title: The role of the B cell receptor V region in peripheral B cell survival.
abstract: We investigate the role of the antigen-specific B cell receptor (BCR) in the establishment and maintenance of the peripheral B cell pools. We studied the fate of a population of transgenic B cells expressing a BCR without V region (Tg(deltaVmu)). We found that the Tg(deltaVmu) B cells can populate the peripheral B cell pools in the absence of other B cells, but when in the presence of a second population of non-transgenic B cells, they are virtually absent from the mature B cell compartments. By studying the rate of accumulation of 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine we show that the peripheral Tg(deltaVmu) B cells have a shorter life-span compared to non-transgenic B cells. By directly comparing the fate of two populations of transgenic B cells, either lacking or expressing a V region, we were able to assign the poorest competitive ability and the short peripheral survival of the Tg(delatVmu) B cells to the lack of an antigen-binding site. The results obtained support the involvement of the V region in the persistence of peripheral B cell populations.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire des Dynamiques Lymphocytaires, CNRS URA1961, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Rosado
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Freitas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000276:immunology; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin; D019254:Genes, bcl-2; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell