Novel immunoglobulin heavy chains are produced from DJH gene segment rearrangements in lymphoid cells

RNA processing mechanisms contribute to genome organization and stability in B cells

RNA processing includes post-transcriptional mechanisms controlling RNA quality and quantity to ensure cellular homeostasis. Noncoding (nc) RNAs that are regulated by these dynamic processes may themselves fulfill effector and/or regulatory functions, and recent studies demonstrated the critical role of RNAs in organizing both chromatin and genome architectures. Furthermore, RNAs can threaten genome integrity when accumulating as DNA:RNA hybrids, but could also facilitate DNA repair depending on the molecular context. Therefore, by qualitatively and quantitatively fine-tuning RNAs, RNA processing contributes directly or indirectly to chromatin states, genome organization, and genome stability. B lymphocytes represent a unique model to study these interconnected mechanisms as they express ncRNAs transcribed from key specific sequences before undergoing physiological genetic remodeling processes, including V(D)J recombination, somatic hypermutation, and class switch recombination. RNA processing actors ensure the regulation and degradation of these ncRNAs for efficient DNA repair and immunoglobulin gene remodeling while failure leads to B cell development alterations, aberrant DNA repair, and pathological translocations. This review highlights how RNA processing mechanisms contribute to genome architecture and stability, with emphasis on their critical roles during B cell development, enabling physiological DNA remodeling while preventing lymphomagenesis.

Recombination may occur in the absence of transcription in the immunoglobulin heavy chain recombination centre

Developing B cells undergo V(D)J recombination to generate a vast repertoire of Ig molecules. V(D)J recombination is initiated by the RAG1/RAG2 complex in recombination centres (RCs), where gene segments become accessible to the complex. Whether transcription is the causal factor of accessibility or whether it is a side product of other processes that generate accessibility remains a controversial issue. At the IgH locus, V(D)J recombination is controlled by Eμ enhancer, which directs the transcriptional, epigenetic and recombinational events in the IgH RC. Deletion of Eμ enhancer affects both transcription and recombination, making it difficult to conclude if Eμ controls the two processes through the same or different mechanisms. By using a mouse line carrying a CpG-rich sequence upstream of Eμ enhancer and analyzing transcription and recombination at the single-cell level, we found that recombination could occur in the RC in the absence of detectable transcription, suggesting that Eμ controls transcription and recombination through distinct mechanisms. Moreover, while the normally Eμ-dependent transcription and demethylating activities were impaired, recruitment of chromatin remodeling complexes was unaffected. RAG1 was efficiently recruited, thus compensating for the defective transcription-associated recruitment of RAG2, and providing a mechanistic basis for RAG1/RAG2 assembly to initiate V(D)J recombination.

Cross-Reactivity with Self-Antigen Tunes the Functional Potential of Naive B Cells Specific for Foreign Antigens

Upon Ag exposure, naive B cells expressing BCR able to bind Ag can undergo robust proliferation and differentiation that can result in the production of Ab-secreting and memory B cells. The factors determining whether an individual naive B cell will proliferate following Ag encounter remains unclear. In this study, we found that polyclonal naive murine B cell populations specific for a variety of foreign Ags express high levels of the orphan nuclear receptor Nur77, which is known to be upregulated downstream of BCR signaling as a result of cross-reactivity with self-antigens in vivo. Similarly, a fraction of naive human B cells specific for clinically-relevant Ags derived from respiratory syncytial virus and HIV-1 also exhibited an IgM^LOW IgD⁺ phenotype, which is associated with self-antigen cross-reactivity. Functionally, naive B cells expressing moderate levels of Nur77 are most likely to proliferate in vivo following Ag injection. Together, our data indicate that BCR cross-reactivity with self-antigen is a common feature of populations of naive B cells specific for foreign Ags and a moderate level of cross-reactivity primes individual cells for optimal proliferative responses following Ag exposure.

RNA Exosome and Non-coding RNA-Coupled Mechanisms in AID-Mediated Genomic Alterations

The eukaryotic RNA exosome is a well-conserved protein complex with ribonuclease activity implicated in RNA metabolism. Various families of non-coding RNAs have been identified as substrates of the complex, underscoring its role as a non-coding RNA processing/degradation unit. However, the role of RNA exosome and its RNA processing activity on DNA mutagenesis/alteration events have not been investigated until recently. B lymphocytes use two DNA alteration mechanisms, class switch recombination (CSR) and somatic hypermutation (SHM), to re-engineer their antibody gene expressing loci until a tailored antibody gene for a specific antigen is satisfactorily generated. CSR and SHM require the essential activity of the DNA activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID). Causing collateral damage to the B-cell genome during CSR and SHM, AID induces unwanted (and sometimes oncogenic) mutations at numerous non-immunoglobulin gene sequences. Recent studies have revealed that AID's DNA mutator activity is regulated by the RNA exosome complex, thus providing an example of a mechanism that relates DNA mutagenesis to RNA processing. Here, we review the emergent functions of RNA exosome during CSR, SHM, and other chromosomal alterations in B cells, and discuss implications relevant to mechanisms that maintain B-cell genomic integrity.

Complete cis Exclusion upon Duplication of the Eμ Enhancer at the Immunoglobulin Heavy Chain Locus

Developing lymphocytes somatically diversify their antigen-receptor loci through V(D)J recombination. The process is associated with allelic exclusion, which results in monoallelic expression of an antigen receptor locus. Various cis-regulatory elements control V(D)J recombination in a developmentally regulated manner, but their role in allelic exclusion is still unclear. At the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus (IgH), the Eμ enhancer plays a critical role in V(D)J recombination. We generated a mouse line with a replacement mutation in the constant region of the locus that duplicates the Eμ enhancer and allows premature expression of the γ3 heavy chain. Strikingly, IgM expression was completely and specifically excluded in cis from the mutant allele. This cis exclusion recapitulated the main features of allelic exclusion, including differential exclusion of variable genes. Notably, sense and antisense transcription within the distal variable domain and distal V(H)-DJ(H) recombination were inhibited. cis exclusion was established and stably maintained despite an active endogenous Eμ enhancer. The data reveal the importance of the dynamic, developmental stage-dependent interplay between IgH locus enhancers and signaling in the induction and maintenance of allelic exclusion.

