title: Bcl-2 increases memory B cell recruitment but does not perturb selection in germinal centers.
abstract: To address the role of apoptosis in the humoral immune response, we have examined a well-characterized T cell-dependent B cell response in mice expressing transgenic Bcl-2 in their B lymphocytes. The selection of somatic mutants and the appearance of high affinity antibodies was not affected by constitutive Bcl-2 expression. Such expression did, however, disproportionately increase the antigen-specific memory B cell pool, suggesting that the final size of the memory compartment may be regulated by an apoptotic process, which, in turn, can be influenced by Bcl-2. In addition, transgenic mice showed prolonged survival of foci of early antibody-producing cells, suggesting their removal is mediated by apoptosis that can be blocked by Bcl-2.
authors.affiliation: Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Post Office Royal Melborne Hospital, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rajewsky
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Nossal
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Tarlinton
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D001483:Base Sequence; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2