Upon recognizing cognate antigen, B cells mobilize multiple cellular apparatuses to propagate an optimal response. Antigen binding is transduced into cytoplasmic signaling events through B-cell antigen receptor (BCR)-based signalosomes at the B-cell surface. BCR signalosomes are dynamic and transient and are subsequently endocytosed for antigen processing. The function of BCR signalosomes is one of the determining factors for the fate of B cells: clonal expansion, anergy, or apoptosis. Accumulating evidence underscores the importance of the actin cytoskeleton in B-cell activation. We have begun to appreciate the role of actin dynamics in regulating BCR-mediated tonic signaling and the formation of BCR signalosomes. Our recent studies reveal an additional function of the actin cytoskeleton in the downregulation of BCR signaling, consequently contributing to the generation and maintenance of B-cell self-tolerance. In this review, we discuss how actin remodels its organization and dynamics in close coordination with BCR signaling and how actin remodeling in turn amplifies the activation and subsequent downregulation process of BCR signaling, providing vital feedback for optimal BCR activation.
Keywords: B cells; B-cell antigen receptor; actin cytoskeleton; endocytosis; signal transduction.
© 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.