B-cell proliferation and antibody production

B-cell proliferation and antibody production is a complex physiological process of the adaptive immune system rather than a single molecular target. It encompasses the activation of B lymphocytes upon antigen recognition, their subsequent clonal expansion, and their differentiation into memory B cells or antibody-secreting plasma cells (NCBI, 2022; Wikipedia, 2024). This process is orchestrated by a variety of specific molecular targets, including the B-cell receptor (BCR), co-stimulatory molecules like CD40, and cytokine receptors such as the BAFF receptor. In healthy individuals, this pathway is essential for neutralizing pathogens; however, its dysregulation is a hallmark of autoimmune diseases and B-cell malignancies (StatPearls, 2023). Drugs like Rituximab target CD20 to deplete B cells, while Ibrutinib inhibits Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) to halt proliferation in leukemias. Because this entry describes a multi-step biological outcome involving many distinct proteins, it is classified as a biological process rather than a discrete therapeutic target (PubMed, PMID: 28135246).

Other names

B-cell activationHumoral immune responseB-lymphocyte differentiationAntibody-mediated immunity

Therapeutic agents modulate this process by targeting specific molecular components such as surface antigens (e.g., CD20, CD19), survival signals (e.g., BAFF/BLyS), or intracellular signaling kinases (e.g., BTK, PI3K delta) to induce B-cell depletion, arrest proliferation, or inhibit differentiation into plasma cells (StatPearls, 2023; PubMed, PMID: 30236450).