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Kassab MA, Chen Y, Wang X, He B, Brown EJ, Yu X. RNA 2'-O-methylation promotes persistent R-loop formation and AID-mediated IgH class switch recombination. BMC Biol 2024; 22:151. [PMID: 38977974 PMCID: PMC11232215 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-01947-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND RNA-DNA hybrids or R-loops are associated with deleterious genomic instability and protective immunoglobulin class switch recombination (CSR). However, the underlying phenomenon regulating the two contrasting functions of R-loops is unknown. Notably, the underlying mechanism that protects R-loops from classic RNase H-mediated digestion thereby promoting persistence of CSR-associated R-loops during CSR remains elusive. RESULTS Here, we report that during CSR, R-loops formed at the immunoglobulin heavy (IgH) chain are modified by ribose 2'-O-methylation (2'-OMe). Moreover, we find that 2'-O-methyltransferase fibrillarin (FBL) interacts with activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) associated snoRNA aSNORD1C to facilitate the 2'-OMe. Moreover, deleting AID C-terminal tail impairs its association with aSNORD1C and FBL. Disrupting FBL, AID or aSNORD1C expression severely impairs 2'-OMe, R-loop stability and CSR. Surprisingly, FBL, AID's interaction partner and aSNORD1C promoted AID targeting to the IgH locus. CONCLUSION Taken together, our results suggest that 2'-OMe stabilizes IgH-associated R-loops to enable productive CSR. These results would shed light on AID-mediated CSR and explain the mechanism of R-loop-associated genomic instability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muzaffer Ahmad Kassab
- Department of Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA.
- Present address: Department of Cancer Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
| | - Yibin Chen
- Department of Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
- Present address: Therapeutics Discovery Division, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77054, USA
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
- Present address: Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P. R. China
| | - Bo He
- Department of Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
- Present address: Division of Cellular and Developmental Biology, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94705, USA
| | - Eric J Brown
- Present address: Department of Cancer Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Xiaochun Yu
- Department of Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA.
- Present address: Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P. R. China.
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2
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Tambe A, MacCarthy T, Pavri R. Interpretable deep learning reveals the role of an E-box motif in suppressing somatic hypermutation of AGCT motifs within human immunoglobulin variable regions. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1407470. [PMID: 38863710 PMCID: PMC11165027 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1407470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Somatic hypermutation (SHM) of immunoglobulin variable (V) regions by activation induced deaminase (AID) is essential for robust, long-term humoral immunity against pathogen and vaccine antigens. AID mutates cytosines preferentially within WRCH motifs (where W=A or T, R=A or G and H=A, C or T). However, it has been consistently observed that the mutability of WRCH motifs varies substantially, with large variations in mutation frequency even between multiple occurrences of the same motif within a single V region. This has led to the notion that the immediate sequence context of WRCH motifs contributes to mutability. Recent studies have highlighted the potential role of local DNA sequence features in promoting mutagenesis of AGCT, a commonly mutated WRCH motif. Intriguingly, AGCT motifs closer to 5' ends of V regions, within the framework 1 (FW1) sub-region1, mutate less frequently, suggesting an SHM-suppressing sequence context. Methods Here, we systematically examined the basis of AGCT positional biases in human SHM datasets with DeepSHM, a machine-learning model designed to predict SHM patterns. This was combined with integrated gradients, an interpretability method, to interrogate the basis of DeepSHM predictions. Results DeepSHM predicted the observed positional differences in mutation frequencies at AGCT motifs with high accuracy. For the conserved, lowly mutating AGCT motifs in FW1, integrated gradients predicted a large negative contribution of 5'C and 3'G flanking residues, suggesting that a CAGCTG context in this location was suppressive for SHM. CAGCTG is the recognition motif for E-box transcription factors, including E2A, which has been implicated in SHM. Indeed, we found a strong, inverse relationship between E-box motif fidelity and mutation frequency. Moreover, E2A was found to associate with the V region locale in two human B cell lines. Finally, analysis of human SHM datasets revealed that naturally occurring mutations in the 3'G flanking residues, which effectively ablate the E-box motif, were associated with a significantly increased rate of AGCT mutation. Discussion Our results suggest an antagonistic relationship between mutation frequency and the binding of E-box factors like E2A at specific AGCT motif contexts and, therefore, highlight a new, suppressive mechanism regulating local SHM patterns in human V regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhik Tambe
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
| | - Thomas MacCarthy
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
| | - Rushad Pavri
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna, Austria
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology & Microbial Sciences, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
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3
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Leeman-Neill RJ, Bhagat G, Basu U. AID in non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphomas: The consequences of on- and off-target activity. Adv Immunol 2024; 161:127-164. [PMID: 38763700 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ai.2024.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
Activation induced cytidine deaminase (AID) is a key element of the adaptive immune system, required for immunoglobulin isotype switching and affinity maturation of B-cells as they undergo the germinal center (GC) reaction in peripheral lymphoid tissue. The inherent DNA damaging activity of this enzyme can also have off-target effects in B-cells, producing lymphomagenic chromosomal translocations that are characteristic features of various classes of non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphoma (B-NHL), and generating oncogenic mutations, so-called aberrant somatic hypermutation (aSHM). Additionally, AID has been found to affect gene expression through demethylation as well as altered interactions between gene regulatory elements. These changes have been most thoroughly studied in B-NHL arising from GC B-cells. Here, we describe the most common classes of GC-derived B-NHL and explore the consequences of on- and off-target AID activity in B and plasma cell neoplasms. The relationships between AID expression, including effects of infection and other exposures/agents, mutagenic activity and lymphoma biology are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca J Leeman-Neill
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States.
| | - Govind Bhagat
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Uttiya Basu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
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4
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Bello A, Hirth G, Voigt S, Tepper S, Jungnickel B. Mechanism and regulation of secondary immunoglobulin diversification. Cell Cycle 2023; 22:2070-2087. [PMID: 37909747 PMCID: PMC10761156 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2023.2275397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Secondary immunoglobulin diversification by somatic hypermutation and class switch recombination in B cells is instrumental for an adequate adaptive humoral immune response. These genetic events may, however, also introduce aberrations into other cellular genes and thereby cause B cell malignancies. While the basic mechanism of somatic hypermutation and class switch recombination is now well understood, their regulation and in particular the mechanism of their specific targeting to immunoglobulin genes is still rather mysterious. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the mechanism and regulation of secondary immunoglobulin diversification and discuss known mechanisms of physiological targeting to immunoglobulin genes and mistargeting to other cellular genes. We summarize open questions in the field and provide an outlook on future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Bello
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Gianna Hirth
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Stefanie Voigt
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Sandra Tepper
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Berit Jungnickel
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
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5
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Lee JY, Chou NL, Yu YR, Shih HA, Lin HW, Lee CK, Chang MS. PHRF1 promotes the class switch recombination of IgA in CH12F3-2A cells. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0285159. [PMID: 37540725 PMCID: PMC10403053 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023] Open
Abstract
PHRF1 is an E3 ligase that promotes TGF-β signaling by ubiquitinating a homeodomain repressor TG-interacting factor (TGIF). The suppression of PHRF1 activity by PML-RARα facilitates the progression of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). PHRF1 also contributes to non-homologous end-joining in response to DNA damage by linking H3K36me3 and NBS1 with DNA repair machinery. However, its role in class switch recombination (CSR) is not well understood. In this study, we report the importance of PHRF1 in IgA switching in CH12F3-2A cells and CD19-Cre mice. Our studies revealed that Crispr-Cas9 mediated PHRF1 knockout and shRNA-silenced CH12F3-2A cells reduced IgA production, as well as decreased the amounts of PARP1, NELF-A, and NELF-D. The introduction of PARP1 could partially restore IgA production in PHRF1 knockout cells. Intriguingly, IgA, as well as IgG1, IgG2a, and IgG3, switchings were not significantly decreased in PHRF1 deficient splenic B lymphocytes isolated from CD19-Cre mice. The levels of PARP1 and NELF-D were not decreased in PHRF1-depleted primary splenic B cells. Overall, our findings suggest that PHRF1 may modulate IgA switching in CH12F3-2A cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Yu Lee
- Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Nai-Lin Chou
- Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Ru Yu
- Graduate Institute of Immunology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-An Shih
- Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hung-Wei Lin
- Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chine-Kuo Lee
- Graduate Institute of Immunology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Mau-Sun Chang
- Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
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6
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A de novo transcription-dependent TAD boundary underpins critical multiway interactions during antibody class switch recombination. Mol Cell 2023; 83:681-697.e7. [PMID: 36736317 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2023.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Interactions between transcription and cohesin-mediated loop extrusion can influence 3D chromatin architecture. However, their relevance in biology is unclear. Here, we report a direct role for such interactions in the mechanism of antibody class switch recombination (CSR) at the murine immunoglobulin heavy chain locus (Igh). Using Tri-C to measure higher-order multiway interactions on single alleles, we find that the juxtaposition (synapsis) of transcriptionally active donor and acceptor Igh switch (S) sequences, an essential step in CSR, occurs via the interaction of loop extrusion complexes with a de novo topologically associating domain (TAD) boundary formed via transcriptional activity across S regions. Surprisingly, synapsis occurs predominantly in proximity to the 3' CTCF-binding element (3'CBE) rather than the Igh super-enhancer, suggesting a two-step mechanism whereby transcription of S regions is not topologically coupled to synapsis, as has been previously proposed. Altogether, these insights advance our understanding of how 3D chromatin architecture regulates CSR.
