| First Author | Tuscano JM | Year | 1996 |
| Journal | Blood | Volume | 88 |
| Issue | 4 | Pages | 1359-64 |
| PubMed ID | 8695854 | Mgi Jnum | J:35583 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:83030 | Doi | 10.1182/blood.v88.4.1359.bloodjournal8841359 |
| Citation | Tuscano JM, et al. (1996) Bcl-x rather than Bcl-2 mediates CD40-dependent centrocyte survival in the germinal center. Blood 88(4):1359-64 |
| abstractText | Both rapid B-cell proliferation and programmed cell death (PCD) occur during the differentiation and selection of B cells within the germinal center. To help elucidate the role of Bcl-x in B-cell antigen selection and PCD within the germinal center, we examined its expression in defined B-cell populations and by immunochemistry of tonsil tissue. Purified B-cell fractions enriched for centrocytes express high amounts of Bcl-x and relatively low amounts of Bcl-2, whereas fractions enriched for centroblasts lack significant levels of both proteins. Consistent with this observation, immunocytochemistry localized Bcl-x within cells scattered throughout the germinal center. Stimulation of tonsil B cells with either CD40 or Staphylococcus aureus Cowan increase bcl-x mRNA and protein levels. Treatment of a cell line with a germinal center phenotype (RAMOS) or the tonsillar B-cell centroblast fraction with CD40 rapidly increased Bcl-x levels and partially rescued B cells from PCD. These data suggest that Bcl-x rather than Bcl-2 may rescue centrocytes during selection in the germinal center. |
