintenance in cancer.

Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) are associated with immunotherapy response, yet the mechanisms controlling their formation and maintenance remain unclear. Using spatial transcriptomics and multiplex imaging across human tumors, we found that CCR7+ mature dendritic cells (DCs) accumulate in TLSs. In a mouse non-small cell lung cancer model that forms mature TLSs, we show that early TLS development requires interferon-γ (IFN-γ)-driven type 1 conventional dendritic cell (cDC1) maturation, migration to tumor-draining lymph nodes (tdLNs), and T cell recruitment. As tumors progress, TLSs persist independently of tdLN T cell egress, coinciding with cDC1 accumulation within intratumoral CCL19 stromal hubs. There, cDC1-major histocompatibility complex class 1 (MHC-I) and -MHC-II concomitant antigen presentation, along with CD40 signaling, sustain TLS, T follicular helper (TFH) cell pool, germinal centers, and tumor-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG). These findings highlight local mature cDC1s as key TLS orchestrators and potential targets to enhance antitumor TLS function.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Urban heat island and risk of rheumatoid arthritis: Insights from genetic predisposition and proteomics.

BACKGROUND: Urban heat island (UHI) exposure is an increasingly common consequence of urbanization and climate warming, but its association with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) risk remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between UHI exposure and incident RA, and to further assess the roles of genetic susceptibility and plasma proteomic profiles in this association. METHODS: This study included 400,628 urban residents with UHI exposure data and free of RA at baseline. Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate the association between UHI exposure and incident RA. Polygenic risk scores were used to assess effect modification by genetic susceptibility. Proteomic analyses identified candidate proteins and enriched pathways underlying the association. Mendelian randomization, colocalization, and mediation analyses assessed causal relevance and mediation. RESULTS: Over a median follow-up of 14.05 years, 5397 incident RA cases were documented. Each standard-deviation increase in UHI exposure was associated with a 17% higher risk of RA. This association was more pronounced among older adults and individuals with lower socioeconomic status. An additive interaction was observed between UHI exposure and genetic risk for RA. Proteomic analyses suggested that this association may involve not only canonical immune-inflammatory pathways, but also hypoxia response and protein transport, with CD40, VCAM1, and SUGP1 emerging as potential molecular mediators. CONCLUSIONS: UHI exposure may be a modifiable environmental risk factor for RA and provide new insights into the biological mechanisms underlying this association.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Systemic Platelet Activation and Respiratory Exacerbations, Pulmonary Symptoms, and Mortality among Current and Former Smokers in SPIROMICS.

RATIONALE: Platelet activation is elevated in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and associated with self-reported respiratory symptoms. Observational studies link the antiplatelet drug aspirin to lower exacerbation rates and fewer symptoms. However, it is unknown if platelet activation predicts incident respiratory exacerbations or mortality. OBJECTIVE: Is systemic platelet activation prospectively associated with respiratory exacerbations and mortality among ever-smokers with or at risk for COPD? METHODS: We measured two systemic platelet activation biomarkers, urinary 11-dehydro-thromboxane B2 (11dTxB2) and plasma soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L), at baseline in self-reported aspirin non-users in the longitudinal SPIROMICS cohort. Adjusted generalized negative binomial and linear mixed-effects models assessed associations between these biomarkers and prospective rates of total and severe exacerbations, plus cross-sectional and longitudinal respiratory health (St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire, COPD Assessment Test, modified Medical Research Council questionnaire, and six minute walk distance). Cox proportional hazard and competing risk models evaluated associations between platelet activation biomarkers and all-cause and cause-specific mortality. RESULTS: Among 2,711 participants, 1,572 (58.0%) reported aspirin non-use; of these, 1,433 and 1,437 had 11dTxB2 and sCD40L measured, respectively. Over a median 6.6 years, a two-fold higher baseline 11dTxB2 was associated with increased rates of total (8.8%; 95%CI: 0.4-17.8%) and severe (18.1%; 95%CI: 5.1-32.6%) exacerbations. Although there were no significant interactions, there was a trend toward higher severe exacerbation rates among current cigarettes smokers and those with COPD. There were no significant results for sCD40L. Among aspirin non-users, higher 11dTxB2, but not sCD40L, was associated with worse cross-sectional respiratory health and modestly increased all-cause mortality over a median 8.2 years (adjusted hazard ratio 1.11; 95%CI: 1.00-1.24). After covariate adjustment, there were no associations with longitudinal respiratory health or cause-specific mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Systemic platelet activation, measured by urinary 11dTxB2, is a statistically significant but modest predictor of respiratory exacerbations and all-cause mortality in individuals with or at risk for COPD, suggesting its potential utility as a prognostic and predictive biomarker for antiplatelet therapy trials. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT01969344.

