B-cell acquisition of antigen: Sensing the surface

B-cell antigen receptor (BCR) recognition and acquisition of antigen by B cells is the essential first step in the generation of effective antibody responses. As B-cell-mediated antigen presentation is also believed to play a significant role in the activation of CD4(+) Th-cell responses, considerable effort has focused on clarifying the nature of antigen/BCR interactions. Following earlier descriptions of interactions of soluble antigens with the BCR, it is now clear that B cells also recognize, physically extract and present antigens that are tethered to, or integral components of, the surfaces or extracellular matrix of other cells. In this issue of the European Journal of Immunology, Zeng etal. [Eur. J. Immunol. 2015. 45: XXXX-XXXX] examine how the physical property or stiffness of the surface displaying antigens to B cells influences the B-cell response. This commentary reports that antigen tethered on less stiff surfaces induces increased B-cell activation and antibody responses. I then infer how sensing the surface by B cells may represent a new component of the immune system's ability to detect damage, and how this understanding may influence approaches to clinical therapies where immune activity is either unwanted or desired.