Impaired receptor editing in the primary B cell repertoire of BASH-deficient mice

J Immunol. 2004 Nov 15;173(10):5980-8. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.173.10.5980.

Abstract

The editing of B cell Ag receptor (BCR) through successive rearrangements of Ig genes has been considered to be a major mechanism for the central B cell tolerance, which precludes appearance of self-reactive B cells, through studies using anti-self-Ig transgenic/knock-in mouse systems. However, contribution of the receptor editing in the development of the normal B cell repertoire remains unclear. In addition, the signaling pathway directing this event is unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that receptor editing in anti-DNA Ig knock-in mice is impaired in the absence of an adaptor protein BASH (BLNK/SLP-65) that is involved in BCR signaling. Remarkably, the supposed hallmarks of receptor editing such as Iglambda chain expression, recombination sequence rearrangements at Igkappa loci, and presence of in-frame VkappaJkappa joins in the Igkappa loci inactivated by the recombination sequence rearrangements, were all diminished in BASH-deficient mice with unmanipulated Ig loci. BCR ligation-induced Iglambda gene recombination in vitro was also impaired in BASH-deficient B cells. Furthermore, the BASH-deficient mice showed an excessive Ab response to a DNA carrier immunization, suggesting the presence of unedited DNA-reactive B cells in the periphery. These results not only define a signaling pathway required for receptor editing but indicate that the BCR-signaled receptor editing indeed operates in the development of normal B cell repertoire and contributes to establishing the B cell tolerance.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Antinuclear / biosynthesis
  • Antibodies, Antinuclear / genetics
  • Antibodies, Antinuclear / metabolism
  • Autoantigens / immunology
  • B-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology
  • B-Lymphocyte Subsets / metabolism*
  • Carrier Proteins / genetics*
  • Carrier Proteins / physiology
  • Clonal Anergy / genetics
  • Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte, Heavy Chain
  • Genetic Markers / immunology
  • Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / biosynthesis
  • Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / genetics
  • Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / metabolism
  • Immunoglobulin Variable Region / biosynthesis
  • Immunoglobulin Variable Region / genetics
  • Immunoglobulin Variable Region / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Phosphoproteins / deficiency*
  • Phosphoproteins / genetics*
  • Phosphoproteins / physiology
  • RNA Editing / genetics
  • RNA Editing / immunology*
  • Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / genetics*
  • Signal Transduction / genetics
  • Signal Transduction / immunology
  • Vaccines, DNA / administration & dosage
  • Vaccines, DNA / immunology

Substances

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • Antibodies, Antinuclear
  • Autoantigens
  • B cell linker protein
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Genetic Markers
  • Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains
  • Immunoglobulin Variable Region
  • Phosphoproteins
  • Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell
  • Vaccines, DNA