Insertion of an imprinted insulator into the IgH locus reveals developmentally regulated, transcription-dependent control of V(D)J recombination

The assembly of antigen receptor loci requires a developmentally regulated and lineage-specific recombination between variable (V), diversity (D), and joining (J) segments through V(D)J recombination. The process is regulated by accessibility control elements, including promoters, insulators, and enhancers. The IgH locus undergoes two recombination steps, D-J(H) and then V(H)-DJ(H), but it is unclear how the availability of the DJ(H) substrate could influence the subsequent V(H)-DJ(H) recombination step. The Eμ enhancer plays a critical role in V(D)J recombination and controls a set of sense and antisense transcripts. We epigenetically perturbed the early events at the IgH locus by inserting the imprinting control region (ICR) of the Igf2/H19 locus or a transcriptional insulator devoid of the imprinting function upstream of the Eμ enhancer. The insertions recapitulated the main epigenetic features of their endogenous counterparts, including differential DNA methylation and binding of CTCF/cohesins. Whereas the D-J(H) recombination step was unaffected, both the insulator insertions led to a severe impairment of V(H)-DJ(H) recombination. Strikingly, the inhibition of V(H)-DJ(H) recombination correlated consistently with a strong reduction of DJ(H) transcription and incomplete demethylation. Thus, developmentally regulated transcription following D-J(H) recombination emerges as an important mechanism through which the Eμ enhancer controls V(H)-DJ(H) recombination.

The restricted DH gene reading frame usage in the expressed human antibody repertoire is selected based upon its amino acid content

The Ab repertoire is not uniform. Some variable, diversity, and joining genes are used more frequently than others. Nonuniform usage can result from the rearrangement process, or from selection. To study how the Ab repertoire is selected, we analyzed one part of diversity generation that cannot be driven by the rearrangement mechanism: the reading frame usage of DH genes. We have used two high-throughput sequencing methodologies, multiple subjects and advanced algorithms to measure the DH reading frame usage in the human Ab repertoire. In most DH genes, a single reading frame is used predominantly, and inverted reading frames are practically never observed. The choice of a single DH reading frame is not limited to a single position of the DH gene. Rather, each DH gene participates in rearrangements of differing CDR3 lengths, restricted to multiples of three. In nonproductive rearrangements, there is practically no reading frame bias, but there is still a striking absence of inversions. Biases in DH reading frame usage are more pronounced, but also exhibit greater interindividual variation, in IgG(+) and IgA(+) than in IgM(+) B cells. These results suggest that there are two developmental checkpoints of DH reading frame selection. The first occurs during VDJ recombination, when inverted DH genes are usually avoided. The second checkpoint occurs after rearrangement, once the BCR is expressed. The second checkpoint implies that DH reading frames are subjected to differential selection. Following these checkpoints, clonal selection induces a host-specific DH reading frame usage bias.

Partial versus productive immunoglobulin heavy locus rearrangements in chronic lymphocytic leukemia: implications for B-cell receptor stereotypy

The frequent occurrence of stereotyped heavy complementarity-determining region 3 (VH CDR3) sequences among unrelated cases with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is widely taken as evidence for antigen selection. Stereotyped VH CDR3 sequences are often defined by the selective association of certain immunoglobulin heavy diversity (IGHD) genes in specific reading frames with certain immunoglobulin heavy joining (IGHJ ) genes. To gain insight into the mechanisms underlying VH CDR3 restrictions and also determine the developmental stage when restrictions in VH CDR3 are imposed, we analyzed partial IGHD-IGHJ rearrangements (D-J) in 829 CLL cases and compared the productively rearranged D-J joints (that is, in-frame junctions without junctional stop codons) to (a) the productive immunoglobulin heavy variable (IGHV )-IGHD-IGHJ rearrangements (V-D-J) from the same cases and (b) 174 D-J rearrangements from 160 precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia cases (pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia [ALL]). Partial D-J rearrangements were detected in 272/829 CLL cases (32.8%). Sequence analysis was feasible in 238 of 272 D-J rearrangements; 198 of 238 (83.2%) were productively rearranged. The D-J joints in CLL did not differ significantly from those in pre-B ALL, except for higher frequency of the IGHD7-27 and IGHJ6 genes in the latter. Among CLL carrying productively rearranged D-J, comparison of the IGHD gene repertoire in productive V-D-J versus D-J revealed the following: (a) overuse of IGHD reading frames encoding hydrophilic peptides among V-D-J and (b) selection of the IGHD3-3 and IGHD6-19 genes in V-D-J junctions. These results document that the IGHD and IGHJ gene biases in the CLL expressed VH CDR3 repertoire are not stochastic but are directed by selection operating at the immunoglobulin protein level.

Chromatin topology and the regulation of antigen receptor assembly

During an organism's ontogeny and in the adult, each B and T lymphocyte generates a unique antigen receptor, thereby creating the organism's ability to respond to a vast number of different antigens. The antigen receptor loci are organized into distinct regions that contain multiple variable (V), diversity (D), and/or joining (J) and constant (C) coding elements that are scattered across large genomic regions. In this review, we discuss the epigenetic modifications that take place in the different antigen receptor loci, the chromatin structure adopted by the antigen receptor loci to allow recombination of elements separated by large genomic distances, and the relationship between epigenetics and chromatin structure and how they relate to the generation of antigen receptor diversity.

Mitochondria as a sequestration site for incomplete TCRβ peptides: the TCRβ transmembrane domain is a sufficient mitochondrial targeting signal

The existence of incomplete T cell receptor (TCR) mRNA forms, including germline transcripts and products of unfruitful TCR rearrangements, has long been known. However, it is unclear whether these molecules are functional. We have previously shown that T cells also contain truncated TCRβ peptides that lack the N-terminal part and contain C-terminus sequences. These partial forms of TCRβ, target the mitochondrion and induce apoptosis, exhibiting a novel mode of TCR mediated cell death. Here we aimed at analyzing the minimal TCR sequences that direct the peptide to the mitochondrion. It is shown that truncated TCRβ, targets mitochondria and induces mitochondrial perinuclear clustering, in both monkey COS-7 and human 293 cells. These phenomena are mediated by the C-terminus of the molecule. Whereas the positively charged amino acids flanking the transmembrane domain (TMD) of TCRβ are beneficial for this process, they are not essential. Indeed, the isolated TMD of TCRβ serves as a sufficient mitochondrial targeting sequence. These results indicate that any given partial form of TCRβ, that contains the TMD, is bound to be sequestered by the mitochondrion. This may assure that incomplete TCR forms would not interfere with correct TCR complex formation.

Alternative mechanisms of receptor editing in autoreactive B cells

Pathogenic anti-DNA antibodies expressed in systemic lupus erythematosis bind DNA mainly through electrostatic interactions between the positively charged Arg residues of the antibody complementarity determining region (CDR) and the negatively charged phosphate groups of DNA. The importance of Arg in CDR3 for DNA binding has been shown in mice with transgenes coding for anti-DNA V(H) regions; there is also a close correlation between arginines in CDR3 of antibodies and DNA binding. Codons for Arg can readily be formed by V(D)J rearrangement; thereby, antibodies that bind DNA are part of the preimmune repertoire. Anti-DNAs in healthy mice are regulated by receptor editing, a mechanism that replaces κ light (L) chains compatible with DNA binding with κ L chains that harbor aspartic residues. This negatively charged amino acid is thought to neutralize Arg sites in the V(H). Editing by replacement is allowed at the κ locus, because the rearranged VJ is nested between unrearranged Vs and Js. However, neither λ nor heavy (H) chain loci are organized so as to allow such second rearrangements. In this study, we analyze regulation of anti-DNA H chains in mice that lack the κ locus, κ-/κ- mice. These mice show that the endogenous preimmune repertoire does indeed include a high frequency of antibodies with Arg in their CDR3s (putative anti-DNAs) and they are associated mainly with the editor L chain λx. The editing mechanisms in the case of λ-expressing B cells include L chain allelic inclusion and V(H) replacement.

