title: Regulation of B cell survival in xid mice by the proto-oncogene bcl-2.
abstract: CBA/N mice carry an X-linked immunodeficiency (xid) due to a point mutation in the Bruton's tyrosine kinase (btk) gene. xid mice have a smaller peripheral B cell pool than normal animals, lack CD5+ B cells (B1), and are hyporesponsive to mitogenic anti-Igs and thymus-independent type 2 Ags. The proto-oncogene bcl-2 affects B cell homeostasis by suppressing programmed cell death. We hypothesized that reduced bcl-2 expression could enhance programmed cell death in xid B cells, directly causing poor peripheral B cell survival and indirectly affecting Ag responsiveness. We measured and compared levels of endogenous Bcl-2 protein and spontaneous apoptosis in xid and normal B cells, and determined the effect of a human bcl-2/Ig minigene on B cell survival and Ag responsiveness in bcl-2 transgenics. The amount of endogenous Bcl-2 was reduced fivefold in freshly isolated xid B cells compared with that in normal cells, but was equal in xid and normal T cells. Attrition by spontaneous apoptosis was significantly higher in cultured xid B cells. Expression of the bcl-2 transgene suppressed apoptosis equally in normal and xid B cells, prolonged in vitro survival, and markedly expanded in vivo the follicular B cell population normally reduced in xid mice. However, most xid defects persisted; xid/bcl-2 mice remained deficient in B1 cells and hyporesponsive to anti-Igs, thymus-independent type 1 Ags, and thymus-independent type 2 Ags. The data suggest that signal transduction pathways using Btk independently regulate B cell survival and Ag responsiveness.
authors.affiliation: University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester 01655, USA.
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Woodland
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Korsmeyer
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Gravel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006942:Hypergammaglobulinemia / Q000235:genetics; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D008231:Lymphopenia / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008805:Mice, Inbred A; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes / Q000276:immunology*; D013491:Suppressor Factors, Immunologic / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D019076:Transgenes / Q000276:immunology; D014960:X Chromosome
chemical_list: D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D013491:Suppressor Factors, Immunologic