Human IL-10-producing B cells have diverse states that are induced from multiple B cell subsets

Regulatory B cells (Bregs) suppress immune responses through the secretion of interleukin-10 (IL-10). This immunomodulatory capacity holds therapeutic potential, yet a definitional immunophenotype for enumeration and prospective isolation of B cells capable of IL-10 production remains elusive. Here, we simultaneously quantify cytokine production and immunophenotype in human peripheral B cells across a range of stimulatory conditions and time points using mass cytometry. Our analysis shows that multiple functional B cell subsets produce IL-10 and that no phenotype uniquely identifies IL-10(+) B cells. Further, a significant portion of IL-10(+) B cells co-express the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha). Despite this heterogeneity, operationally tolerant liver transplant recipients have a unique enrichment of IL-10(+) but not TNF alpha(+) or IL-6(+), B cells compared with transplant recipients receiving immunosuppression. Thus, human IL-10-producing B cells constitute an induced, transient state arising from a diversity of B cell subsets that may contribute to maintenance of immune homeostasis.

Automated summary

Regulatory B cells (Bregs) secrete interleukin-10 (IL-10) to suppress immune responses, but there is no definitive immunophenotype to identify these B cells. Multiple functional subsets of B cells can produce IL-10, and there is no unique phenotype for IL-10(+) B cells. Furthermore, a significant portion of IL-10(+) B cells also express the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha). However, operationally tolerant liver transplant recipients have an enrichment of IL-10(+) but not TNF-alpha(+) or IL-6(+) B cells compared to those receiving immunosuppression. Therefore, IL-10-producing B cells in humans constitute an induced and transient state arising from various subsets of B cells, which may contribute to the maintenance of immune homeostasis.