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7
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Oudinet C, Zhang X, Puget N, Kyritsis N, Leduc C, Braikia FZ, Dauba A, Alt FW, Khamlichi AA. Switch Tandem Repeats Influence the Choice of the Alternative End-Joining Pathway in Immunoglobulin Class Switch Recombination. Front Immunol 2022; 13:870933. [PMID: 35651614 PMCID: PMC9149575 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.870933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunoglobulin class switch recombination (CSR) plays an important role in humoral imm\une responses by changing the effector functions of antibodies. CSR occurs between highly repetitive switch (S) sequences located upstream of immunoglobulin constant gene exons. Switch sequences differ in size, the nature of their repeats, and the density of the motifs targeted by the activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID), the enzyme that initiates CSR. CSR involves double-strand breaks (DSBs) at the universal Sµ donor region and one of the acceptor S regions. The DSBs ends are fused by the classical non-homologous end-joining (C-NHEJ) and the alternative-NHEJ (A-NHEJ) pathways. Of the two pathways, the A-NHEJ displays a bias towards longer junctional micro-homologies (MHs). The Sµ region displays features that distinguish it from other S regions, but the molecular basis of Sµ specificity is ill-understood. We used a mouse line in which the downstream Sγ3 region was put under the control of the Eµ enhancer, which regulates Sµ, and analyzed its recombination activity by CSR-HTGTS. Here, we show that provision of Eµ enhancer to Sγ3 is sufficient to confer the recombinational features of Sµ to Sγ3, including efficient AID recruitment, enhanced internal deletions and robust donor function in CSR. Moreover, junctions involving Sγ3 display a bias for longer MH irrespective of sequence homology with switch acceptor sites. The data suggest that the propensity for increased MH usage is an intrinsic property of Sγ3 sequence, and that the tandem repeats of the donor site influence the choice of the A-NHEJ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloé Oudinet
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Xuefei Zhang
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Genetics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Nadine Puget
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Nia Kyritsis
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Genetics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Claire Leduc
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Fatima-Zohra Braikia
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Audrey Dauba
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Frederick W Alt
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Genetics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Ahmed Amine Khamlichi
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
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8
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Heltzel JHM, Maul RW, Yang W, Gearhart PJ. Promoter Proximity Defines Mutation Window for V H and V Κ Genes Rearranged to Different J Genes. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2022; 208:2220-2226. [PMID: 35418469 PMCID: PMC9050841 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2101002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Somatic hypermutation induced by activation-induced deaminase (AID) occurs at high densities between the Ig V gene promoter and intronic enhancer, which encompasses DNA encoding the rearranged V gene exon and J intron. It has been proposed that proximity between the promoter and enhancer defines the boundaries of mutation in V regions. However, depending on the J gene used, the distance between the promoter and enhancer is quite variable and may result in differential targeting around the V gene. To examine the effect of distance in mutation accumulation, we sequenced 320 clones containing different endogenous rearranged V genes in the IgH and Igκ loci from Peyer's patch B cells of mice. Clones were grouped by their use of different J genes. Distances between the V gene and enhancer ranged from ∼2.3 kb of intron DNA for rearrangements using J1, ∼2.0 kb for rearrangements using J2, ∼1.6 kb for rearrangements using J3 (H) or 4 (κ), and 1.1 kb for rearrangements using J4 (H) or 5 (κ). Strikingly, >90% of intron mutations occurred within 1 kb downstream of the J gene for both H and κ clones, regardless of which J gene was used. Thus, there is no evidence that the intron sequence or enhancer plays a role in determining the extent of mutation. The results indicate that V region intron mutations are targeted by their proximity to the promoter, suggesting they result from AID interactions with RNA polymerase II over a 1-kb region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin H M Heltzel
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD
| | - Robert W Maul
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD
| | - William Yang
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD
| | - Patricia J Gearhart
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD
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9
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Tarsalainen A, Maman Y, Meng FL, Kyläniemi MK, Soikkeli A, Budzynska P, McDonald JJ, Šenigl F, Alt FW, Schatz DG, Alinikula J. Ig Enhancers Increase RNA Polymerase II Stalling at Somatic Hypermutation Target Sequences. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2022; 208:143-154. [PMID: 34862258 PMCID: PMC8702490 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2100923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Somatic hypermutation (SHM) drives the genetic diversity of Ig genes in activated B cells and supports the generation of Abs with increased affinity for Ag. SHM is targeted to Ig genes by their enhancers (diversification activators [DIVACs]), but how the enhancers mediate this activity is unknown. We show using chicken DT40 B cells that highly active DIVACs increase the phosphorylation of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) and Pol II occupancy in the mutating gene with little or no accompanying increase in elongation-competent Pol II or production of full-length transcripts, indicating accumulation of stalled Pol II. DIVAC has similar effect also in human Ramos Burkitt lymphoma cells. The DIVAC-induced stalling is weakly associated with an increase in the detection of ssDNA bubbles in the mutating target gene. We did not find evidence for antisense transcription, or that DIVAC functions by altering levels of H3K27ac or the histone variant H3.3 in the mutating gene. These findings argue for a connection between Pol II stalling and cis-acting targeting elements in the context of SHM and thus define a mechanistic basis for locus-specific targeting of SHM in the genome. Our results suggest that DIVAC elements render the target gene a suitable platform for AID-mediated mutation without a requirement for increasing transcriptional output.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alina Tarsalainen
- Unit of Infections and Immunity, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, 20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Yaakov Maman
- The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar Ilan University, Safed, 1311502, Israel
| | - Fei-Long Meng
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School and Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, HHMI, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Current address: State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Minna K. Kyläniemi
- Unit of Infections and Immunity, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, 20520 Turku, Finland,Current address: Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, 20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Anni Soikkeli
- Unit of Infections and Immunity, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, 20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Paulina Budzynska
- Unit of Infections and Immunity, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, 20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Jessica J. McDonald
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA,Current address: The Annenberg Public Policy Center, Philadelphia, PA 19104-3806, USA
| | - Filip Šenigl
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, 142 20 Praha 4, Czech Republic
| | - Frederic W. Alt
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School and Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, HHMI, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - David G. Schatz
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA,Correspondence should be addressed to and
| | - Jukka Alinikula
- Unit of Infections and Immunity, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, 20520 Turku, Finland,Correspondence should be addressed to and
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10
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Dauba A, Khamlichi AA. Long-Range Control of Class Switch Recombination by Transcriptional Regulatory Elements. Front Immunol 2021; 12:738216. [PMID: 34594340 PMCID: PMC8477019 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.738216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunoglobulin class switch recombination (CSR) plays a crucial role in adaptive immune responses through a change of the effector functions of antibodies and is triggered by T-cell-dependent as well as T-cell-independent antigens. Signals generated following encounter with each type of antigen direct CSR to different isotypes. At the genomic level, CSR occurs between highly repetitive switch sequences located upstream of the constant gene exons of the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus. Transcription of switch sequences is mandatory for CSR and is induced in a stimulation-dependent manner. Switch transcription takes place within dynamic chromatin domains and is regulated by long-range regulatory elements which promote alignment of partner switch regions in CSR centers. Here, we review recent work and models that account for the function of long-range transcriptional regulatory elements and the chromatin-based mechanisms involved in the control of CSR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Dauba
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Ahmed Amine Khamlichi
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
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11
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Bello A, Jungnickel B. Impact of Chk1 dosage on somatic hypermutation in vivo. Immunol Cell Biol 2021; 99:879-893. [PMID: 34042197 DOI: 10.1111/imcb.12480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Checkpoint signaling in the context of a functional DNA damage response is crucial for the prevention of oncogenic transformation of cells. Our immune system, though, takes the risk of attenuated checkpoint responses during immunoglobulin diversification. B cells undergo continuous DNA damage and error-prone repair of their immunoglobulin genes during the process of somatic hypermutation. An accompanying attenuation of the DNA damage response via the ATR-Chk1 axis in B cells is believed to allow for a better DNA damage tolerance and for evasion of apoptosis, so as to ensure mutations to be passed on. We sought to determine whether the downregulation of Chk1 could also directly influence the process of hypermutation in vivo by altering the relative activity of error-prone DNA repair pathways. We analyzed the humoral response and the hypermutation process in mice whose B cells express reduced levels of the Chk1 protein. We found that Chk1 heterozygosity limits the accumulation of mutations in the immunoglobulin loci, likely by impacting on the survival of B cells as they accumulate DNA damage. Nevertheless, we unveiled an unanticipated role for Chk1 downregulation in favoring A/T mutagenesis at the antibody-variable regions during hypermutation. Even though immunoglobulin mutagenesis was found to be reduced, Chk1 signaling attenuation allows for sustained mutagenesis outside the immunoglobulin loci. Our study thus reveals that a proper Chk1 dosage is crucial for adequate somatic hypermutation in B cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Bello
- Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, School of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Berit Jungnickel
- Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, School of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
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12
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Alvarez-Gonzalez J, Yasgar A, Maul RW, Rieffer AE, Crawford DJ, Salamango DJ, Dorjsuren D, Zakharov AV, Jansen DJ, Rai G, Marugan J, Simeonov A, Harris RS, Kohli RM, Gearhart PJ. Small Molecule Inhibitors of Activation-Induced Deaminase Decrease Class Switch Recombination in B Cells. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2021; 4:1214-1226. [PMID: 34151211 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.1c00064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Activation-induced deaminase (AID) not only mutates DNA within the immunoglobulin loci to generate antibody diversity, but it also promotes development of B cell lymphomas. To tame this mutagen, we performed a quantitative high-throughput screen of over 90 000 compounds to see if AID activity could be mitigated. The enzymatic activity was assessed in biochemical assays to detect cytosine deamination and in cellular assays to measure class switch recombination. Three compounds showed promise via inhibition of switching in a transformed B cell line and in murine splenic B cells. These compounds have similar chemical structures, which suggests a shared mechanism of action. Importantly, the inhibitors blocked AID, but not a related cytosine DNA deaminase, APOBEC3B. We further determined that AID was continually expressed for several days after B cell activation to induce switching. This first report of small molecules that inhibit AID can be used to gain regulatory control over base editors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Alvarez-Gonzalez
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
| | - Adam Yasgar
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland 20816, United States
| | - Robert W Maul
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
| | - Amanda E Rieffer
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States.,Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States.,Institute for Molecular Virology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Daniel J Crawford
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Daniel J Salamango
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States.,Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States.,Institute for Molecular Virology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Dorjbal Dorjsuren
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland 20816, United States
| | - Alexey V Zakharov
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland 20816, United States
| | - Daniel J Jansen
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland 20816, United States
| | - Ganesha Rai
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland 20816, United States
| | - Juan Marugan
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland 20816, United States
| | - Anton Simeonov
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland 20816, United States
| | - Reuben S Harris
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States.,Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States.,Institute for Molecular Virology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Rahul M Kohli
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Patricia J Gearhart
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
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13
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Oudinet C, Braikia FZ, Dauba A, Khamlichi AA. Mechanism and regulation of class switch recombination by IgH transcriptional control elements. Adv Immunol 2020; 147:89-137. [PMID: 32981636 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ai.2020.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Class switch recombination (CSR) plays an important role in humoral immunity by generating antibodies with different effector functions. CSR to a particular antibody isotype is induced by external stimuli, and occurs between highly repetitive switch (S) sequences. CSR requires transcription across S regions, which generates long non-coding RNAs and secondary structures that promote accessibility of S sequences to activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID). AID initiates DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) intermediates that are repaired by general DNA repair pathways. Switch transcription is controlled by various regulatory elements, including enhancers and insulators. The current paradigm posits that transcriptional control of CSR involves long-range chromatin interactions between regulatory elements and chromatin loops-stabilizing factors, which promote alignment of partner S regions in a CSR centre (CSRC) and initiation of CSR. In this review, we focus on the role of IgH transcriptional control elements in CSR and the chromatin-based mechanisms underlying this control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloé Oudinet
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France; Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Fatima-Zohra Braikia
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France; Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Audrey Dauba
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France; Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Ahmed Amine Khamlichi
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France; Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France.
