Abstract
Mucosal Immunology Mammals rely on secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) at the intestinal surface to maintain a homeostatic relationship with the commensal gut microbiota. B lymphocytes differentiate into IgA-producing plasma cells through a thymus-dependent pathway that depends on the B cell protein CD40 transducing a signal from CD40 ligand on T cells. Grasset et al. investigated the contribution of a receptor called TACI found predominantly on B cells to an alternative, thymus-independent pathway of plasma cell differentiation. The mucosal immune system was found to use parallel pathways dependent on either CD40 or TACI to provide B cells the help needed to generate SIgA capable of binding commensal bacteria. Sci. Immunol. 5 , eaat7117 (2020).
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