Local and global epigenetic regulation of V(D)J recombination

Despite using the same Rag recombinase machinery expressed in both lymphocyte lineages, V(D)J recombination of immunoglobulins only occurs in B cells and T cell receptor recombination is confined to T cells. This vital segregation of recombination targets is governed by the coordinated efforts of several epigenetic mechanisms that control both the general chromatin accessibility of these loci to the Rag recombinase, and the movement and synapsis of distal gene segments in these enormous multigene AgR loci, in a lineage and developmental stage-specific manner. These mechanisms operate both locally at individual gene segments and AgR domains, and globally over large distances in the nucleus. Here we will discuss the roles of several epigenetic components that regulate V(D)J recombination of the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus in B cells, both in the context of the locus itself, and of its 3D nuclear organization, focusing in particular on non-coding RNA transcription. We will also speculate about how several newly described epigenetic mechanisms might impact on AgR regulation.

Genetic control of DH reading frame and its effect on B-cell development and antigen-specifc antibody production

The power of the adaptive immune system to identify novel antigens depends on the ability of lymphocytes to create antigen receptors with diverse antigen-binding sites. For immunoglobulins, CDR (complementarity-determining region)-H3 lies at the center of the antigen-binding site, where it often plays a key role in antigen binding. It is created de novo by VDJ rearrangement and is thus the focus for rearrangement-dependent diversity. CDR-H3 is biased for the inclusion of tyrosine. In seeking to identify the mechanisms controlling CDR-H3 amino acid content, we observed that the coding sequence of DH gene segments demonstrate conservation of reading frame (RF)-specific sequence motifs, with RF1 enriched for tyrosine and depleted of hydrophobic and charged amino acids. Use of DH RF1 in functional VDJ transcripts is preferred from the earliest stages of B-cell development, "pushing" CDR-H3 to include specific categories of tyrosine-enriched antigen-binding sites. With development and maturation, the composition of the CDR-H3 repertoire appears to be pulled into a more refined specific range. Forcing the use of alternative DH RFs by means of gene targeting alters the expressed repertoire, enriching alternative sequence categories. This change in the repertoire variably affects antibody production and the development of specific B-cell subsets.

The epigenetic role of non-coding RNA transcription and nuclear organization in immunoglobulin repertoire generation

Within the lymphocyte lineages, restriction of immunoglobulin V(D)J recombination to B cells and T cell receptor (TCR) recombination to T cells is governed by a myriad of epigenetic mechanisms that control the chromatin accessibility of these loci to the Rag recombinase machinery in a lineage and developmental stage-specific manner. These mechanisms operate both locally at individual gene segments, and globally over large chromatin domains in these enormous multigene loci. In this review we will explore the established and emerging roles of three aspects of epigenetic regulation that contribute to large-scale control of the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus in B cells: non-coding RNA transcription, regulatory elements, and nuclear organization. Recent conceptual and technological advances have produced a paradigm shift in our thinking about how these components regulate gene expression in general and V(D)J recombination in particular.

Long noncoding RNAs: implications for antigen receptor diversification

Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), both small and large, have recently risen to prominence as surprisingly versatile regulators of gene expression. In fact, eukaryotic transcriptomes are rife with RNAs that do not code for protein, though the majority of these species remains wholly uncharacterized. The functional diversity among the mere handful of validated ncRNAs hints at the vast regulatory potential of these silent biomolecules. Though the act of noncoding transcription and the resultant ncRNAs do not directly produce proteins, they represent powerful means of gene control. Here we survey the accumulating literature on the myriad functions of long ncRNAs and emphasize one curious case of noncoding transcription at antigen receptor loci in lymphocytes.

Cis-regulatory elements and epigenetic changes control genomic rearrangements of the IgH locus

Immunoglobulin variable region exons are assembled from discontinuous variable (V), diversity (D), and joining (J) segments by the process of V(D)J recombination. V(D)J rearrangements of the immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) locus are tightly controlled in a tissue-specific, ordered and allele-specific manner by regulating accessibility of V, D, and J segments to the recombination activating gene proteins which are the specific components of the V(D)J recombinase. In this review we discuss recent advances and established models brought forward to explain the mechanisms underlying accessibility control of V(D)J recombination, including research on germline transcripts, spatial organization, and chromatin modifications of the immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) locus. Furthermore, we review the functions of well-described and potential new cis-regulatory elements with regard to processes such as V(D)J recombination, allelic exclusion, and IgH class switch recombination.

Regulation of repertoire development through genetic control of DH reading frame preference

In jawed vertebrates most expressed Ig H chains use only one of six possible D(H) reading frames. Reading frame (RF)1, the preferred reading frame, tends to encode tyrosine and glycine, whereas the other five RFs tend to be enriched for either hydrophobic or charged amino acids. Mechanisms proposed to favor use of RF1 include a preference for deletion over inversion that discourages use of inverted RF1, RF2, and RF3; sequence homology between the 5' terminus of the J(H) and the 3' terminus of the D(H) that promotes rearrangement into RF1; an ATG start site upstream of RF2 that permits production of a truncated Dmicro protein; stop codons in RF3; and, following surface expression of IgM, somatic, presumably Ag receptor-based selection favoring B cells expressing Igs with tyrosine- and glycine-enriched CDR-H3s. By creating an IgH allele limited to the use of a single, frameshifted DFL16.1 D(H) gene segment, we tested the relative contribution of these mechanisms in determining reading frame preference. Dmicro-mediated suppression via an allelic exclusion-like mechanism dominated over somatic selection in determining the composition of the CDR-H3 repertoire. Evidence of somatic selection for RF1-encoded tyrosine in CDR-H3 was observed, but only among the minority of recirculating, mature B cells that use D(H) in RF1. These observations underscore the extent to which the sequence of the D(H) acts to delimit the diversity of the Ab repertoire.