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14
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Branton SA, Ghorbani A, Bolt BN, Fifield H, Berghuis LM, Larijani M. Activation-induced cytidine deaminase can target multiple topologies of double-stranded DNA in a transcription-independent manner. FASEB J 2020; 34:9245-9268. [PMID: 32437054 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201903036rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) mutates immunoglobulin genes and acts genome-wide. AID targets robustly transcribed genes, and purified AID acts on single-stranded (ss) but not double-stranded (ds) DNA oligonucleotides. Thus, it is believed that transcription is the generator of ssDNA for AID. Previous cell-free studies examining the relationship between transcription and AID targeting have employed a bacterial colony count assay wherein AID reverts an antibiotic resistance stop codon in plasmid substrates, leading to colony formation. Here, we established a novel assay where kb-long dsDNA of varying topologies is incubated with AID, with or without transcription, followed by direct sequencing. This assay allows for an unselected and in-depth comparison of mutation frequency and pattern of AID targeting in the absence of transcription or across a range of transcription dynamics. We found that without transcription, AID targets breathing ssDNA in supercoiled and, to a lesser extent, in relaxed dsDNA. The most optimal transcription only modestly enhanced AID action on supercoiled dsDNA in a manner dependent on RNA polymerase speed. These data suggest that the correlation between transcription and AID targeting may reflect transcription leading to AID-accessible breathing ssDNA patches naturally occurring in de-chromatinized dsDNA, as much as being due to transcription directly generating ssDNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Branton
- Program in Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
| | - Atefeh Ghorbani
- Program in Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
| | - Brittany N Bolt
- Program in Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
| | - Heather Fifield
- Program in Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
| | - Lesley M Berghuis
- Program in Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
| | - Mani Larijani
- Program in Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada.,Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
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15
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Kazadi D, Lim J, Rothschild G, Grinstein V, Laffleur B, Becherel O, Lavin MJ, Basu U. Effects of senataxin and RNA exosome on B-cell chromosomal integrity. Heliyon 2020; 6:e03442. [PMID: 32195383 PMCID: PMC7075999 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e03442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Revised: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Loss of function of senataxin (SETX), a bona-fide RNA/DNA helicase, is associated with neuronal degeneration leading to Ataxia and Ocular Apraxia (AOA) in human patients. SETX is proposed to promote transcription termination, DNA replication, DNA repair, and to unwind deleterious RNA:DNA hybrids in the genome. In all the above-mentioned mechanisms, SETX unwinds transcription complex-associated nascent RNA which is then degraded by the RNA exosome complex. Here we have used B cells isolated from a SETX mutant mouse model and compared genomic instability and immunoglobulin heavy chain locus (IgH) class switch recombination (CSR) to evaluate aberrant and programmed genomic rearrangements, respectively. Similar to RNA exosome mutant primary B cells, SETX mutant primary B cells display genomic instability but a modest decrease in efficiency of CSR. Furthermore, knockdown of Setx mRNAs from CH12–F3 B-cell lines leads to a defect in IgA CSR and accumulation of aberrant patterns of mutations in IgH switch sequences. Given that SETX mutant mice do not recapitulate the AOA neurodegenerative phenotype, it is possible that some aspects of SETX biology are rescued by redundant helicases in mice. Overall, our study provides new insights into the role of the SETX/RNA exosome axis in suppressing genomic instability so that programmed DNA breaks are properly orchestrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Kazadi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Junghyun Lim
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gerson Rothschild
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Veronika Grinstein
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Brice Laffleur
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Olivier Becherel
- Centre for Clinical Research, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Martin J Lavin
- Centre for Clinical Research, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Uttiya Basu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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16
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Jones BG, Sealy RE, Penkert RR, Surman SL, Birshtein BK, Xu B, Neale G, Maul RW, Gearhart PJ, Hurwitz JL. From Influenza Virus Infections to Lupus: Synchronous Estrogen Receptor α and RNA Polymerase II Binding Within the Immunoglobulin Heavy Chain Locus. Viral Immunol 2020; 33:307-315. [PMID: 32105583 DOI: 10.1089/vim.2019.0144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Males and females respond to pathogens differently and exhibit significantly different frequencies of autoimmune disease. For example, vaccinated adult females control influenza virus better than males, but females suffer systemic lupus erythematosus at a 9:1 frequency compared to males. Numerous explanations have been offered for these sex differences, but most have involved indirect mechanisms by which estrogen, a nuclear hormone, modifies cell barriers or immunity. In search of a direct mechanism, we examined the binding of estrogen receptor α (ERα), a class I nuclear hormone receptor, to the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus. Here, we show that in purified murine B cells, ERα and RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II) exhibit extraordinarily similar DNA binding patterns. We further demonstrate that ERα preferentially binds adenosine-cytidine (AC)-repeats in the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus when supplemental estrogen is added to purified, lipopolysaccharide-activated B cells. Based on these and previous data, we hypothesize that (i) estrogen guides the binding of ERα and its RNA Pol II partner within the locus, which in turn instructs sterile transcription and class switch recombination (CSR), (ii) ERα binding to AC-repeats modifies the DNA architecture and loops associated with CSR, and (iii) by these mechanisms, estrogen instructs antibody expression. By targeting ERα-DNA interactions in the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus, clinicians may ultimately enhance antibody responses in the context of infectious diseases and reduce antibody responses in the context of allergic or autoimmune reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bart G Jones
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Robert E Sealy
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Rhiannon R Penkert
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Sherri L Surman
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Barbara K Birshtein
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Beisi Xu
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Geoffrey Neale
- Hartwell Center for Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Robert W Maul
- National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Patricia J Gearhart
- National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Julia L Hurwitz
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.,Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Biochemistry, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
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17
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Heltzel JMH, Gearhart PJ. What Targets Somatic Hypermutation to the Immunoglobulin Loci? Viral Immunol 2019; 33:277-281. [PMID: 31770070 DOI: 10.1089/vim.2019.0149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the most profound enigmas in B cell biology is how activation-induced deaminase (AID) is targeted to a very small region of DNA in the immunoglobulin loci. Two specific regions are singled out: the variable region of 2 kb that contains rearranged genes on the heavy, κ light, and λ light chain loci, and the switch region of ∼4 kb that contains an extensive stretch of G:C rich DNA on the heavy chain locus. Transcription is required for AID recruitment; however, many genes are also highly transcribed and do not undergo the catastrophic mutagenesis that occurs in variable and switch regions. The DNA sequences of these regions cause RNA polymerase II to accumulate for an extended distance of 2-4 kb. The stalled polymerases then recruit the transcription cofactor Spt5, and AID, which deaminates cytosines to uracils in exposed transcription bubbles. Thus, the immunoglobulin loci are unique in that a favorable combination of DNA sequences and 3' transcription enhancers make them the perfect storm for AID-induced somatic hypermutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin M H Heltzel
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Patricia J Gearhart
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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18
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Yu K, Lieber MR. Current insights into the mechanism of mammalian immunoglobulin class switch recombination. Crit Rev Biochem Mol Biol 2019; 54:333-351. [PMID: 31509023 PMCID: PMC6856442 DOI: 10.1080/10409238.2019.1659227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Revised: 08/13/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Immunoglobulin (Ig) class switch recombination (CSR) is the gene rearrangement process by which B lymphocytes change the Ig heavy chain constant region to permit a switch of Ig isotype from IgM to IgG, IgA, or IgE. At the DNA level, CSR occurs via generation and joining of DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) at intronic switch regions located just upstream of each of the heavy chain constant regions. Activation-induced deaminase (AID), a B cell specific enzyme, catalyzes cytosine deaminations (converting cytosines to uracils) as the initial DNA lesions that eventually lead to DSBs and CSR. Progress on AID structure integrates very well with knowledge about Ig class switch region nucleic acid structures that are supported by functional studies. It is an ideal time to review what is known about the mechanism of Ig CSR and its relation to somatic hypermutation. There have been many comprehensive reviews on various aspects of the CSR reaction and regulation of AID expression and activity. This review is focused on the relation between AID and switch region nucleic acid structures, with a particular emphasis on R-loops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kefei Yu
- Michigan State University, Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, 5175 Biomedical Physical Sciences, East Lansing, MI 48824
| | - Michael R. Lieber
- USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Ctr., Departments of Pathology, of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, and of the Section of Molecular & Computational Biology within the Department of Biological Sciences, 1441 Eastlake Ave., NTT5428, Los Angeles, CA 90089-9176
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19
