First Author | Sciammas R | Year | 2006 |
Journal | Immunity | Volume | 25 |
Issue | 2 | Pages | 225-36 |
PubMed ID | 16919487 | Mgi Jnum | J:113471 |
Mgi Id | MGI:3686816 | Doi | 10.1016/j.immuni.2006.07.009 |
Citation | Sciammas R, et al. (2006) Graded expression of interferon regulatory factor-4 coordinates isotype switching with plasma cell differentiation. Immunity 25(2):225-36 |
abstractText | Molecular mechanisms underlying the coordination of isotype switching with plasma cell differentiation are poorly understood. We show that interferon regulatory factor-4 (IRF-4) regulates both processes by controlling the expression of the Aicda and Prdm1 genes, which encode AID and Blimp-1, respectively. Genome-wide analysis demonstrated that Irf4(-/-) B cells failed to induce the entire Blimp-1-dependent plasma cell program. Restoration of AID or Blimp-1 expression in Irf4(-/-) B cells promoted isotype switching or secretion, respectively. IRF-4 was expressed in a graded manner in differentiating B cells and targeted Prdm1. Higher concentration of IRF-4 induced Prdm1 and consequently the transition from a germinal center gene expression program to that of a plasma cell. We propose a gene-regulatory network in which graded expression of IRF-4 developmentally coordinates isotype switching with plasma cell differentiation. |