Preferential use of DH reading frame 2 alters B cell development and antigen-specific antibody production

All jawed vertebrates limit use of D(H) reading frames (RFs) that are enriched for hydrophobic amino acids. In BALB/c mice, DFL16.1 RF2 encodes valine and isoleucine. To test whether increased use of RF2 affects B cell function, we examined B cell development and Ab production in mice with an IgH allele (DeltaD-DmicroFS) limited to use of a single, frameshifted DFL61.1 gene segment. We compared the results of these studies to wild-type mice, as well as those previously obtained in mice limited to use of either a single normal D(H) or a single inverted D(H) that forces use of arginine in CDR-H3. All three of the mouse strains limited to a single D(H) produced fewer immature B cells than wild type. However, whereas mice limited to a single normal D(H) achieved normal B cell numbers in the periphery, mice forced to preferentially use RF2 had reduced numbers of mature B cells in the spleen and bone marrow, mirroring the pattern previously observed in mice enriched for charged CDR-H3s. There were two exceptions. B cells in the mice using RF2 normally populated the marginal zone and peritoneal cavity, whereas mice using inverted RF1 had increased numbers of marginal zone B cells and decreased numbers of B1a cells. When challenged with several T-dependent or T-independent Ags, Ag-specific Ab titers in the mice forced to use RF2 were altered. These findings indicate that B cell development and Ag-specific Ab production can be heavily influenced by the global amino acid content of the CDR-H3 repertoire.

Incomplete T-cell receptor-beta peptides target the mitochondrion and induce apoptosis

The default pathway of cell-surface T-cell receptor (TCR) complex formation, and the subsequent transport to the membrane, is thought to entail endoplasmic reticulum (ER) localization followed by proteasome degradation of the unassembled chains. We show herein an alternative pathway: short, incomplete peptide versions of TCRbeta naturally occur in the thymus. Such peptides, which have minimally lost the leader sequence or have been massively truncated, leaving only the very C terminus intact, are sorted preferentially to the mitochondrion. As a consequence of the mitochondrial localization, apoptotic cell death is induced. Structure function analysis showed that both the specific localization and induction of apoptosis depend on the transmembrane domain (TMD) and associated residues at the COOH-terminus of TCR. Truncated forms of TCR, such as the short peptides that we detected in the thymus, may be products of protein degradation within thymocytes. Alternatively, they may occur through the translation of truncated mRNAs resulting from unfruitful rearrangement or from germline transcription. It is proposed that mitochondria serve as a subcellular sequestration site for incomplete TCR molecules.

Multiple levels of selection responsive to immunoglobulin light chain and heavy chain structures impede the development of Dmu-expressing B cells

The truncated/V(H)-less mouse H chain Dmu forms precursor B cell receptors with the surrogate L chain complex that promotes allelic exclusion but not other aspects of pre-B cell development, causing most progenitor B cells expressing this H chain to be eliminated at the pre-B cell checkpoint. However, there is evidence that Dmu-lambda1 complexes can be made and are positively selected during fetal life but cannot sustain adult B lymphopoiesis. How surrogate and conventional L chains interpret Dmu's unusual structure and how that affects signaling outcome are unclear. Using nonlymphoid and primary mouse B cells, we show that secretion-competent lambda1 L chains could associate with both full-length H chains and Dmu, whereas secretion-incompetent lambda1 L chains could only do so with full-length H chains. In contrast, Dmu could not form receptors with a panel of kappa L chains irrespective of their secretion properties. This was due to an incompatibility of Dmu with the kappa-joining and constant regions. Finally, the Dmu-lambda1 receptor was less active than the full-length mouse mu-lambda1 receptor in promoting growth under conditions of limiting IL-7. Thus, multiple receptor-dependent mechanisms operating at all stages of B cell development limit the contribution of B cells with Dmu H chain alleles to the repertoire.

Persistent expression of an unproductive immunoglobulin heavy chain allele with DH-JH-gamma configuration in peripheral tissues

Genomic recombination events, including VDJ recombination (VDJR) and class-switch recombination (CSR), are indispensable for the adaptation and progression of the acquired immune system. These processes are completed by orderly, temporal onsets of the gene rearrangements along with B-cell differentiation. The presence of various premature transcripts of immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) alleles has been demonstrated during B-cell ontogeny. These include D(H)-J(H) (DJ)-mu, J(H)-mu, and sterile transcripts of C(H). Since these transcripts can be detected during the onset of VDJR and CSR, their presence is believed to reflect a structural change in the genome, favoring VDJR and CSR. This report presents evidence of persistent DJ transcription and onset of CSR on an unproductive IgH allele in peripheral tissues. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed that these transcripts showed DJ-gamma (Dgamma) configuration and that characteristics of the variable region were essentially the same as those of the DJ-mu transcript previously described. It was noted that the small intestine abundantly expresses Dgamma transcripts with gamma2b and gamma1 isotypes of the IgH constant region. The present findings indicate the onset of CSR preceding V(H) to DJ joining in an unproductive IgH allele of the peripheral B cell and the specificity for the gut-associated condition for B-cell differentiation in the small intestine.

Antisense transcripts from immunoglobulin heavy-chain locus V(D)J and switch regions

Activation-induced cytosine deaminase (AID) is essential for both somatic hypermutation (SHM) and class switch recombination (CSR), two processes involved in antibody diversification. Previously, various groups showed both in vitro and in vivo that AID initiates SHM and CSR by deaminating cytosines in DNA in a transcription-dependent manner. Although in vivo both DNA strands are equally targeted by AID, many in vitro and bacterial experiments found that AID almost exclusively targets the nontemplate strand of a transcribed substrate. Here, we report the detection of antisense transcripts in assembled Ig heavy chain (IgH) variable region exons and their immediate downstream region, as well as in switch regions, sequences that, respectively, are targets for SHM and CSR in vivo. In contrast, we did not detect antisense transcripts from the Cmu constant region exons, which lie between the IgH variable region exons and downstream S regions and which are not normally an AID target. Expression of the antisense variable region/flanking region and the S-region transcripts were found in all lymphocytes that transcribe these sequences in the sense direction. Steady-state levels of antisense transcripts appeared very low, and start sites potentially appeared heterogeneous. We discuss the potential implications of antisense IgH locus transcription for AID targeting or other processes.

Repeat organization and epigenetic regulation of the DH-Cmu domain of the immunoglobulin heavy-chain gene locus

The first steps of murine immunoglobulin heavy-chain (IgH) gene recombination take place within a chromosomal domain that contains diversity (D(H)) and joining (J(H)) gene segments, but not variable (V(H)) gene segments. Here we show that the chromatin state of this domain is markedly heterogeneous. Specifically, only 5'- and 3'-most D(H) gene segments carry active chromatin modifications, whereas intervening D(H)s are associated with heterochromatic marks that are maintained by ongoing histone deacetylation. The intervening D(H)s form part of a tandemly repeated sequence that expresses tissue-specific, antisense oriented transcripts. We propose that the intervening D(H) genes are actively suppressed by repeat-induced epigenetic silencing, which is reflected in their infrequent representation in DJ(H) junctions compared to the flanking D(H) genes.

