CD22 is an inhibitory coreceptor on the surface of B cells that attenuates B cell antigen receptor (BCR) signaling and, therefore, B cell activation. Elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying the inhibitory activity of CD22 is complicated by the ubiquity of CD22 ligands. Although antigens can display CD22 ligands, the receptor is known to bind to sialylated glycoproteins on the cell surface. The propinquity of CD22 and cell-surface glycoprotein ligands has led to the conclusion that the inhibitory properties of the receptor are due to cis interactions. Here, we examine the functional consequences of trans interactions by employing sialylated multivalent antigens that can engage both CD22 and the BCR. Exposure of B cells to sialylated antigens results in the inhibition of key steps in BCR signaling. These results reveal that antigens bearing CD22 ligands are powerful suppressors of B cell activation. The ability of sialylated antigens to inhibit BCR signaling through trans CD22 interactions reveals a previously unrecognized role for the Siglec-family of receptors as modulators of immune signaling.B cell antigen receptor ͉ multivalency ͉ sialic acid ͉ siglec ͉ autoimmunity T he initiation of an immune response or the prevention of autoimmunity depends upon the ability of the B cell antigen receptor (BCR) to transmit signals that positively or negatively regulate B lymphocyte survival, proliferation, and differentiation (1). To avoid detrimental autoimmune responses, a means of differentiating between foreign and self-antigens is required; coreceptors that modulate BCR signaling can ensure that these distinctions are made. CD22 is an inhibitory coreceptor that can attenuate BCR signaling (2, 3). CD22 null mice possess hyperresponsive B cells (4), illustrating a role for CD22 in establishing a threshold for B cell activation. Specifically, an increase in intracellular Ca 2ϩ ion concentration is a hallmark of B cell activation (5, 6), and B cells isolated from CD22 null mice display increased Ca 2ϩ flux in response to antigen (4, 7). Thus, loss of CD22 results in a lowering of the threshold for B cell activation. Other data also support this conclusion: CD22 null mice exhibit increased serum IgM concentrations, decreased surface IgM levels on peripheral B cells, increased induction of apoptosis in response to BCR crosslinking, and increased serum autoantibody titers (8). These observations are consistent with the loss of CD22 leading to increased sensitivity and chronic B cell activation.The process of B cell activation ensues upon binding of multivalent antigen to the BCR. Antigen-induced clustering elicits phosphorylation of the cytoplasmic immunoreceptor tyrosinebased activation motifs (ITAMs), which are present in the BCRassociated signaling proteins Ig␣/. The phosphorylation reaction is catalyzed by Src-family kinases such as Lyn. Upon phosphorylation of the BCR components, Syk kinase is recruited to the BCR signaling complex (9). Syk is essential for propagating BCR signaling (10, 11). It acts along with...