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pubmed:abstractText |
Surface-expressed BCR mediates the proliferation and expansion of antigen-specific B lymphocytes during a humoral immune response. Although several studies extensively characterize BCR proliferative signaling, the mechanisms linking these pathways to the cell cycle remain elusive. Using knockout mice, we show that c-Rel, a proto-oncogenic member of the NF-kappaB transcription factor family, is essential to BCR-mediated proliferation and cell cycle progression. Splenic B cells obtained from gene-targeted c-Rel knockout mice display a defective proliferation response to antigen receptor cross-linking, resulting in G(1) arrest. At the molecular level, we see that BCR stimulation of resting c-Rel(-/-) B cells fails to induce proper cyclin D3 and cyclin E expression, thereby negatively impacting G(1) phase cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) activity. c-Rel-deficient B cells also exhibit incomplete phosphorylation of the Retinoblastoma protein (pRb) and poor expression of E2Fs, thus impeding the G(1) to S phase transition. Down-regulation of the pRb-related p130 protein during the G(0) to G(1) transition and removal of the CDK inhibitor p27(KIP1) in late G(1) parallel that of wild-type cells, suggesting that Rel-deficient B cells can exit the G(0) resting state and enter G(1) phase normally. Finally, we demonstrate that restoration of proliferation can be achieved partially upon reintroduction of cyclin E using a protein transduction method to reconstitute primary B cells. Collectively, these studies emphasize the importance of c-Rel in lymphocyte proliferation and oncogenesis, and highlight a requirement for c-Rel in establishing an effective humoral immune response.
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pubmed:affiliation |
Immunology Program, Department of Medicine, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, 515 East 71st Street, New York, NY 10021, USA.
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pubmed:publicationType |
Journal Article,
In Vitro,
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.,
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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