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D'Addabbo P, Frezza D, Sulentic CE. Evolutive emergence and divergence of an Ig regulatory node: An environmental sensor getting cues from the aryl hydrocarbon receptor? Front Immunol 2023; 14:996119. [PMID: 36817426 PMCID: PMC9936319 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.996119] [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: 07/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
One gene, the immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) gene, is responsible for the expression of all the different antibody isotypes. Transcriptional regulation of the IgH gene is complex and involves several regulatory elements including a large element at the 3' end of the IgH gene locus (3'RR). Animal models have demonstrated an essential role of the 3'RR in the ability of B cells to express high affinity antibodies and to express different antibody classes. Additionally, environmental chemicals such as aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) ligands modulate mouse 3'RR activity that mirrors the effects of these chemicals on antibody production and immunocompetence in mouse models. Although first discovered as a mediator of the toxicity induced by the high affinity ligand 2,3,7,8-tetracholordibenzo-p-dioxin (dioxin), understanding of the AhR has expanded to a physiological role in preserving homeostasis and maintaining immunocompetence. We posit that the AhR also plays a role in human antibody production and that the 3'RR is not only an IgH regulatory node but also an environmental sensor receiving signals through intrinsic and extrinsic pathways, including the AhR. This review will 1) highlight the emerging role of the AhR as a key transducer between environmental signals and altered immune function; 2) examine the current state of knowledge regarding IgH gene regulation and the role of the AhR in modulation of Ig production; 3) describe the evolution of the IgH gene that resulted in species and population differences; and 4) explore the evidence supporting the environmental sensing capacity of the 3'RR and the AhR as a transducer of these cues. This review will also underscore the need for studies focused on human models due to the premise that understanding genetic differences in the human population and the signaling pathways that converge at the 3'RR will provide valuable insight into individual sensitivities to environmental factors and antibody-mediated disease conditions, including emerging infections such as SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pietro D'Addabbo
- Department of Biology, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Bari, