title: Requirement for B cell linker protein (BLNK) in B cell development.
abstract: Linker proteins function as molecular scaffolds to localize enzymes with substrates. In B cells, B cell linker protein (BLNK) links the B cell receptor (BCR)-activated Syk kinase to the phosphoinositide and mitogen-activated kinase pathways. To examine the in vivo role of BLNK, mice deficient in BLNK were generated. B cell development in BLNK-/- mice was blocked at the transition from B220+CD43+ progenitor B to B220+CD43- precursor B cells. Only a small percentage of immunoglobulin M++ (IgM++), but not mature IgMloIgDhi, B cells were detected in the periphery. Hence, BLNK is an essential component of BCR signaling pathways and is required to promote B cell development.
authors.affiliation: Center for Immunology, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pappu
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Griffin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Sleckman
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D002452:Cell Count; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002469:Cell Separation; D048429:Cell Size; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D018390:Gene Targeting; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D019891:Leukopoiesis; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000378:metabolism*; D015290:Second Messenger Systems; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; C113939:B cell linker protein; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell