Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASP) and N-WASP are critical for peripheral B-cell development and function

Blood. 2012 Apr 26;119(17):3966-74. doi: 10.1182/blood-2010-09-308197. Epub 2012 Mar 12.

Abstract

The Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASP) is a key cytoskeletal regulator of hematopoietic cells. Although WASP-knockout (WKO) mice have aberrant B-cell cytoskeletal responses, B-cell development is relatively normal. We hypothesized that N-WASP, a ubiquitously expressed homolog of WASP, may serve some redundant functions with WASP in B cells. In the present study, we generated mice lacking WASP and N-WASP in B cells (conditional double knockout [cDKO] B cells) and show that cDKO mice had decreased numbers of follicular and marginal zone B cells in the spleen. Receptor-induced activation of cDKO B cells led to normal proliferation but a marked reduction of spreading compared with wild-type and WKO B cells. Whereas WKO B cells showed decreased migration in vitro and homing in vivo compared with wild-type cells, cDKO B cells showed an even more pronounced decrease in the migratory response in vivo. After injection of 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP)-Ficoll, cDKO B cells had reduced antigen uptake in the splenic marginal zone. Despite high basal serum IgM, cDKO mice mounted a reduced immune response to the T cell-independent antigen TNP-Ficoll and to the T cell-dependent antigen TNP-keyhole limpet hemocyanin. Our results reveal that the combined activity of WASP and N-WASP is required for peripheral B-cell development and function.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • B-Lymphocytes / cytology*
  • B-Lymphocytes / physiology*
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Movement
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Chemotaxis
  • Ficoll / analogs & derivatives
  • Ficoll / pharmacology
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Hematopoiesis / physiology
  • Immunization
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Integrases / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Trinitrobenzenes / pharmacology
  • Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Protein / physiology*
  • Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Protein, Neuronal / physiology*

Substances

  • TNP-ficoll
  • Trinitrobenzenes
  • Was protein, mouse
  • Wasl protein, mouse
  • Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Protein
  • Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Protein, Neuronal
  • Ficoll
  • Cre recombinase
  • Integrases