Phosphatidylserine Outer Layer Translocation Is Implicated in IL-10 Secretion by Human Regulatory B Cells

B cells can have a regulatory role, mainly mediated by interleukin 10 (IL-10). IL-10 producing B cells (B10 cells) cells remain to be better characterized. Annexin V binds phosphatidylserine (PS), which is externalized during apoptosis. Previous works suggested that B10 cells are apoptotic cells since they bind Annexin V. Others showed that Annexin V binding could also be expressed on viable B cells. We aimed to explore if PS exposure can be a marker of B10 cells and if PS exposure has a functional role on B cell IL-10 production in healthy subjects. We found that B10 cells were significantly more often Annexin V(+) than IL-10 non-producing B cells. After CpG activation, Annexin V(+) B cells differentiated more often into B10 cells than Annexin V(neg) B cells. Cell death and early apoptosis were similar between Annexin V(+) and Annexin V(neg) B cells. PS blockage, using biotinylated AnV and glyburide, decreased B10 cell differentiation. This study showed that B10 cells have an increased PS exposure independently of any apoptotic state. B cells exposing PS differentiate more into B10 cells whereas PS blockage inhibits B10 cells generation. These results strongly suggest a link between PS exposure and B10 cells.