Ptpn2 limits plasma cell fate and antiviral immunity by integrating B cell receptor and IFN-γ signals in B cells

Understanding the signaling pathways that regulate B cell function and terminal differentiation is crucial to human health. Ptpn2 is a protein tyrosine phosphatase whose role in limiting immune cell activation is well chatacterized.

However, it is not known whether Ptpn2 plays a cell-intrinsic role in regulating B cell development and activation. Using a Ptpn2 B-cell-specific knockout mouse model we have discovered a novel role for Ptpn2 in negatively regulating both BCR and IFN-gamma signaling in B cells. As a result, the absence of Ptpn2 leads to the enhanced terminal differentiation of B cells into plasma cells.