Role of beta-catenin in B cell development and function

J Immunol. 2008 Sep 15;181(6):3777-83. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.181.6.3777.

Abstract

beta-Catenin is a central mediator of Wnt signaling pathway, components of which have been implicated in B cell development and function. B cell progenitors and bone marrow stromal cells express Wnt ligands, Frizzled receptors and Wnt antagonists, suggesting fine tuned regulation of this pathway in B cell development. In particular, deletion of Frizzled 9 gene results in developmental defects at the pre-B stage of development and an accumulation of plasma cells. Furthermore, Wnt signals regulate B cell proliferation through lymphocyte enhancer-binding factor-1. However, it is not known whether Wnt signaling in B cell development is mediated by beta-catenin and whether beta-catenin plays a role in mature B cell function. In this report, we show that mice bearing B cell-specific deletion of beta-catenin have normal B cell development in bone marrow and periphery. A modest defect in plasma cell generation in vitro was documented, which correlated with a defective expression of IRF-4 and Blimp-1. However, B cell response to T-dependent and T-independent Ags in vivo was found to be normal. Thus, beta-catenin expression was found to be dispensable for normal B cell development and function.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Alleles
  • Animals
  • B-Lymphocyte Subsets / cytology*
  • B-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology*
  • B-Lymphocyte Subsets / metabolism
  • B-Lymphocyte Subsets / pathology
  • Cell Differentiation / genetics
  • Cell Differentiation / immunology*
  • Cell Lineage / genetics
  • Cell Lineage / immunology
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte / genetics
  • Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte / immunology
  • Gene Deletion
  • Gene Silencing / immunology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Wnt1 Protein / deficiency
  • Wnt1 Protein / genetics
  • beta Catenin / antagonists & inhibitors
  • beta Catenin / deficiency
  • beta Catenin / genetics
  • beta Catenin / physiology*

Substances

  • Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte
  • Wnt1 Protein
  • beta Catenin