title: The T cell-dependent B cell immune response and germinal center reaction are intact in A-myb-deficient mice.
abstract: Expression of the protooncogene A-myb is restricted to the developing CNS, adult testes, breasts in late pregnancy, and germinal centers of secondary B cell follicles. The functional relevance of A-myb expression at three of these sites has been demonstrated previously via the generation and analysis of A-myb-deficient mice, which display behavioral abnormalities, male sterility, and perturbed breast development during pregnancy. In contrast, here we show that the germinal center response driven by T cell-dependent Ag immunization and the associated processes of Ab V gene somatic hypermutation, affinity maturation, and heavy chain class switching are overtly normal in A-myb-deficient mice. Nonetheless, these mice display mild splenic white pulp hypoplasia and blunted primary serum Ab responses, suggesting that although A-myb is not directly involved in the regulation of the memory B cell response, it may play a role in enhancing peripheral B cell survival or proliferative capacity.
authors.affiliation: Kimmel Cancer Center and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Vora
authors.forename: V M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Lentz
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Monsell
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mettus
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Toscani
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Manser
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000235:genetics; D030161:Avian Proteins; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D002645:Chickens; D005260:Female; D018858:Germinal Center / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D017578:Immunoglobulin Class Switching / Q000235:genetics; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics*; D020598:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myb; D013154:Spleen / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics*; D005719:gamma-Globulins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: C490284:A-MYB protein, chicken; D000906:Antibodies; D030161:Avian Proteins; C490283:Mybl1 protein, mouse; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D020598:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myb; D015534:Trans-Activators; D005719:gamma-Globulins