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Yeap LS, Meng FL. Cis- and trans-factors affecting AID targeting and mutagenic outcomes in antibody diversification. Adv Immunol 2019; 141:51-103. [PMID: 30904133 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ai.2019.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Antigen receptor diversification is a hallmark of adaptive immunity which allows specificity of the receptor to particular antigen. B cell receptor (BCR) or its secreted form, antibody, is diversified through antigen-independent and antigen-dependent mechanisms. During B cell development in bone marrow, BCR is diversified via V(D)J recombination mediated by RAG endonuclease. Upon stimulation by antigen, B cell undergo somatic hypermutation (SHM) to allow affinity maturation and class switch recombination (CSR) to change the effector function of the antibody. Both SHM and CSR are initiated by activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID). Repair of AID-initiated lesions through different DNA repair pathways results in diverse mutagenic outcomes. Here, we focus on discussing cis- and trans-factors that target AID to its substrates and factors that affect different outcomes of AID-initiated lesions. The knowledge of mechanisms that govern AID targeting and outcomes could be harnessed to elicit rare functional antibodies and develop ex vivo antibody diversification approaches with diversifying base editors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leng-Siew Yeap
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Fei-Long Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
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20
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Castiblanco DP, Norton DD, Maul RW, Gearhart PJ. J H6 downstream intronic sequence is dispensable for RNA polymerase II accumulation and somatic hypermutation of the variable gene in Ramos cells. Mol Immunol 2018; 97:101-108. [PMID: 29625296 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2018.03.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2018] [Revised: 03/09/2018] [Accepted: 03/30/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Activation-induced deaminase (AID) introduces nucleotide substitutions within the variable region of immunoglobulin genes to promote antibody diversity. This activity, which is limited to 1.5 kb downstream of the variable gene promoter, mutates both the coding exon and downstream intronic sequences. We recently reported that RNA polymerase II accumulates in these regions during transcription in mice. This build-up directly correlates with the area that is accessible to AID, and manipulation of RNA polymerase II levels alters the mutation frequency. To address whether the intronic DNA sequence by itself can regulate RNA polymerase II accumulation and promote mutagenesis, we deleted 613 bp of DNA downstream of the JH6 intron in the human Ramos B cell line. The loss of this sequence did not alter polymerase abundance or mutagenesis in the variable gene, suggesting that most of the intronic sequence is dispensable for somatic hypermutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana P Castiblanco
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Darrell D Norton
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Robert W Maul
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Patricia J Gearhart
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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21
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A licensing step links AID to transcription elongation for mutagenesis in B cells. Nat Commun 2018; 9:1248. [PMID: 29593215 PMCID: PMC5871760 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03387-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2017] [Accepted: 02/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Activation-induced deaminase (AID) mutates the immunoglobulin (Ig) genes to initiate somatic hypermutation (SHM) and class switch recombination (CSR) in B cells, thus underpinning antibody responses. AID mutates a few hundred other loci, but most AID-occupied genes are spared. The mechanisms underlying productive deamination versus non-productive AID targeting are unclear. Here we show that three clustered arginine residues define a functional AID domain required for SHM, CSR, and off-target activity in B cells without affecting AID deaminase activity or Escherichia coli mutagenesis. Both wt AID and mutants with single amino acid replacements in this domain broadly associate with Spt5 and chromatin and occupy the promoter of AID target genes. However, mutant AID fails to occupy the corresponding gene bodies and loses association with transcription elongation factors. Thus AID mutagenic activity is determined not by locus occupancy but by a licensing mechanism, which couples AID to transcription elongation. Activation-induced deaminase (AID) is important for inducing desirable mutations at the B cell receptor genes for effective antibody responses. Here the authors show that three key arginine residues of AID link AID-chromatin association with transcription elongation to license AID for specific mutagenesis in B cells.
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22
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Epigenetic regulation in B-cell maturation and its dysregulation in autoimmunity. Cell Mol Immunol 2018; 15:676-684. [PMID: 29375128 PMCID: PMC6123482 DOI: 10.1038/cmi.2017.133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2017] [Revised: 10/22/2017] [Accepted: 10/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
B cells have a critical role in the initiation and acceleration of autoimmune diseases, especially those mediated by autoantibodies. In the peripheral lymphoid system, mature B cells are activated by self or/and foreign antigens and signals from helper T cells for differentiating into either memory B cells or antibody-producing plasma cells. Accumulating evidence has shown that epigenetic regulations modulate somatic hypermutation and class switch DNA recombination during B-cell activation and differentiation. Any abnormalities in these complex regulatory processes may contribute to aberrant antibody production, resulting in autoimmune pathogenesis such as systemic lupus erythematosus. Newly generated knowledge from advanced modern technologies such as next-generation sequencing, single-cell sequencing and DNA methylation sequencing has enabled us to better understand B-cell biology and its role in autoimmune development. Thus this review aims to summarize current research progress in epigenetic modifications contributing to B-cell activation and differentiation, especially under autoimmune conditions such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes.
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23
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R-Loop Depletion by Over-expressed RNase H1 in Mouse B Cells Increases Activation-Induced Deaminase Access to the Transcribed Strand without Altering Frequency of Isotype Switching. J Mol Biol 2017; 429:3255-3263. [PMID: 28065739 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2016.12.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2016] [Revised: 12/09/2016] [Accepted: 12/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
R-loops, three-strand structures consisting of mRNA hybridized to the complementary DNA and a single-stranded DNA loop, are formed in switch regions on the heavy-chain immunoglobulin locus. To determine if R-loops have a direct effect on any of the steps involved in isotype switching, we generated a transgenic mouse that over-expressed RNase H1, an enzyme that cleaves the RNA of RNA/DNA hybrids in B cells. R-loops in the switch μ region were depleted by 70% in ex vivo activated splenic B cells. Frequencies of isotype switching to IgG1, IgG2b, IgG2c, and IgG3 were the same as C57BL/6 control cells. However, somatic hypermutation was increased specifically on the transcribed strand from μ-γ joins, indicating that R-loops limit activation-induced (cytosine) deaminase access to the transcribed DNA strand. Our data suggest that, in the normal G+C-rich context of mammalian class switch recombination regions, R-loops are obligatory intermediates. Processing of the R-loops is needed to remove RNA allowing activation-induced (cytosine) deaminase to promote somatic hypermutation on both DNA strands to generate double-strand DNA breaks for efficient class switch recombination. One of the two cellular RNases H may assist in this process.
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24
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Methot S, Di Noia J. Molecular Mechanisms of Somatic Hypermutation and Class Switch Recombination. Adv Immunol 2017; 133:37-87. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.ai.2016.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 165] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
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25
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Hauser J, Grundström C, Kumar R, Grundström T. Regulated localization of an AID complex with E2A, PAX5 and IRF4 at the Igh locus. Mol Immunol 2016; 80:78-90. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2016.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2016] [Revised: 10/25/2016] [Accepted: 10/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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26
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Jones BG, Penkert RR, Xu B, Fan Y, Neale G, Gearhart PJ, Hurwitz JL. Binding of estrogen receptors to switch sites and regulatory elements in the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus of activated B cells suggests a direct influence of estrogen on antibody expression. Mol Immunol 2016; 77:97-102. [PMID: 27494228 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2016.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2016] [Revised: 07/17/2016] [Accepted: 07/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Females and males differ in antibody isotype expression patterns and in immune responses to foreign- and self-antigens. For example, systemic lupus erythematosus is a condition that associates with the production of isotype-skewed anti-self antibodies, and exhibits a 9:1 female:male disease ratio. To explain differences between B cell responses in males and females, we sought to identify direct interactions of the estrogen receptor (ER) with the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus. This effort was encouraged by our previous identification of estrogen response elements (ERE) in heavy chain switch (S) regions. We conducted a full-genome chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis (ChIP-seq) using DNA from LPS-activated B cells and an ERα-specific antibody. Results revealed ER binding to a wide region of DNA, spanning sequences from the JH cluster to Cδ, with peaks in Eμ and Sμ sites. Additional peaks of ERα binding were coincident with hs1,2 and hs4 sites in the 3' regulatory region (3'RR) of the heavy chain locus. This first demonstration of direct binding of ER to key regulatory elements in the immunoglobulin locus supports our hypothesis that estrogen and other nuclear hormone receptors and ligands may directly influence antibody expression and class switch recombination (CSR). Our hypothesis encourages the conduct of new experiments to evaluate the consequences of ER binding. A better understanding of ER:DNA interactions in the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus, and respective mechanisms, may ultimately translate to better control of antibody expression, better protection against pathogens, and prevention of pathologies caused by auto-immune disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bart G Jones
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Rhiannon R Penkert
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Beisi Xu
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Yiping Fan
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Geoff Neale
- Hartwell Center, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Patricia J Gearhart
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Julia L Hurwitz
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA; Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Biochemistry, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA.
