AUTHOR=Zhu Qiugang , Rui Ke , Wang Shengjun , Tian Jie TITLE=Advances of Regulatory B Cells in Autoimmune Diseases JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology VOLUME=Volume 12 - 2021 YEAR=2021 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2021.592914 DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2021.592914 ISSN=1664-3224 ABSTRACT=With the ability to induce T cell activation and elicit humoral responses, B cells are generally considered as effectors of the immune system. However, the emergence of regulatory B cells (Bregs) has given new insight into the role of B cells in immune responses. Bregs exhibit immunosuppressive functions via diverse regulatory mechanisms, including the secretion of anti-inflammatory cytokines and direct cell contact. The balance between Bregs and effector B cells is of vital importance to immune tolerance. In this review, we focus on recent advances in our understanding of Bregs and their functional role in autoimmunity.