aspirin↗

PubMed2026

Mapping the plasma proteomic architecture of systemic lupus erythematosus.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a heterogeneous systemic autoimmune disease, yet the molecular basis underlying this variability remains incompletely understood. We profiled the plasma proteome in 260 SLE patients and 86 healthy volunteers (HVs) using the SomaScan v4.1 platform, quantifying 7,288 analytes corresponding to 6,595 unique proteins. We identified 215 proteins that were robustly differentially abundant between SLE patients and HVs in both discovery (n = 207 SLE, n = 45 HVs) and validation sets (n = 53 SLE, n = 41 HVs). Within-cases analyses identified 421 proteins associated with disease activity. Network-based clustering delineated correlated protein modules, including an interferon-associated (IFN-associated) module and a kidney-associated module. Autoantibody-stratified analyses further uncovered distinct proteomic endotypes; positivity for antibodies targeting RNA-binding proteins (anti-Sm, anti-Ro-60, anti-RNP68, anti-RNP-A) was associated with increased IFN-stimulated protein levels (e.g., MX1, ISG15, and CXCL10), independent of disease activity. Anti-Sm, anti-RNP-A, and anti-Ro52 antibodies were associated with reduced plasma levels of their respective autoantigens. Anti-dsDNA antibodies were associated with elevated levels of CD40 ligand (CD40LG) and the neutrophil protease, proteinase-3. Moreover, we identified an association between CD40LG and disease activity specific to the anti-dsDNA-positive subgroup. Together, these data define plasma protein signatures of SLE and disease activity, highlight autoantibody-specific molecular phenotypes, and provide a basis for precision medicine.

Humans↗

PubMed2023

Intratumor childhood vaccine-specific CD4+ T-cell recall coordinates antitumor CD8+ T cells and eosinophils.

BACKGROUND: Antitumor mechanisms of CD4+ T cells remain crudely defined, and means to effectively harness CD4+ T-cell help for cancer immunotherapy are lacking. Pre-existing memory CD4+ T cells hold potential to be leveraged for this purpose. Moreover, the role of pre-existing immunity in virotherapy, particularly recombinant poliovirus immunotherapy where childhood polio vaccine specific immunity is ubiquitous, remains unclear. Here we tested the hypothesis that childhood vaccine-specific memory T cells mediate antitumor immunotherapy and contribute to the antitumor efficacy of polio virotherapy. METHODS: The impact of polio immunization on polio virotherapy, and the antitumor effects of polio and tetanus recall were tested in syngeneic murine melanoma and breast cancer models. CD8+ T-cell and B-cell knockout, CD4+ T-cell depletion, CD4+ T-cell adoptive transfer, CD40L blockade, assessments of antitumor T-cell immunity, and eosinophil depletion defined antitumor mechanisms of recall antigens. Pan-cancer transcriptome data sets and polio virotherapy clinical trial correlates were used to assess the relevance of these findings in humans. RESULTS: Prior vaccination against poliovirus substantially bolstered the antitumor efficacy of polio virotherapy in mice, and intratumor recall of poliovirus or tetanus immunity delayed tumor growth. Intratumor recall antigens augmented antitumor T-cell function, caused marked tumor infiltration of type 2 innate lymphoid cells and eosinophils, and decreased proportions of regulatory T cells (Tregs). Antitumor effects of recall antigens were mediated by CD4+ T cells, limited by B cells, independent of CD40L, and dependent on eosinophils and CD8+ T cells. An inverse relationship between eosinophil and Treg signatures was observed across The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cancer types, and eosinophil depletion prevented Treg reductions after polio recall. Pretreatment polio neutralizing antibody titers were higher in patients living longer, and eosinophil levels increased in the majority of patients, after polio virotherapy. CONCLUSION: Pre-existing anti-polio immunity contributes to the antitumor efficacy of polio virotherapy. This work defines cancer immunotherapy potential of childhood vaccines, reveals their utility to engage CD4+ T-cell help for antitumor CD8+ T cells, and implicates eosinophils as antitumor effectors of CD4+ T cells.

Mice↗

PubMed2026

A stromal platform for robust expansion of functional IL-10-producing B cells for immune regulation.

IL-10-producing B cells exert immunosuppressive effects, yet their low abundance and poor in vitro viability have limited their therapeutic application. Here, we developed a stromal coculture system using MS5 cells engineered to express human CD40L, BAFF, and IFN-β1 (MS5-3F, for "3 factors"), which enables robust induction and greater than 1000-fold expansion of human IL-10-producing B cells. The expanded cells showed phenotypic and transcriptional profiles characteristic of unswitched (IgM+) plasmablasts and potently suppressed CD4+ T cell proliferation in an IL-10-dependent manner. MS5-3F-expanded B cells also increased the frequency of regulatory T cells in vitro, an effect that was not abrogated by IL-10/IL-10R blockade, suggesting contributions from additional mechanisms. IL-10 production originated predominantly from naive B cells, rather than memory B cells. Furthermore, B cells from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, despite impaired IL-10 production under conventional conditions, were efficiently differentiated into IL-10-producing B cells using this system. The expanded cells showed minimal IgG-secreting output. Our platform offers a scalable strategy for generating human regulatory B cells, laying the foundation for B cell-based immunotherapies.

Humans↗