Transcriptomic profile of B cells in response to IL-2 signal in vitro

IL-2 is one of the first cytokine discovered but its complex roles in T cell effector functions has shadowed its function in B cell responses. B cells transiently expressed IL-2 receptor upon activation but it is unclear whether all mature B cell subsets have an equal dependence upon IL-2 and how IL-2 dictates B cell fate. Using our newly generated B-cell-specific Il2rb conditional knockout (KO) model of mice lacking IL2RB signaling in mature B cells, our objectives were to characterize the transcriptomic profile of B cells in response to IL-2 signal. We found that IL-2 acts intrinsically on IL2RB expressing B cells to promote Il10 expression and plasma cell reprogramming in context dependent manner in vitro. In contrast, an inflammatory response was observed in KO B cells.