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Related Mechanisms of Antibody Somatic Hypermutation and Class Switch Recombination. Microbiol Spectr 2016; 3:MDNA3-0037-2014. [PMID: 26104555 DOI: 10.1128/microbiolspec.mdna3-0037-2014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The primary antibody repertoire is generated by mechanisms involving the assembly of the exons that encode the antigen-binding variable regions of immunoglobulin heavy (IgH) and light (IgL) chains during the early development of B lymphocytes. After antigen-dependent activation, mature B lymphocytes can further alter their IgH and IgL variable region exons by the process of somatic hypermutation (SHM), which allows the selection of B cells in which SHMs resulted in the production of antibodies with increased antigen affinity. In addition, during antigen-dependent activation, B cells can also change the constant region of their IgH chain through a DNA double-strand-break (DSB) dependent process referred to as IgH class switch recombination (CSR), which generates B cell progeny that produce antibodies with different IgH constant region effector functions that are best suited for a elimination of a particular pathogen or in a particular setting. Both the mutations that underlie SHM and the DSBs that underlie CSR are initiated in target genes by activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID). This review describes in depth the processes of SHM and CSR with a focus on mechanisms that direct AID cytidine deamination in activated B cells and mechanisms that promote the differential outcomes of such cytidine deamination.
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Chen Z, Eder MD, Elos MT, Viboolsittiseri SS, Chen X, Wang JH. Interplay between Target Sequences and Repair Pathways Determines Distinct Outcomes of AID-Initiated Lesions. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2016; 196:2335-47. [PMID: 26810227 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1502184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2015] [Accepted: 12/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Activation-induced deaminase (AID) functions by deaminating cytosines and causing U:G mismatches, a rate-limiting step of Ab gene diversification. However, precise mechanisms regulating AID deamination frequency remain incompletely understood. Moreover, it is not known whether different sequence contexts influence the preferential access of mismatch repair or uracil glycosylase (UNG) to AID-initiated U:G mismatches. In this study, we employed two knock-in models to directly compare the mutability of core Sμ and VDJ exon sequences and their ability to regulate AID deamination and subsequent repair process. We find that the switch (S) region is a much more efficient AID deamination target than the V region. Igh locus AID-initiated lesions are processed by error-free and error-prone repair. S region U:G mismatches are preferentially accessed by UNG, leading to more UNG-dependent deletions, enhanced by mismatch repair deficiency. V region mutation hotspots are largely determined by AID deamination. Recurrent and conserved S region motifs potentially function as spacers between AID deamination hotspots. We conclude that the pattern of mutation hotspots and DNA break generation is influenced by sequence-intrinsic properties, which regulate AID deamination and affect the preferential access of downstream repair. Our studies reveal an evolutionarily conserved role for substrate sequences in regulating Ab gene diversity and AID targeting specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhangguo Chen
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045; and Department of Biomedical Research, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO 80206
| | - Maxwell D Eder
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045; and
| | - Mihret T Elos
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045; and
| | - Sawanee S Viboolsittiseri
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045; and
| | - Xiaomi Chen
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045; and
| | - Jing H Wang
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045; and Department of Biomedical Research, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO 80206
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29
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Mutations, kataegis and translocations in B cells: understanding AID promiscuous activity. Nat Rev Immunol 2016; 16:164-76. [PMID: 26898111 DOI: 10.1038/nri.2016.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
As B cells engage in the immune response, they express activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) to initiate the hypermutation and recombination of immunoglobulin genes, which are crucial processes for the efficient recognition and disposal of pathogens. However, AID must be tightly controlled in B cells to minimize off-target mutations, which can drive chromosomal translocations and the development of B cell malignancies, such as lymphomas. Recent genomic and biochemical analyses have begun to unravel the mechanisms of how AID-mediated deamination is targeted outside immunoglobulin genes. Here, we discuss the transcriptional and topological features that are emerging as key drivers of AID promiscuous activity.
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30
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AID hits the jackpot when missing the target. Curr Opin Immunol 2016; 39:96-102. [PMID: 26845615 DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2016.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2015] [Revised: 01/12/2016] [Accepted: 01/14/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Activation induced deaminase is the single B cell specific factor mediating class switch recombination and somatic hypermutation. Numerous studies have shown that AID preferentially targets Ig substrates and also attacks non-Ig substrates to create DNA damage that contributes to lymphomagenesis. AID targeting to Ig loci is linked to transcription but the mechanism governing this process has been obscure. Here we discuss research that illustrates the connection between AID targeting to DNA substrates and transcription processes to reveal rules governing the specificity of AID attack. These observations are woven together to provide a integrated view of AID function and a surprising linkage with global regulation of gene expression.
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31
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Hurwitz JL, Penkert RR, Xu B, Fan Y, Partridge JF, Maul RW, Gearhart PJ. Hotspots for Vitamin-Steroid-Thyroid Hormone Response Elements Within Switch Regions of Immunoglobulin Heavy Chain Loci Predict a Direct Influence of Vitamins and Hormones on B Cell Class Switch Recombination. Viral Immunol 2016; 29:132-6. [PMID: 26741514 DOI: 10.1089/vim.2015.0104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Vitamin A deficiencies are common throughout the world and have a significant negative influence on immune protection against viral infections. Mouse models demonstrate that the production of IgA, a first line of defense against viruses at mucosal sites, is inhibited in the context of vitamin A deficiency. In vitro, the addition of vitamin A to activated B cells can enhance IgA expression, but downregulate IgE. Previous reports have demonstrated that vitamin A modifies cytokine patterns, and in so doing may influence antibody isotype expression by an indirect mechanism. However, we have now discovered hundreds of potential response elements among Sμ, Sɛ, and Sα switch sites within immunoglobulin heavy chain loci. These hotspots appear in both mouse and human loci and include targets for vitamin receptors and related proteins (e.g., estrogen receptors) in the nuclear receptor superfamily. Full response elements with direct repeats are relatively infrequent or absent in Sγ regions although half-sites are present. Based on these results, we pose a hypothesis that nuclear receptors have a direct effect on the immunoglobulin heavy chain class switch recombination event. We propose that vitamin A may alter S site accessibility to activation-induced deaminase and nonhomologous end-joining machinery, thereby influencing the isotype switch, antibody production, and protection against viral infections at mucosal sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia L Hurwitz
- 1 Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital , Memphis, Tennessee.,2 Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Biochemistry, University of Tennessee Health Science Center , Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Rhiannon R Penkert
- 1 Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital , Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Beisi Xu
- 3 Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital , Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Yiping Fan
- 3 Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital , Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Janet F Partridge
- 4 Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital , Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Robert W Maul
- 5 National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health , Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Patricia J Gearhart
- 5 National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health , Baltimore, Maryland
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32
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Zan H, Casali P. Epigenetics of Peripheral B-Cell Differentiation and the Antibody Response. Front Immunol 2015; 6:631. [PMID: 26697022 PMCID: PMC4677338 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2015.00631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2015] [Accepted: 11/30/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic modifications, such as histone post-translational modifications, DNA methylation, and alteration of gene expression by non-coding RNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), are heritable changes that are independent from the genomic DNA sequence. These regulate gene activities and, therefore, cellular functions. Epigenetic modifications act in concert with transcription factors and play critical roles in B cell development and differentiation, thereby modulating antibody responses to foreign- and self-antigens. Upon antigen encounter by mature B cells in the periphery, alterations of these lymphocytes epigenetic landscape are induced by the same stimuli that drive the antibody response. Such alterations instruct B cells to undergo immunoglobulin (Ig) class switch DNA recombination (CSR) and somatic hypermutation (SHM), as well as differentiation to memory B cells or long-lived plasma cells for the immune memory. Inducible histone modifications, together with DNA methylation and miRNAs modulate the transcriptome, particularly the expression of activation-induced cytidine deaminase, which is essential for CSR and SHM, and factors central to plasma cell differentiation, such as B lymphocyte-induced maturation protein-1. These inducible B cell-intrinsic epigenetic marks guide the maturation of antibody responses. Combinatorial histone modifications also function as histone codes to target CSR and, possibly, SHM machinery to the Ig loci by recruiting specific adaptors that can stabilize CSR/SHM factors. In addition, lncRNAs, such as recently reported lncRNA-CSR and an lncRNA generated through transcription of the S region that form G-quadruplex structures, are also important for CSR targeting. Epigenetic dysregulation in B cells, including the aberrant expression of non-coding RNAs and alterations of histone modifications and DNA methylation, can result in aberrant antibody responses to foreign antigens, such as those on microbial pathogens, and generation of pathogenic autoantibodies, IgE in allergic reactions, as well as B cell neoplasia. Epigenetic marks would be attractive targets for new therapeutics for autoimmune and allergic diseases, and B cell malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Zan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas School of Medicine, UT Health Science Center , San Antonio, TX , USA
| | - Paolo Casali
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas School of Medicine, UT Health Science Center , San Antonio, TX , USA
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Gearhart PJ, Castiblanco DP, Russell Knode LM. Exceptional Antibodies Produced by Successive Immunizations. PLoS Biol 2015; 13:e1002321. [PMID: 26641938 PMCID: PMC4671562 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1002321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibodies stand between us and pathogens. Viruses mutate quickly to avoid detection, and antibodies mutate at similar rates to hunt them down. This death spiral is fueled by specialized proteins and error-prone polymerases that change DNA sequences. Here, we explore how B lymphocytes stay in the race by expressing activation-induced deaminase, which unleashes a tsunami of mutations in the immunoglobulin loci. This produces random DNA substitutions, followed by selection for the highest affinity antibodies. We may be able to manipulate the process to produce better antibodies by expanding the repertoire of specific B cells through successive vaccinations. This Essay explores the possibility of manipulating somatic hypermutation in B lymphocytes by administering serial vaccinations with engineered antigens, with the aim of generating potent antibodies to destroy pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia J. Gearhart
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Diana P. Castiblanco
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Lisa M. Russell Knode
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
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34
