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PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
1
pubmed:dateCreated
2009-1-21
pubmed:abstractText
Natural IgM are involved in numerous immunological functions but the genetic factors that control the homeostasis of its secretion and upholding remain unknown. Prompted by the finding that C57BL/6 mice had significantly lower serum levels of IgM when compared with BALB/c mice, we performed a genome-wide screen and found that the level of serum IgM was controlled by a QTL on chromosome 13 reaching the highest level of association at marker D13Mit266 (LOD score=3.54). This locus was named IgMSC1 and covered a region encompassing the interferon-regulatory factor 4 gene (Irf4). The number of splenic mature B cells in C57BL/6 did not differ from BALB/c mice but we found that low serum levels of IgM in C57BL/6 mice correlated with lower frequency of IgM-secreting cells in the spleen and in the peritoneal cavity. These results suggested that C57BL/6 mice have lower efficiency in late B-cell maturation, a process that is highly impaired in Irf4 knockout mice. In fact, we also found reduced Irf4 gene expression in B cells of C57BL/6 mice. Thus, we propose Irf4 as a candidate for the IgMSC1 locus, which controls IgM homeostatic levels at the level of B-cell terminal differentiation.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jan
pubmed:issn
1476-5470
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Electronic
pubmed:volume
10
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
93-9
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2009
pubmed:articleTitle
Irf4 is a positional and functional candidate gene for the control of serum IgM levels in the mouse.
pubmed:affiliation
Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't