Background The fine balance of immunoglobulins ( Ig) E, Ig G1, Ig G4 and Ig A in healthy production is maintained by the interaction of B cells with adaptive and innate immune response. The regulation of toll-like receptors ( TLRs)-driven innate and adaptive immune effector B-cell response and the role of mammalian telomeric TTAGGG repeat elements represent an important research area. Methods Human PBMC and purified naive and memory B cells were stimulated with specific ligands for TLR2, TLR3, TLR4, TLR5, TLR7, TLR8 and TLR9 in the presence or absence of telomeric oligonucleotides. B-cell proliferation, differentiation and antibody production were determined. Results TLR9 ligand directly activates naive and memory B cells, whereas TLR7 can stimulate them in the presence of plasmacytoid dendritic cells. Human B cells proliferate and turn into antibody-secreting cells in response to TLR3, TLR7 and TLR9, but not to TLR2, TLR4, TLR5 and TLR8 ligands. Stimulation of B cells with intracellular TLR3, TLR7 and TLR9 induced an activation cascade leading to memory B-cell generation and particularly Ig G1, but also Ig A, Ig G4 and very low levels of Ig E production. Mammalian telomeric oligodeoxynucleotide ( ODN) significantly inhibited all features of TLR ligand-induced events in B cells including B-cell proliferation, Ig E, Ig G1, Ig G4, Ig A production, class switch recombination, plasma cell differentiation induced by TLR3, TLR7 and TLR9 ligands. Conclusion B cells require specific TLR stimulation, T-cell and plasmacytoid dendritic cell help for distinct activation and Ig production profiles. Host-derived telomeric ODN suppress B-cell activation and antibody production demonstrating a natural mechanism for the control of overexuberant B-cell activation, antibody production and generation of memory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]