Sequence and characterization of the Ig heavy chain constant and partial variable region of the mouse strain 129S1

Although the entire mouse genome has been sequenced, there remain challenges concerning the elucidation of particular complex and polymorphic genomic loci. In the murine Igh locus, different haplotypes exist in different inbred mouse strains. For example, the Igh(b) haplotype sequence of the Mouse Genome Project strain C57BL/6 differs considerably from the Igh(a) haplotype of BALB/c, which has been widely used in the analyses of Ab responses. We have sequenced and annotated the 3' half of the Igh(a) locus of 129S1/SvImJ, covering the C(H) region and approximately half of the V(H) region. This sequence comprises 128 V(H) genes, of which 49 are judged to be functional. The comparison of the Igh(a) sequence with the homologous Igh(b) region from C57BL/6 revealed two major expansions in the germline repertoire of Igh(a). In addition, we found smaller haplotype-specific differences like the duplication of five V(H) genes in the Igh(a) locus. We generated a V(H) allele table by comparing the individual V(H) genes of both haplotypes. Surprisingly, the number and position of D(H) genes in the 129S1 strain differs not only from the sequence of C57BL/6 but also from the map published for BALB/c. Taken together, the contiguous genomic sequence of the 3' part of the Igh(a) locus allows a detailed view of the recent evolution of this highly dynamic locus in the mouse.

Antisense intergenic transcription precedes Igh D-to-J recombination and is controlled by the intronic enhancer Emu

V(D)J recombination is believed to be regulated by alterations in chromatin accessibility to the recombinase machinery, but the mechanisms responsible remain unclear. We previously proposed that antisense intergenic transcription, activated throughout the mouse Igh VH region in pro-B cells, remodels chromatin for VH-to-DJH recombination. Using RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization, we now show that antisense intergenic transcription occurs throughout the Igh DHJH region before D-to-J recombination, indicating that this is a widespread process in V(D)J recombination. Transcription initiates near the Igh intronic enhancer Emu and is abrogated in mice lacking this enhancer, indicating that Emu regulates DH antisense transcription. Emu was recently demonstrated to regulate DH-to-JH recombination of the Igh locus. Together, these data suggest that Emu controls DH-to-JH recombination by activating this form of germ line Igh transcription, thus providing a long-range, processive mechanism by which Emu can regulate chromatin accessibility throughout the DH region. In contrast, Emu deletion has no effect on VH antisense intergenic transcription, which is rarely associated with DH antisense transcription, suggesting differential regulation and separate roles for these processes at sequential stages of V(D)J recombination. These results support a directive role for antisense intergenic transcription in enabling access to the recombination machinery.

Structure and implied functions of truncated B-cell receptor mRNAs in early embryo and adult mesenchymal stem cells: Cdelta replaces Cmu in mu heavy chain-deficient mice

Stem cells exhibit a promiscuous gene expression pattern. We show herein that the early embryo and adult MSCs express B-cell receptor component mRNAs. To examine possible bearings of these genes on the expressing cells, we studied immunoglobulin mu chain-deficient mice. Pregnant mu chain-deficient females were found to produce a higher percentage of defective morulae compared with control females. Structure analysis indicated that the mu mRNA species found in embryos and in mesenchyme consist of the constant region of the mu heavy chain that encodes a recombinant 50-kDa protein. In situ hybridization localized the constant mu gene expression to loose mesenchymal tissues within the day-12.5 embryo proper and the yolk sac. In early embryo and in adult mesenchyme from mu-deficient mice, delta replaced mu chain, implying a possible requirement of these alternative molecules for embryo development and mesenchymal functions. Indeed, overexpression of the mesenchymal-truncated mu heavy chain in 293T cells resulted in specific subcellular localization and in G(1) growth arrest. The lack of such occurrence following overexpression of a complete, rearranged form of mu chain suggests that the mesenchymal version of this mRNA may possess unique functions.

Precursor B cell receptor signaling activity can be uncoupled from surface expression

Signals from the precursor BCR (preBCR) cause proliferation and differentiation of progenitor (pro-) B cells into pre-B cells. Given the very low amounts of surface preBCRs and the demonstrated cell autonomy of preBCR signaling, we examined the possible occurrence of preBCR signal propagation from intracellular membranes such as the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the trans-Golgi network (TGN) in transformed and primary pro-B cells. PreBCRs composed of normal Ig mu or truncated Dmu heavy chains (HCs) were redirected to intracellular sites via localization sequences appended to the HC cytoplasmic tail. PreBCR complexes retained in the TGN or shunted from the TGN to lysosomes were as or 50% as active as the corresponding wild-type preBCRs in directing preBCR-dependent events, including CD2 and CD22 expression and proliferation in primary pro-B cells. This occurred despite their low to undetectable surface expression in transformed cells, which otherwise allowed significant surface accumulation of wild-type preBCRs. In contrast, ER-retained preBCRs were inactive. These results suggest that preBCR signaling is remarkably tolerant of dramatic changes in its subcellular distribution within post-ER compartments and support the possibility that the preBCR can activate signaling pathways in the TGN as well as the plasma membrane.

Mechanism and control of V(D)J recombination at the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus

V(D)J recombination assembles antigen receptor variable region genes from component germline variable (V), diversity (D), and joining (J) gene segments. For B cells, such rearrangements lead to the production of immunoglobulin (Ig) proteins composed of heavy and light chains. V(D)J is tightly controlled at the Ig heavy chain locus (IgH) at several different levels, including cell-type specificity, intra- and interlocus ordering, and allelic exclusion. Such controls are mediated at the level of gene segment accessibility to V(D)J recombinase activity. Although much has been learned, many long-standing questions regarding the regulation of IgH locus rearrangements remain to be elucidated. In this review, we summarize advances that have been made in understanding how V(D)J recombination at the IgH locus is controlled and discuss important areas for future investigation.

Hypothesis: a biological role for germline transcription in the mechanism of V(D)J recombination--implications for initiation of allelic exclusion

The sequences that encode the antigen-binding sites of IgH and IgL chains - variable (V), diversity (D, H chain loci only) and joining (J) sequences - are configured as separate DNA segments at the germline level. Expression of an Ig molecule requires V(D)J assembly. Productive V(D)J recombination is monoallelic. How rearrangement is initiated differentially at maternal and paternal alleles is unclear. The products of recombination activating gene (RAG)1 and RAG2 mediate rearrangement by cleaving the DNA between an unrearranged gene segment and adjacent recombination signal sequences (RSS). It is proposed that supercoiling generated during germline transcription at Ig loci (which occurs concomitantly with rearrangement) is required at RSS for RAG1/2 recognition. Rearrangement might hence initiate sequentially at maternal and paternal alleles where deregulated germline transcription causes RAG1/2 recognition of RSS to become stochastic.