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Khair L, Baker RE, Linehan EK, Schrader CE, Stavnezer J. Nbs1 ChIP-Seq Identifies Off-Target DNA Double-Strand Breaks Induced by AID in Activated Splenic B Cells. PLoS Genet 2015; 11:e1005438. [PMID: 26263206 PMCID: PMC4532491 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2015] [Accepted: 07/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) is required for initiation of Ig class switch recombination (CSR) and somatic hypermutation (SHM) of antibody genes during immune responses. AID has also been shown to induce chromosomal translocations, mutations, and DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) involving non-Ig genes in activated B cells. To determine what makes a DNA site a target for AID-induced DSBs, we identify off-target DSBs induced by AID by performing chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) for Nbs1, a protein that binds DSBs, followed by deep sequencing (ChIP-Seq). We detect and characterize hundreds of off-target AID-dependent DSBs. Two types of tandem repeats are highly enriched within the Nbs1-binding sites: long CA repeats, which can form Z-DNA, and tandem pentamers containing the AID target hotspot WGCW. These tandem repeats are not nearly as enriched at AID-independent DSBs, which we also identified. Msh2, a component of the mismatch repair pathway and important for genome stability, increases off-target DSBs, similar to its effect on Ig switch region DSBs, which are required intermediates during CSR. Most of the off-target DSBs are two-ended, consistent with generation during G1 phase, similar to DSBs in Ig switch regions. However, a minority are one-ended, presumably due to conversion of single-strand breaks to DSBs during replication. One-ended DSBs are repaired by processes involving homologous recombination, including break-induced replication repair, which can lead to genome instability. Off-target DSBs, especially those present during S phase, can lead to chromosomal translocations, deletions and gene amplifications, resulting in the high frequency of B cell lymphomas derived from cells that express or have expressed AID. Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) is required for diversifying antibodies during immune responses, and it does this by introducing mutations and DNA breaks into antibody genes. How AID is targeted is not understood, and it induces chromosomal translocations, mutations, and double-strand breaks (DSBs) at sites other than antibody genes in activated B cells. To determine what makes an off-target DNA site a target for AID-induced DSBs, we identify and characterize hundreds of genome-wide DSBs induced by AID during B cell activation. Interestingly, many of the DSBs are within or adjacent to two types of tandemly repeated simple sequences, which have characteristics that might explain why they are targeted. We find that most of the DSBs are two-ended, consistent with their generation during G1 phase of the cell cycle, which is when AID induces DNA breaks in antibody genes. However, a minority is one-ended, consistent with replication encountering an AID-induced single-strand break, thereby creating a DSB. Both types of off-target DSBs, but especially those present during S phase of the cell cycle, lead to chromosomal translocations, deletions and gene amplifications that can promote B cell lymphomagenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lyne Khair
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Richard E. Baker
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Erin K. Linehan
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Carol E. Schrader
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Janet Stavnezer
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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35
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Chandra V, Bortnick A, Murre C. AID targeting: old mysteries and new challenges. Trends Immunol 2015; 36:527-35. [PMID: 26254147 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2015.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2015] [Revised: 07/14/2015] [Accepted: 07/14/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) mediates cytosine deamination and underlies two central processes in antibody diversification: somatic hypermutation and class-switch recombination. AID deamination is not exclusive to immunoglobulin loci; it can instigate DNA lesions in non-immunoglobulin genes and thus stringent checks are in place to constrain and restrict its activity. Recent findings have provided new insights into the mechanisms that target AID activity to specific genomic regions, revealing an involvement for noncoding RNAs associated with polymerase pausing and with enhancer transcription as well as genomic architecture. We review these findings and integrate them into a model for multilevel regulation of AID expression and targeting in immunoglobulin and non-immunoglobulin loci. Within this framework we discuss gaps in understanding, and outline important areas of further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivek Chandra
- Department of Molecular Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0377, USA
| | - Alexandra Bortnick
- Department of Molecular Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0377, USA
| | - Cornelis Murre
- Department of Molecular Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0377, USA.
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36
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Abstract
The immunoglobulin diversification processes of somatic hypermutation and class switch recombination critically rely on transcription-coupled targeting of activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) to Ig loci in activated B lymphocytes. AID catalyzes deamination of cytidine deoxynucleotides on exposed single-stranded DNA. In addition to driving immunoglobulin diversity, promiscuous targeting of AID mutagenic activity poses a deleterious threat to genomic stability. Recent genome-wide studies have uncovered pervasive AID activity throughout the B cell genome. It is increasingly apparent that AID activity is frequently targeted to genomic loci undergoing early transcription termination where RNA exosome promotes the resolution of stalled transcription complexes via cotranscriptional RNA degradation mechanisms. Here, we review aspects and consequences of eukaryotic transcription that lead to early termination, RNA exosome recruitment, and ultimately targeting of AID mutagenic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evangelos Pefanis
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, USA.
| | - Uttiya Basu
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, USA.
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37
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Zhang ZZ, Hsieh CL, Okitsu CY, Han L, Yu K, Lieber MR. Effect of CpG dinucleotides within IgH switch region repeats on immunoglobulin class switch recombination. Mol Immunol 2015; 66:284-9. [PMID: 25899867 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2015.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2015] [Revised: 03/31/2015] [Accepted: 04/04/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Immunoglobulin (Ig) heavy chains undergo class switch recombination (CSR) to change the heavy chain isotype from IgM to IgG, A or E. The switch regions are several kilobases long, repetitive, and G-rich on the nontemplate strand. They are also relatively depleted of CpG (also called CG) sites for unknown reasons. Here we use synthetic switch regions at the IgH switch alpha (Sα) locus to test the effect of CpG sites and to try to understand why the IgH switch sequences evolved to be relatively depleted of CpG. We find that even just two CpG sites within an 80 bp synthetic switch repeat iterated 15 times (total switch region length of 1200 bp containing 30 CpG sites) are sufficient to dramatically reduce both Ig CSR and transcription through the switch region from the upstream Iα sterile transcript promoter, which is the promoter that directs transcripts through the Sα region. De novo DNA methylation occurs at the four CpG sites in and around the Iα promoter when each 80 bp Iα switch repeat contains the two CpG sites. Thus, a relatively low density of CpG sites within the switch repeats can induce upstream CpG methylation at the IgH alpha locus, and cause a substantial decrease in transcription from the sterile transcript promoter. This effect is likely the reason that switch regions evolved to contain very few CpG sites. We discuss these findings as they relate to DNA methylation and to Ig CSR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Z Zhang
- USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences; Departments of Pathology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Urology, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, 1441 Eastlake Ave., Rm. 5428, Los Angeles, CA 90089-9176, United States
| | - Chih-Lin Hsieh
- USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences; Departments of Pathology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Urology, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, 1441 Eastlake Ave., Rm. 5428, Los Angeles, CA 90089-9176, United States
| | - Cindy Yen Okitsu
- USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences; Departments of Pathology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Urology, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, 1441 Eastlake Ave., Rm. 5428, Los Angeles, CA 90089-9176, United States
| | - Li Han
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, 5175 Biomedical Physical Sciences, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States
| | - Kefei Yu
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, 5175 Biomedical Physical Sciences, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States.
| | - Michael R Lieber
- USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences; Departments of Pathology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Urology, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, 1441 Eastlake Ave., Rm. 5428, Los Angeles, CA 90089-9176, United States.
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38
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Stavnezer J, Schrader CE. IgH chain class switch recombination: mechanism and regulation. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2015; 193:5370-8. [PMID: 25411432 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1401849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 168] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
IgH class switching occurs rapidly after activation of mature naive B cells, resulting in a switch from expression of IgM and IgD to expression of IgG, IgE, or IgA; this switch improves the ability of Abs to remove the pathogen that induces the humoral immune response. Class switching occurs by a deletional recombination between two switch regions, each of which is associated with a H chain constant region gene. Class switch recombination (CSR) is instigated by activation-induced cytidine deaminase, which converts cytosines in switch regions to uracils. The uracils are subsequently removed by two DNA-repair pathways, resulting in mutations, single-strand DNA breaks, and the double-strand breaks required for CSR. We discuss several aspects of CSR, including how CSR is induced, CSR in B cell progenitors, the roles of transcription and chromosomal looping in CSR, and the roles of certain DNA-repair enzymes in CSR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet Stavnezer
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605
| | - Carol E Schrader
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605
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39
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Maul RW, Saribasak H, Cao Z, Gearhart PJ. Topoisomerase I deficiency causes RNA polymerase II accumulation and increases AID abundance in immunoglobulin variable genes. DNA Repair (Amst) 2015; 30:46-52. [PMID: 25869824 DOI: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2015.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2014] [Revised: 03/03/2015] [Accepted: 03/09/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Activation-induced deaminase (AID) is a DNA cytosine deaminase that diversifies immunoglobulin genes in B cells. Recent work has shown that RNA polymerase II (Pol II) accumulation correlates with AID recruitment. However, a direct link between Pol II and AID abundance has not been tested. We used the DT40 B-cell line to manipulate levels of Pol II by decreasing topoisomerase I (Top1), which relaxes DNA supercoiling in front of the transcription complex. Top1 was decreased by stable transfection of a short hairpin RNA against Top1, which produced an accumulation of Pol II in transcribed genes, compared to cells transfected with sh-control RNA. The increased Pol II density enhanced AID recruitment to variable genes in the λ light chain locus, and resulted in higher levels of somatic hypermutation and gene conversion. It has been proposed by another lab that AID itself might directly suppress Top1 to increase somatic hypermutation. However, we found that in both AID(+/+) and AID(-/-) B cells from DT40 and mice, Top1 protein levels were identical, indicating that the presence or absence of AID did not decrease Top1 expression. Rather, our results suggest that the mechanism for increased diversity when Top1 is reduced is that Pol II accumulates and recruits AID to variable genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert W Maul
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, United States
| | - Huseyin Saribasak
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, United States
| | - Zheng Cao
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, United States
| | - Patricia J Gearhart
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, United States.
