Constitutive co-stimulation by B cells is sufficient to trigger T cell-driven autoimmune disease

At least two distinct signals are required for classical T cell activation: (1) the cognate antigen presented in the context of MHC class II molecules and (2) co-stimulation. Using myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)-induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) as a prototypical model of T cell-driven autoimmune disease, the authors and others demonstrated previously that autoimmune B cells are crucial in T cell activation by acting as potent antigen-presenting cells. Although the importance of …