Pre-BCR signals and the control of Ig gene rearrangements

Progenitor B lymphocytes that successfully assemble a heavy chain gene encoding an immunoglobulin capable of pairing with surrogate light chain proteins trigger their own further differentiation by signaling via the pre-BCR complex. The pre-BCR signals several rounds of proliferation and, in this expanded population, directs a complex, B cell-specific set of epigenetic changes resulting in allelic exclusion of the heavy chain locus and activation of the light chain loci for V(D)J recombination.

Dmu expression causes enrichment of MZ B cells, but is non permissive for B cell maturation in Rag2-/- mice even if combined with Bcl-2

Rearrangements in reading frame 2 promote the expression of a truncated heavy chain, the Dmu protein. Dmu can assemble into a pre-B cell receptor like complex that appears to induce a subset of signals elicited by full length mu, but cannot promote the pro-B to pre-B cell transition of Rag-/- B cells. In order to determine if this could stem from an impaired survival signal not properly induced by the Dmu protein, we introduced Bcl-2 into Dmu-transgenic, Rag2-/- mice. Despite the fact that the Bcl-2 transgene expression promoted some increase in the fraction of CD43- B cells, an identical increase was also observed in Rag2-/- mice. Moreover, whereas in mu-transgenic Rag2-/-Bcl-2+ mice, CD2 and CD25 expression were up regulated and c-Kit was down regulated, these markers were unaltered in Dmu-transgenic Rag2-/- Bcl-2+ mice compared to Rag2-/- Bcl-2+ mice, indicating that Dmu cannot support pre-B cell maturation despite extended survival of B cell precursors by Bcl-2. In addition, we observed that in Dmu-transgenic recombination competent mice, the Dmu induced partial block is permissive for marginal zone B cell development whereas the formation of follicular B cells is severely reduced. While the Dmu protein is expressed in peripheral B cells escaping the block, only a minor fraction of Dmu is exposed to the outer cell surface.

The Unique Region of Surrogate Light Chain Component λ5 Is a Heavy Chain-Specific Regulator of Precursor B Cell Receptor Signaling

Signals transduced by precursor-BCRs (pre-BCRs) composed of Ig mu heavy chains (HCs) and the surrogate L chain components lambda5 and VpreB are critical for B cell development. A conserved unique region (UR) of lambda5 was shown to activate pre-BCR complexes in transformed cells and to engage putative ligands, but its contribution to pre-B cell development is not known. It is also not clear why the lambda-like sequences in lambda5 are used to select HCs that will associate mainly with kappa L chains. In this study, we show that, in transformed and primary mouse B cell progenitors, receptors containing full-length HCs and lacking the lambda5UR were expressed at higher surface levels, but exhibited reduced activity compared with normal pre-BCRs in supporting developmental changes that accompany the progenitor to pre-B cell transition in primary cell culture systems and in the bone marrow in vivo. In contrast, deletion of the lambda5UR did not change net signaling output by the Dmu-pre-BCR, a developmentally defective receptor that exhibited impaired activity in the primary cell culture system. Moreover, the lambda-like sequences in lambda5 were more accommodating than kappa in supporting surface expression and signaling by the different HCs. These results show that the lambda5UR is important, although not essential, for surrogate L chain-dependent receptor signaling in primary cells, and furthermore may help allow discrimination of signaling competency between normal and Dmu-pre-BCRs. That the lambda-like portion of lambda5 in the absence of the UR was nondiscriminatory suggests that the lambda5UR focuses pre-BCR-dependent selection on the HC V region.

B-cell antigen-receptor signalling in lymphocyte development

Signalling through the B-cell antigen receptor (BCR) is required throughout B-cell development and peripheral maturation. Targeted disruption of BCR components or downstream effectors indicates that specific signalling mechanisms are preferentially required for central B-cell development, peripheral maturation and repertoire selection. Additionally, the avidity and the context in which antigen is encountered determine both cell fate and differentiation in the periphery. Although the signalling and receptor components required at each stage have been largely elucidated, the molecular mechanisms through which specific signalling are evoked at each stage are still obscure. In particular, it is not known how the pre-BCR initiates the signals required for normal development or how immature B cells regulate the signalling pathways that determine cell fate. In this review, we will summarize the recent studies that have defined the molecules required for B-cell development and maturation as well as the theories on how signals may be regulated at each stage.

Incomplete DJH rearrangements of the IgH gene are frequent in multiple myeloma patients: immunobiological characteristics and clinical implications

DH-JH rearrangements of the Ig heavy-chain gene (IGH) occur early during B-cell development. Consequently, they are detected in precursor-B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemias both at diagnosis and relapse. Incomplete DJH rearrangements have also been occasionally reported in mature B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders, but their frequency and immunobiological characteristics have not been studied in detail. We have investigated the frequency and characteristics of incomplete DJH as well as complete VDJH rearrangements in a series of 84 untreated multiple myeloma (MM) patients. The overall detection rate of clonality by amplifying VDJH and DJH rearrangements using family-specific primers was 94%. Interestingly, we found a high frequency (60%) of DJH rearrangements in this group. As expected from an immunological point of view, the vast majority of DJH rearrangements (88%) were unmutated. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first systematic study describing the incidence of incomplete DJH rearrangements in a series of unselected MM patients. These results strongly support the use of DJH rearrangements as PCR targets for clonality studies and, particularly, for quantification of minimal residual disease by real-time quantitative PCR using consensus JH probes in MM patients. The finding of hypermutation in a small proportion of incomplete DJH rearrangements (six out of 50) suggests important biological implications concerning the process of somatic hypermutation. Moreover, our data offer a new insight in the regulatory development model of IGH rearrangements.

Distinct signaling requirements for Dmu selection, IgH allelic exclusion, pre-B cell transition, and tumor suppression in B cell progenitors

The pre-B cell receptor triggers expansion and differentiation of pre-B cells (the pre-B cell transition), as well as inhibition of V(H) to DJ(H) recombination (allelic exclusion). The latter also accounts for counter-selection of pro-B cells expressing Dmu protein (Dmu selection). However, the signaling pathways responsible for these events remain poorly defined. Here we show complete arrest of B cell development at the pre-B cell transition in BASH/CD19 double mutant mice, indicating partial redundancy of the two B cell-specific adaptors. Allelic exclusion remained intact in the double mutant mice, whereas Dmu selection was abolished in BASH mutant mice. Thus, distinct signals are required for these events. In addition, both mutant mice succumbed to pre-B cell leukemia, indicating that BASH and CD19 contribute to tumor suppression.

