Interferon-Mediated Regulation of Memory B Cell Identity and Function.

Memory B cells are essential for long-lasting immunity induced by both encountered pathogens and vaccines. Functional diversity within the memory B cell pool is established through interactions between memory B cells and the environment in which they develop and reside. This review will discuss novel insights into the role of cytokines encountered in the microenvironment in modulating memory B cell transcriptomic, epigenetic, and phenotypic identity. Specifically, it will focus on how interferons can prime unique memory B cell subpopulations upregulated in chronic viral infection, autoimmunity, and cancer. Understanding how memory B cell identity is established and maintained in interferon-primed memory B cell subsets, and how memory B cell phenotype relates to function, may help advise novel vaccine design and diagnostic procedures for a wide range of immunopathologies.