B Cell Response to Vaccination.

ABSTRACT

As one of the most important weapons against infectious diseases, vaccines have saved countless lives since their first use in the late eighteenth century. Antibodies produced by effector B cells upon vaccination play a critical role in mediating protection. The past several decades of research have led to a revolution in our understanding of B cell response to vaccination. Vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus were developed at an unprecedented speed to power our global fight against COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, we still face many challenges in the development of vaccines against many other deadly viruses, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and influenza virus. In this review, we summarize the latest findings on B cell response to vaccination and pathogen infection. We also discuss the current challenges in the field and the potential strategies targeting B cell response to improve vaccine efficacy.Key abbreviations box BCR B cell receptor; bNAb broadly neutralizing antibody; DC dendritic cells; DZ dark zone; EF response extrafollicular response; FDC follicular dendritic cell; GC germinal center; HIV human immunodeficiency virus; IC immune complex; LLPC long-lived plasma cell; LZ light zone; MBC memory B cell; SLPB short-lived plasmablast; TFH T follicular helper cells; TLR Toll-like receptor.