B cell progenitors are arrested in maturation but have intact VDJ recombination in the absence of Ig-alpha and Ig-beta

Ig-alpha and Ig-beta mediate surface expression and signaling of diverse B cell receptor complexes on precursor, immature, and mature B cells. Their expression begins before that of the Ig chains in early progenitor B cells. In this study, we describe the generation of Ig-alpha-deficient mice and their comparative analysis to mice deficient for Ig-beta, the membrane-IgM, and recombination-activating gene 2 to determine the requirement of Ig-alpha and Ig-beta in survival and differentiation of pro-B cells. We find that in the absence of Ig-alpha, B cell development does not progress beyond the progenitor stage, similar to what is observed in humans lacking this molecule. However, neither in Ig-alpha- nor in Ig-beta-deficient mice are pro-B cells impaired in V(D)J recombination, in the expression of intracellular Ig micro-chains, or in surviving in the bone marrow microenvironment. Finally, Ig-alpha and Ig-beta are not redundant in their putative function, as pro-B cells from Ig-alpha and Ig-beta double-deficient mice are similar to those from single-deficient animals in every aspect analyzed.

The mesenchyme expresses T cell receptor mRNAs: relevance to cell growth control

The mesenchyme plays a crucial regulatory role in organ formation and maintenance. However, comprehensive molecular characterization of these cells is lacking. We found unexpectedly that primary mesenchyme, as well as mesenchymal cell clones, express T cell receptor (TCR)alphabeta mRNAs, lacking the variable region. Immunological and genetic evidence support the expression of a corresponding TCRbeta protein. Additionally, mRNAs encoding TCR complex components including CD3 and zeta chain are present. A relatively higher expression of the mesenchymal TCRbeta mRNA by cultured mesenchymal cell clones correlates with fast growth, whereas poorly expressing cells are slow growers and are contact inhibited. The clones that express relatively higher amount of the TCR mRNA exhibit an increased capacity to form tumors in nude mice. However, the expression of this mRNA in the mesenchyme is not per se leading to tumorigenesis, as demonstrated by primary mesenchyme that does not form tumors in mice while expressing moderate amounts of the TCR transcripts. The expression of mesencymal TCRbeta was confined to the G2/M phases of the cell cycle in the MBA-13 mesenchymal cell line. This cell cycle dependent expression, considered together with the correlation between growth properties and the level of TCR expression by cell clones, implies association of mesenchymal TCR with cell growth control.

Truncated immunoglobulin Dmu causes incomplete developmental progression of RAG-deficient pro-B cells

Early stages of B cell development are dependent on the expression of a pre-B cell receptor (BCR), composed of a mu heavy chain (HC) in association with surrogate light chain (SLC) proteins and the signaling molecules, Igalpha and Igbeta. During the formation of the variable region of the mu chain by somatic gene rearrangement, a truncated form of the mu protein (called Dmu) is sometimes produced by the rearrangement of a D(H) segment to a J(H) segment using one of three reading frames (designated rf2). When a Dmu protein is formed, subsequent B cell development is blocked by down-regulation of further HC rearrangements, so that a full-length muHC cannot be formed. In this study, we demonstrate that in recombinase activating gene (RAG)-2-deficient B220(+) CD43(+) pro-B cells in which B lymphopoiesis has been arrested at fraction C, transgenic expression of Dmu promoted partial developmental progression to fraction C', but was unable to mediate the pro-B to pre-B cell transition to fraction D effected by full-length muHC protein. These data suggest that the intracellular signaling pathways engaged by the Dmu pre-BCR are insufficient to facilitate the expansion and/or survival of pre-B cells, and are distinct from those engaged by the pre-BCR-containing full-length muHC.

Conventional and surrogate light chains differentially regulate Ig mu and Dmu heavy chain maturation and surface expression

Positive selection of precursor (pre-) B cells by Ig membrane mu H chains (mum HC) and counterselection mediated by the truncated HC Dmu depend on the ability of each HC to form a pre-B cell receptor (pre-BCR) signaling complex with the surrogate L chain (SLC) components lambda5 and Vpre-B. To better understand how pre-BCR signaling output is determined by its Ig components and the SLC, we investigated the regulation of pre-BCR surface expression and HC secretory maturation in a new nonlymphoid system. We took this approach as a means to distinguish B-lineage-specific effects from pre-BCR-intrinsic properties that may influence these aspects of pre-BCR homeostasis necessary for signaling. As in pre-B cells, the SLC in nonlymphoid cells supported only a limited degree of mum HC maturation and low pre-BCR surface expression levels compared with conventional LCs, indicating that this was due to an intrinsic property of the SLC. We identified the non-Ig region of lambda5 as harboring the restrictive activity responsible for this phenotype. This property of lambda5 was also evident with Dmu, but the overall SLC- and L chain-dependent requirements for Dmu maturation and surface expression were markedly different from those for mum. Surprisingly, Dmu was modified in an unusual manner that was only dependent on Vpre-B. These results establish a novel function of lambda5 in limiting surface pre-BCR levels and reveal biochemical properties of Ig molecules that may underlie the diverse consequences of pre-BCR signaling in vivo by different HCs.

Mice triallelic for the Ig heavy chain locus: implications for VHDJH recombination

V(H)DJ(H) recombination has been extensively studied in mice carrying an Ig heavy chain rearranged transgene. In most models, inhibition of endogenous Ig rearrangement occurs, consistently with the feedback model of IgH recombination. Nonetheless, an incomplete IgH allelic exclusion is a recurrent observation in these animals. Furthermore, transgene expression in ontogeny is likely to start before somatic recombination, thus limiting the use of Ig-transgenic mice to access the dynamics of V(H)DJ(H) recombination. As an alternative approach, we challenged the regulation of somatic recombination with the introduction of an extra IgH locus in germline configuration. This was achieved by reconstitution of RAG2(-/-) mice with fetal liver cells trisomic for chromosome 12 (Ts12). We found that all three alleles can recombine and that the ratio of Ig allotype-expressing B cells follows the allotypic ratio in trisomic cells. Although these cells are able to rearrange the three alleles, the levels of Ig phenotypic allelic exclusion are not altered when compared with euploid cells. Likewise, we find that most VDJ rearrangements of the silenced allele are unable to encode a functional mu-chain, indicating that the majority of these cells are also genetically excluded. These results provide additional support for the feedback model of allelic exclusion.

Negative Selection at the Pre-BCR Checkpoint Elicited by Human μ Heavy Chains with Unusual CDR3 Regions

Approximately 9% of in-frame mu heavy chain transcripts found in normal human pro-B cells encode proteins that can be expressed on the cell surface in the absence of surrogate or conventional light chains. These unusual mu heavy chains demonstrate preferential use of certain VH genes (VH3-23), frequent expression of DH regions in underrepresented reading frames, and an increased number of positively charged amino acids within the CDR3 region. Transcripts for these proteins are not found in pre-B cells or in mature B cells. When expressed in Jurkat T cells with the Ig(alpha)/Ig(beta) signal transduction module, these aberrant mu heavy chains induce cell activation and apoptosis. These results suggest that some mu heavy chains elicit negative selection at the pro-B cell to pre-B cell transition.

