IMMUNOLOGY2026™ Conference Recordings For Attendees-B cells as effectors in tissue

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Video Summary

The talk reviewed how B cells function outside traditional lymphoid organs, emphasizing their presence in tissues such as brain, lung, gut, liver, pancreas, and nose. Once in tissues, B cells can act as antigen-presenting cells, secrete pro- or anti-inflammatory cytokines, form plasma cells, or organize into tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS), sometimes with germinal centers and local affinity maturation. These roles affect homeostasis, infection, autoimmunity, and cancer, where TLS often correlate with better prognosis. The speaker also highlighted emerging therapeutic strategies, including tissue-targeted vaccines, CAR T-cell depletion of B cells, and TLS promotion. A major focus was a mouse model of autoimmune encephalitis showing B cells and T cells infiltrating the brain and meninges, with autoreactive B cells enriched in diseased CNS tissue. The lab is also studying B cells in the nose after respiratory viral infection.

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Date April 16, 2026 9:45 AM - 11:15 AM

Room 151

Session Underappreciated Functions of B Cells in Cytokine Production and Antigen Presentation, Sponsored by NIAID, NIH

Speaker Lauren Rodda

Track Lymphocyte Differentiation and Peripheral Maintenance (LYM)

Year 2026

Keywords

B cells

tertiary lymphoid structures

autoimmunity

brain infiltration

tissue-targeted immunotherapy

April 16, 2026 9:45 AM - 11:15 AM

151

Underappreciated Functions of B Cells in Cytokine Production and Antigen Presentation, Sponsored by NIAID, NIH

Lauren Rodda

Lymphocyte Differentiation and Peripheral Maintenance (LYM)

2026