title: Asymmetric B cell division in the germinal center reaction.
abstract: Lifelong antibody responses to vaccination require reorganization of lymphoid tissue and dynamic intercellular communication called the germinal center reaction. B lymphocytes undergo cellular polarization during antigen stimulation, acquisition, and presentation, which are critical steps for initiating humoral immunity. Here, we show that germinal center B lymphocytes asymmetrically segregate the transcriptional regulator Bcl6, the receptor for interleukin-21, and the ancestral polarity protein atypical protein kinase C to one side of the plane of division, generating unequal inheritance of fate-altering molecules by daughter cells. Germinal center B lymphocytes from mice with a defect in leukocyte adhesion fail to divide asymmetrically. These results suggest that motile cells lacking constitutive attachment can receive provisional polarity cues from the microenvironment to generate daughter cell diversity and self-renewal.
authors.affiliation: Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Burton E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Barnett
authors.forename: Maria L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Ciocca
authors.forename: Radhika
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Goenka
authors.forename: Lisa G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Barnett
authors.forename: Junmin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Terri M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Laufer
authors.forename: Janis K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Burkhardt
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Cancro
authors.forename: Steven L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Reiner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D060049:Asymmetric Cell Division; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D019013:CD40 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002450:Cell Communication; D016764:Cell Polarity; D060833:Cellular Microenvironment; D003463:Cues; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018858:Germinal Center / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology*; D007114:Immunization; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008938:Mitosis; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000378:metabolism; D051560:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-6; D053655:Receptors, Interleukin-21 / Q000378:metabolism; D000099221:Protein Kinase C zeta
chemical_list: D019013:CD40 Antigens; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D051560:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-6; D053655:Receptors, Interleukin-21; D000099221:Protein Kinase C zeta; C490010:Bcl6 protein, mouse