B-cell receptor specific for poliovirus capsid epitopes (BCR (Poliovirus))

B-cell receptors (BCRs) specific for poliovirus type 1, 2, and 3 capsid epitopes are membrane-bound immunoglobulins located on the surface of B lymphocytes that recognize specific antigenic determinants on the poliovirus shell [PMID: 24744554]. These receptors are critical for the adaptive immune response, as their engagement by poliovirus antigens—either from natural infection or vaccination—initiates B-cell activation, clonal expansion, and the eventual production of neutralizing antibodies [WHO, 2023]. The poliovirus capsid is composed of four structural proteins (VP1, VP2, VP3, and VP4), with VP1 being the primary target for neutralizing BCRs [PMID: 30216132]. In the context of pharmacology, these receptors are the primary targets of poliovirus vaccines, such as the Inactivated Poliovirus Vaccine (IPV) and the Oral Poliovirus Vaccine (OPV), which aim to establish a pool of memory B cells to prevent poliomyelitis [CDC, 2022]. Successful stimulation of these BCRs prevents the virus from entering host cells, thereby protecting the central nervous system from infection and subsequent paralysis [PMID: 28137871].

Other names

Poliovirus-specific B-cell receptorAnti-poliovirus BCRSurface immunoglobulin specific for poliovirusPoliovirus-neutralizing B-cell receptor

Vaccine antigens (inactivated or attenuated virus) bind to the specific B-cell receptors (BCRs) on the surface of naive B cells. This binding induces receptor clustering and activates intracellular signaling cascades (involving kinases like Syk and Lyn), leading to B-cell proliferation, germinal center formation, and differentiation into memory B cells and plasma cells that secrete high-affinity neutralizing antibodies (IgG and IgA) against the poliovirus capsid.