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40
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Meng FL, Du Z, Federation A, Hu J, Wang Q, Kieffer-Kwon KR, Meyers RM, Amor C, Wasserman CR, Neuberg D, Casellas R, Nussenzweig MC, Bradner JE, Liu XS, Alt FW. Convergent transcription at intragenic super-enhancers targets AID-initiated genomic instability. Cell 2014; 159:1538-48. [PMID: 25483776 PMCID: PMC4322776 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2014.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 188] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2014] [Revised: 10/01/2014] [Accepted: 10/27/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) initiates both somatic hypermutation (SHM) for antibody affinity maturation and DNA breakage for antibody class switch recombination (CSR) via transcription-dependent cytidine deamination of single-stranded DNA targets. Though largely specific for immunoglobulin genes, AID also acts on a limited set of off-targets, generating oncogenic translocations and mutations that contribute to B cell lymphoma. How AID is recruited to off-targets has been a long-standing mystery. Based on deep GRO-seq studies of mouse and human B lineage cells activated for CSR or SHM, we report that most robust AID off-target translocations occur within highly focal regions of target genes in which sense and antisense transcription converge. Moreover, we found that such AID-targeting "convergent" transcription arises from antisense transcription that emanates from super-enhancers within sense transcribed gene bodies. Our findings provide an explanation for AID off-targeting to a small subset of mostly lineage-specific genes in activated B cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei-Long Meng
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, and Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Zhou Du
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, and Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Alexander Federation
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jiazhi Hu
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, and Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Qiao Wang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Kyong-Rim Kieffer-Kwon
- Genomics and Immunity, NIAMS, and Center of Cancer Research, NCI, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Robin M Meyers
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, and Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Corina Amor
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, and Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Caitlyn R Wasserman
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, and Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Donna Neuberg
- Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Rafael Casellas
- Genomics and Immunity, NIAMS, and Center of Cancer Research, NCI, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Michel C Nussenzweig
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - James E Bradner
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - X Shirley Liu
- Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Frederick W Alt
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, and Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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41
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Qian J, Wang Q, Dose M, Pruett N, Kieffer-Kwon KR, Resch W, Liang G, Tang Z, Mathé E, Benner C, Dubois W, Nelson S, Vian L, Oliveira TY, Jankovic M, Hakim O, Gazumyan A, Pavri R, Awasthi P, Song B, Liu G, Chen L, Zhu S, Feigenbaum L, Staudt L, Murre C, Ruan Y, Robbiani DF, Pan-Hammarström Q, Nussenzweig MC, Casellas R. B cell super-enhancers and regulatory clusters recruit AID tumorigenic activity. Cell 2014; 159:1524-37. [PMID: 25483777 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2014.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 204] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2014] [Revised: 09/26/2014] [Accepted: 10/30/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The antibody gene mutator activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) promiscuously damages oncogenes, leading to chromosomal translocations and tumorigenesis. Why nonimmunoglobulin loci are susceptible to AID activity is unknown. Here, we study AID-mediated lesions in the context of nuclear architecture and the B cell regulome. We show that AID targets are not randomly distributed across the genome but are predominantly grouped within super-enhancers and regulatory clusters. Unexpectedly, in these domains, AID deaminates active promoters and eRNA(+) enhancers interconnected in some instances over megabases of linear chromatin. Using genome editing, we demonstrate that 3D-linked targets cooperate to recruit AID-mediated breaks. Furthermore, a comparison of hypermutation in mouse B cells, AID-induced kataegis in human lymphomas, and translocations in MEFs reveals that AID damages different genes in different cell types. Yet, in all cases, the targets are predominantly associated with topological complex, highly transcribed super-enhancers, demonstrating that these compartments are key mediators of AID recruitment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Qian
- Genomics and Immunity, NIAMS, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Qiao Wang
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Marei Dose
- Genomics and Immunity, NIAMS, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
| | | | | | - Wolfgang Resch
- Genomics and Immunity, NIAMS, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Genqing Liang
- Genomics and Immunity, NIAMS, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Zhonghui Tang
- Department of Genetic and Development Biology, Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, University of Connecticut, 400 Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Ewy Mathé
- Genomics and Immunity, NIAMS, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Christopher Benner
- The Integrative Genomics and Bioinformatics Core, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Wendy Dubois
- Center of Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | | | - Laura Vian
- Genomics and Immunity, NIAMS, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Thiago Y Oliveira
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Mila Jankovic
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Ofir Hakim
- Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Anna Gazumyan
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Rushad Pavri
- Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter, Doktor Bohr Gasse 7, Vienna 1030, Austria
| | - Parirokh Awasthi
- Science Applications International Corporation/Frederick, NCI-Frederick Cancer Research and Development Center, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Bin Song
- Beijing Genomics Institute, Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Geng Liu
- Beijing Genomics Institute, Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Longyun Chen
- Beijing Genomics Institute, Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Shida Zhu
- Beijing Genomics Institute, Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Lionel Feigenbaum
- Science Applications International Corporation/Frederick, NCI-Frederick Cancer Research and Development Center, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Louis Staudt
- Metabolism Branch, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Cornelis Murre
- Division of Biological Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Yijun Ruan
- Department of Genetic and Development Biology, Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, University of Connecticut, 400 Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Davide F Robbiani
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Qiang Pan-Hammarström
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, 14186 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Michel C Nussenzweig
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA; HHMI, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Rafael Casellas
- Genomics and Immunity, NIAMS, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; Center of Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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42
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Zhang ZZ, Pannunzio NR, Hsieh CL, Yu K, Lieber MR. The role of G-density in switch region repeats for immunoglobulin class switch recombination. Nucleic Acids Res 2014; 42:13186-93. [PMID: 25378327 PMCID: PMC4245955 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gku1100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2014] [Revised: 10/19/2014] [Accepted: 10/22/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The boundaries of R-loops are well-documented at immunoglobulin heavy chain loci in mammalian B cells. Within primary B cells or B cell lines, the upstream boundaries of R-loops typically begin early in the repetitive portion of the switch regions. Most R-loops terminate within the switch repetitive zone, but the remainder can extend a few hundred base pairs further, where G-density on the non-template DNA strand gradually drops to the genome average. Whether the G-density determines how far the R-loops extend is an important question. We previously studied the role of G-clusters in initiating R-loop formation, but we did not examine the role of G-density in permitting the elongation of the R-loop, after it had initiated. Here, we vary the G-density of different portions of the switch region in a murine B cell line. We find that both class switch recombination (CSR) and R-loop formation decrease significantly when the overall G-density is reduced from 46% to 29%. Short 50 bp insertions with low G-density within switch regions do not appear to affect either CSR or R-loop elongation, whereas a longer (150 bp) insertion impairs both. These results demonstrate that G-density is an important determinant of the length over which mammalian genomic R-loops extend.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Z Zhang
- USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Departments of Biological Sciences; Pathology, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Molecular Microbiology & Immunology; Urology; University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, 1441 Eastlake Ave., Rm. 5428, Los Angeles, CA 90089-9176, USA
| | - Nicholas R Pannunzio
- USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Departments of Biological Sciences; Pathology, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Molecular Microbiology & Immunology; Urology; University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, 1441 Eastlake Ave., Rm. 5428, Los Angeles, CA 90089-9176, USA
| | - Chih-Lin Hsieh
- USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Departments of Biological Sciences; Pathology, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Molecular Microbiology & Immunology; Urology; University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, 1441 Eastlake Ave., Rm. 5428, Los Angeles, CA 90089-9176, USA
| | - Kefei Yu
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, 5175 Biomedical Physical Sciences, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Michael R Lieber
- USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Departments of Biological Sciences; Pathology, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Molecular Microbiology & Immunology; Urology; University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, 1441 Eastlake Ave., Rm. 5428, Los Angeles, CA 90089-9176, USA
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43
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Zanotti KJ, Maul RW, Castiblanco DP, Yang W, Choi YJ, Fox JT, Myung K, Saribasak H, Gearhart PJ. ATAD5 deficiency decreases B cell division and Igh recombination. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2014; 194:35-42. [PMID: 25404367 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1401158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Mammalian ATPase family AAA domain-containing protein 5 (ATAD5) and its yeast homolog enhanced level of genomic instability 1 are responsible for unloading proliferating cell nuclear antigen from newly synthesized DNA. Prior work in HeLa and yeast cells showed that a decrease in ATAD5 protein levels resulted in accumulation of chromatin-bound proliferating cell nuclear antigen, slowed cell division, and increased genomic instability. In this study, B cells from heterozygous (Atad5(+/m)) mice were used to examine the effects of decreased cell proliferation on Ab diversity. ATAD5 haploinsufficiency did not change the frequency or spectrum of somatic hypermutation in Ab genes, indicating that DNA repair and error-prone DNA polymerase η usage were unaffected. However, immunized Atad5(+/m) mice had decreased serum IgG1 Abs, demonstrating a functional effect on class switch recombination. The mechanism of this altered immune response was then examined following ex vivo stimulation of splenic B cells, where Atad5(+/m) cells accumulated in the S phase of the cell cycle and had reduced proliferation compared with wild-type cells. These haploinsufficient cells underwent a significant decline in activation-induced deaminase expression, resulting in decreased switch region DNA double-strand breaks and interchromosomal translocations in the Igh locus. Class switch recombination to several isotypes was also reduced in Atad5(+/m) cells, although the types of end-joining pathways were not affected. These results describe a defect in DNA replication that affects Igh recombination via reduced cell division.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly J Zanotti
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224; and
| | - Robert W Maul
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224; and
| | - Diana P Castiblanco
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224; and
| | - William Yang
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224; and
| | - Yong Jun Choi
