| First Author | Schubart DB | Year | 1996 |
| Journal | Nature | Volume | 383 |
| Issue | 6600 | Pages | 538-42 |
| PubMed ID | 8849727 | Mgi Jnum | J:35827 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:83271 | Doi | 10.1038/383538a0 |
| Citation | Schubart DB, et al. (1996) B-cell-specific coactivator OBF-1/OCA-B/Bob1 required for immune response and germinal centre formation. Nature 383(6600):538-42 |
| abstractText | The B-lymphocyte-specific transcriptional factor called Oct binding factor (OBF)-1, OCA-B or Bob1 (refs 1-3) is thought to be involved in the transcription of immunoglobulin genes through recruitment to the highly conserved octamer site of immunoglobulin promoters, mediated by either Oct-1 or Oct-2. To define the in vivo role of OBF-1 we have used gene targeting in embryonic stem cells to generate mice lacking the coactivator OBF-1. Such OBF-1-/- mice are born normally, are fertile and seem healthy, and surprisingly, rearrangement and transcription of immunoglobulin genes are largely unaffected. However, mice deficient in OBF-1 have reduced numbers of mature B cells and a severe reduction in the number of recirculating B cells, but otherwise show normal B-cell differentiation. Serum IgA and particularly IgG levels are greatly reduced. If mutant mice are immunized with either a thymus-independent or a thymus-dependent antigen, their immune responses are dramatically weakened. Strikingly, germinal centres completely fail to develop after immunization with thymus-dependent antigen. Our results demonstrate that in vivo OBF-1 is not required for initial transcription of immunoglobulin genes or for B cell development, but instead is essential for the response of B cells to antigens, and is required for the formation of germinal centres. |
