title: Increased p190RhoGEF expression in activated B cells correlates with the induction of the plasma cell differentiation.
abstract: Previously, we demonstrated that the p190 Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor (p190RhoGEF) was induced following CD40 stimulation of B cells. In this study, we examined whether p190RhoGEF and a downstream effector molecule RhoA are required for B cell differentiation. Expression of p190RhoGEF positively correlated with the expression of surface markers and transcriptional regulators that are characteristic of mature B cells with plasma cell (PC) phenotypes. Moreover, either the overexpression of p190RhoGEF or the expression of a constitutively active RhoA drove cellular differentiation toward PC phenotypes. B cell maturation was abrogated in cells that overexpressed p190RhoGEF and a dominant-negative form of RhoA simultaneously. CD40-mediated maturation events were also abrogated in cells that overexpressed either dominant-negative p190RhoGEF or RhoA. Together, these data provide evidence that p190RhoGEF signaling through RhoA in CD40-activated B cells drives the induction of the PC differentiation.
authors: Division of Life and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 120-750, Korea.
authors: Yun Jung
authors: YJ
authors: Ha
authors: Ji Hye
authors: JH
authors: Jeong
authors: Yuna
authors: Y
authors: Park
authors: Jong Ran
authors: JR
authors: Lee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D020662:Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D020742:rhoA GTP-Binding Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C551174:ARHGEF28 protein, human; D020662:Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors; D020742:rhoA GTP-Binding Protein