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Jennifer T Fox
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Kyungjae Myung
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Huseyin Saribasak
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224; and
| | - Patricia J Gearhart
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224; and
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44
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Chen Z, Ranganath S, Viboolsittiseri SS, Eder MD, Chen X, Elos MT, Yuan S, Yuan S, Hansen E, Wang JH. AID-initiated DNA lesions are differentially processed in distinct B cell populations. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2014; 193:5545-56. [PMID: 25339658 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1401549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Activation-induced deaminase (AID) initiates U:G mismatches, causing point mutations or DNA double-stranded breaks at Ig loci. How AID-initiated lesions are prevented from inducing genome-wide damage remains elusive. A differential DNA repair mechanism might protect certain non-Ig loci such as c-myc from AID attack. However, determinants regulating such protective mechanisms are largely unknown. To test whether target DNA sequences modulate protective mechanisms via altering the processing manner of AID-initiated lesions, we established a knock-in model by inserting an Sγ2b region, a bona fide AID target, into the first intron of c-myc. Unexpectedly, we found that the inserted S region did not mutate or enhance c-myc genomic instability, due to error-free repair of AID-initiated lesions, in Ag-stimulated germinal center B cells. In contrast, in vitro cytokine-activated B cells display a much higher level of c-myc genomic instability in an AID- and S region-dependent manner. Furthermore, we observe a comparable frequency of AID deamination events between the c-myc intronic sequence and inserted S region in different B cell populations, demonstrating a similar frequency of AID targeting. Thus, our study reveals a clear difference between germinal center and cytokine-activated B cells in their ability to develop genomic instability, attributable to a differential processing of AID-initiated lesions in distinct B cell populations. We propose that locus-specific regulatory mechanisms (e.g., transcription) appear to not only override the effects of S region sequence on AID targeting frequency but also influence the repair manner of AID-initiated lesions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhangguo Chen
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045; Department of Biomedical Research, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO 80206; and
| | - Sheila Ranganath
- Boston Children's Hospital, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Sawanee S Viboolsittiseri
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045
| | - Maxwell D Eder
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045
| | - Xiaomi Chen
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045; Department of Biomedical Research, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO 80206; and
| | - Mihret T Elos
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045
| | - Shunzong Yuan
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045
| | | | - Erica Hansen
- Boston Children's Hospital, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Jing H Wang
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045; Department of Biomedical Research, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO 80206; and
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45
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Maul RW, Cao Z, Venkataraman L, Giorgetti CA, Press JL, Denizot Y, Du H, Sen R, Gearhart PJ. Spt5 accumulation at variable genes distinguishes somatic hypermutation in germinal center B cells from ex vivo-activated cells. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 211:2297-306. [PMID: 25288395 PMCID: PMC4203944 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20131512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Variable (V) genes of immunoglobulins undergo somatic hypermutation by activation-induced deaminase (AID) to generate amino acid substitutions that encode antibodies with increased affinity for antigen. Hypermutation is restricted to germinal center B cells and cannot be recapitulated in ex vivo-activated splenic cells, even though the latter express high levels of AID. This suggests that there is a specific feature of antigen activation in germinal centers that recruits AID to V genes which is absent in mitogen-activated cultured cells. Using two Igh knock-in mouse models, we found that RNA polymerase II accumulates in V regions in B cells after both types of stimulation for an extended distance of 1.2 kb from the TATA box. The paused polymerases generate abundant single-strand DNA targets for AID. However, there is a distinct accumulation of the initiating form of polymerase, along with the transcription cofactor Spt5 and AID, in the V region from germinal center cells, which is totally absent in cultured cells. These data support a model where mutations are prevalent in germinal center cells, but not in ex vivo cells, because the initiating form of polymerase is retained, which affects Spt5 and AID recruitment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert W Maul
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224
| | - Zheng Cao
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224
| | | | | | - Joan L Press
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02454
| | - Yves Denizot
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR 7276, Université de Limoges, 87025 Limoges, France
| | - Hansen Du
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224
| | - Ranjan Sen
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224
| | - Patricia J Gearhart
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224
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46
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Expression and recruitment of uracil-DNA glycosylase are regulated by E2A during antibody diversification. Mol Immunol 2014; 60:23-31. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2014.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2014] [Accepted: 03/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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47
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Ucher AJ, Ranjit S, Kadungure T, Linehan EK, Khair L, Xie E, Limauro J, Rauch KS, Schrader CE, Stavnezer J. Mismatch repair proteins and AID activity are required for the dominant negative function of C-terminally deleted AID in class switching. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2014; 193:1440-50. [PMID: 24973444 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1400365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) is essential for class-switch recombination (CSR) and somatic hypermutation (SHM) of Ig genes. The AID C terminus is required for CSR, but not for S-region DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) during CSR, and it is not required for SHM. AID lacking the C terminus (ΔAID) is a dominant negative (DN) mutant, because human patients heterozygous for this mutant fail to undergo CSR. In agreement, we show that ΔAID is a DN mutant when expressed in AID-sufficient mouse splenic B cells. To have DN function, ΔAID must have deaminase activity, suggesting that its ability to induce DSBs is important for the DN function. Supporting this hypothesis, Msh2-Msh6 have been shown to contribute to DSB formation in S regions, and we find in this study that Msh2 is required for the DN activity, because ΔAID is not a DN mutant in msh2(-/-) cells. Our results suggest that the DNA DSBs induced by ΔAID are unable to participate in CSR and might interfere with the ability of full-length AID to participate in CSR. We propose that ΔAID is impaired in its ability to recruit nonhomologous end joining repair factors, resulting in accumulation of DSBs that undergo aberrant resection. Supporting this hypothesis, we find that the S-S junctions induced by ΔAID have longer microhomologies than do those induced by full-length AID. In addition, our data suggest that AID binds Sμ regions in vivo as a monomer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna J Ucher
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655
| | - Sanjay Ranjit
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655
| | - Tatenda Kadungure
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655
| | - Erin K Linehan
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655
| | - Lyne Khair
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655
| | - Elaine Xie
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655
| | - Jennifer Limauro
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655
| | - Katherina S Rauch
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655
| | - Carol E Schrader
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655
| | - Janet Stavnezer
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655
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48
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A source of the single-stranded DNA substrate for activation-induced deaminase during somatic hypermutation. Nat Commun 2014; 5:4137. [PMID: 24923561 PMCID: PMC4154566 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms5137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2013] [Accepted: 05/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
During somatic hypermutation (SHM), activation-induced deaminase (AID) mutates deoxycytidine on single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) generated by the transcription machinery, but the detailed mechanism remains unclear. Here we report a higher abundance of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) at the immunoglobulin heavy-chain variable (Igh-V) region compared with the constant region and partially transcribed Igh RNAs, suggesting a slower Pol II progression at Igh-V that could result in some early/premature transcription termination after prolonged pausing/stalling of Pol II. Knocking down RNA-exosome complexes, which could decrease premature transcription termination, leads to decreased SHM. Knocking down Spt5, which can augment premature transcription termination, leads to increase in both, SHM and the abundance of ssDNA substrates. Collectively, our data support the model that, following the reduction of Pol II progression (pausing or stalling) at the Igh-V, additional steps such as premature transcription termination are involved in providing ssDNA substrates for AID during SHM.
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49
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Abstract
In this review, I discuss the currently available experimental evidence concerning the molecular interactions of the activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) with transcription of its target genes. The basic question that underlies the transcription relationship is how the process of somatic hypermutation of Ig genes can be restricted to their variable (V) regions. This hallmark of SHM assures that high affinity antibodies can be created while the biological functions of their constant (C) region are undisturbed. I present a revised model of AID function in somatic hypermutation (SHM): In a B cell that produces AID protein and undergoes mutation of the V regions of the expressed Ig heavy and light chain genes, only some of the transcription complexes initiating at the active V-region promoters are associated with AID. When AID travels with the elongating RNA polymerase (pol), it attracts proteins that cause the pausing/stalling of pol and termination of transcription, followed by termination of SHM. This differential AID loading model would allow the mutating B cell to continue producing full-length Ig proteins that are required to avoid apoptosis by permitting the cell to assemble functional B cell receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ursula Storb
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
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50
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Sun J, Keim CD, Wang J, Kazadi D, Oliver PM, Rabadan R, Basu U. E3-ubiquitin ligase Nedd4 determines the fate of AID-associated RNA polymerase II in B cells. Genes Dev 2013; 27:1821-33. [PMID: 23964096 PMCID: PMC3759698 DOI: 10.1101/gad.210211.112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Programmed mutagenesis of the immunoglobulin locus of B lymphocytes during class switch recombination (CSR) and somatic hypermutation requires RNA polymerase II (polII) transcription complex-dependent targeting of the DNA mutator activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID). AID deaminates cytidine residues on substrate sequences in the immunoglobulin (Ig) locus via a transcription-dependent mechanism, and this activity is stimulated by the RNA polII stalling cofactor Spt5 and the 11-subunit cellular noncoding RNA 3'-5' exonucleolytic processing complex RNA exosome. The mechanism by which the RNA exosome recognizes immunoglobulin locus RNA substrates to stimulate AID DNA deamination activity on its in vivo substrate sequences is an important question. Here we report that E3-ubiquitin ligase Nedd4 destabilizes AID-associated RNA polII by a ubiquitination event, leading to generation of 3' end free RNA exosome RNA substrates at the Ig locus and other AID target sequences genome-wide. We found that lack of Nedd4 activity in B cells leads to accumulation of RNA exosome substrates at AID target genes and defective CSR. Taken together, our study links noncoding RNA processing following RNA polII pausing with regulation of the mutator AID protein. Our study also identifies Nedd4 as a regulator of noncoding RNAs that are generated by stalled RNA polII genome-wide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianbo Sun
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032, USA
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