Antibody regulation of B cell development

Antibodies on the surface of B lymphocytes trigger adaptive immune responses and control a series of antigen-independent checkpoints during B cell development. These physiologic processes are regulated by a complex of membrane immunoglobulin and two signal transducing proteins known as Ig alpha and Ig beta. Here we focus on the role of antibodies in governing the maturation of B cells from early antigen-independent through the final antigen-dependent stages.

Frequency and characterization of phenotypic Ig heavy chain allelically included IgM-expressing B cells in mice

Ig H chain (IgH) allelic exclusion remains a puzzling topic. Here, we address the following question: Do phenotypic IgH allelically included cells exist in normal mice and, if so, at what frequency? Sorted cells from heterozygous mice were evaluated for the expression of both IgM allotypes by double intracytoplasmic stainings. Dual expressors were found at a frequency of 1 in 104 splenic B cells. These data were confirmed by direct sequencing of IgH-rearranged alleles obtained after single cell (or clone) PCR on dual expressors. Typically, these cells have one rearranged J558 VH whereas, in the other allele, a D-proximal VH gene is used. Interestingly, dual expressors have rearranged IgH alleles with similar CDR3 lengths. These results show that, in contrast to the kappa L chain and the TCR beta-chain, IgH allelic exclusion is the result of an extremely stringent mechanism. We discuss two non-mutually exclusive scenarios for the origin of IgH dual expressors: 1) IgH allelically included cells arise when the first allele to rearrange productively is unable to form a pre-BCR; dual expressors could be a subset of this population in which, upon conventional L chain rearrangement, both IgH are expressed at the surface; and 2) synchronous rearrangement of the IgH alleles.

Differential regulation of transcription termination occurring at two different sites on the micro-delta gene complex

The progression of polymerases across the micro-delta Ig heavy chain gene complex is characterized by two termination events occurring at different sites on the transcription unit and at different times during B cell differentiation. We have utilized two mouse strains to analyze the regulatory determinants for these events in primary B cells. In the transgenic pmicro.microdeltaRatt strain a 1160 bp intervening DNA segment (the att site) has been inverted. This mutation results in the abrogation of transcription termination that occurs in early B cells. Using a novel method that takes advantage of an internal ribosome entry site we have further restricted the size of the segment that is needed for inducing transcription termination in transfectants. This 200 bp termination-inducing sequence operates in tumor equivalents of early but not mature B cells and the activity is correlated with differential binding of nuclear proteins. To explore the regulatory basis for the change in site of transcription termination upon B cell activation we have examined the microS-/- deletion mutant strain in which the microS poly(A) site has been eliminated. The results suggest that polyadenylation at the microS site plays a dominant but not exclusive role in regulating transcription termination in activated B cells.

Rearrangement and expression of immunoglobulin light chain genes can precede heavy chain expression during normal B cell development in mice

In mouse mutants incapable of expressing mu chains, VkappaJkappa joints are detected in the CD43(+) B cell progenitors. In agreement with these earlier results, we show by a molecular single cell analysis that 4-7% of CD43(+) B cell progenitors in wild-type mice rearrange immunoglobulin (Ig)kappa genes before the assembly of a productive VHDHJH joint. Thus, mu chain expression is not a prerequisite to Igkappa light chain gene rearrangements in normal development. Overall, approximately 15% of the total CD43(+) B cell progenitor population carry Igkappa gene rearrangements in wild-type mice. Together with the results obtained in the mouse mutants, these data fit a model in which CD43(+) progenitors rearrange IgH and Igkappa loci independently, with a seven times higher frequency in the former. In addition, we show that in B cell progenitors VkappaJkappa joining rapidly initiates kappa chain expression, irrespective of the presence of a mu chain.

Terminal Deoxynucleotidyl Transferase Expression During Neonatal Life Alters DH Reading Frame Usage and Ig-Receptor-Dependent Selection of V Regions

During neonatal life, Ig diversity is limited in many respects. The absence of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) expression with the consequent lack of nontemplated addition during the neonatal period, coupled with the predominant usage of a single DH reading frame (RF), leads to severe limitations of diversity in the CDR3 region of Ig heavy (H) chains. The neonatal Ig H chain repertoire is also characterized by restricted VH usage, with predominant expression of certain VH segments, such as VH81x, that are rarely evident during adult life. In this report, we examine the effect of enforced TdT expression on the neonatal repertoire of VH81xDJH rearrangements. We find that TdT synthesis abrogates DH RF bias during the fetal/neonatal period through a Ig-receptor-independent mechanism. These findings suggest that DH RF bias during neonatal life is determined largely by homology-directed joining. We also find that TdT synthesis alters the selection of productively rearranged VH81xDJH alleles in the neonatal spleen through a Ig-receptor-dependent mechanism. Analysis of predicted CDR3 amino acid sequences indicates that positive selection of VH81x-encoded H chains is correlated with the presence of a consensus sequence immediately adjacent to the VH segment. These data support the hypothesis that the CDR3 region is critical in determining the ability of VH81x-encoded H chains to form functional receptors that support positive selection of B lymphocytes. Together, our results demonstrate that TdT can indirectly influence the Ig repertoire by influencing both receptor-dependent and receptor-independent selection processes.

Deregulation of BCL6 in non-Hodgkin lymphoma by insertion of IGH sequences in complex translocations involving band 3q27

Chromosomal band 3q27 frequently engages in translocations with a number of sites within the genome, including those containing IG and other genes, during the development of B-cell lymphoma. The BCL6 gene, mapped at 3q27, is deregulated in these translocations and was isolated from a t(3;14)(q27;q32) translocation. It encodes a zinc-finger transcription repressor protein, which is expressed mainly in the germinal center (GC) B cells and plays a key role in GC development and T-cell-dependent immune response. BCL6 deregulation in 3q27 translocations is brought about by substitution of its 5' regulatory sequences by promoters of the rearranging genes. BCL6-rearranging genes studied so far (IGH, IGLL, TTF, BOBI, H4) displayed a broader pattern of expression than BCL6 during B-cell development. This observation has led to the suggestion that continued expression of BCL6 beyond its developmentally regulated point of downregulation under the direction of substituted promoters may keep the GC B cell in a cycling mode and lead to clonal expansion and lymphoma development. However, the rearranging partners of BCL6 in several of the 3q27 translocations have not yet been identified. In a molecular cloning analysis of two such translocations, t(1;3)(q21;q27) and t(3;6)(q27;p25), and an immunoblastic lymphoma cell line, OSI-LY8, we identified a novel mechanism of BCL6 deregulation. This comprised replacement of BCL6 5' regulatory sequences by insertion of IG gene transcriptional regulatory sequences at the translocation junction. These studies demonstrate novel features of instability of 3q27, and of the BCL6 and IGH genes, in B-cell lymphomagenesis.