B cell-specific transgenic expression of Bcl2 rescues early B lymphopoiesis but not B cell responses in BOB.1/OBF.1-deficient mice.
Mice deficient for the transcriptional coactivator BOB.1/OBF.1 show several defects in B cell differentiation. Numbers of immature transitional B cells in the bone marrow are reduced and fewer B cells reach the periphery. Furthermore, germinal center B cells are absent and marginal zone (MZ) B lymphocytes are markedly reduced. Increased levels of B cell apoptosis in these mice prompted us to analyze expression and function of antiapoptotic proteins. Bcl2 expression is strongly reduced in BOB.1/OBF.1-deficient pre-B cells. When BOB.1/OBF.1-deficient mice were crossed with Bcl2-transgenic mice, B cell development in the bone marrow and numbers of B cells in peripheral lymphoid organs were normalized. However, neither germinal center B cells nor MZ B cells were rescued. Additionally, Bcl2 did not rescue the defects in signaling and affinity maturation found in BOB.1/OBF.1-deficient mice. Interestingly, Bcl2-transgenic mice by themselves show an MZ B cell defect. Virtually no functional MZ B cells were detected in these mice. In contrast, mice deficient for Bcl2 show a relative increase in MZ B cell numbers, indicating a previously undetected function of Bcl2 for this B cell compartment.
Brunner
Cornelia
C
Department of Physiological Chemistry, University of Ulm, D-89081 Ulm, Germany.
Marinkovic
Dragan
D
Klein
Jörg
J
Samardzic
Tatjana
T
Nitschke
Lars
L
Wirth
Thomas
T
D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D038041:Lymphopoiesis / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics*; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
C490424:Pou2af1 protein, mouse; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D015534:Trans-Activators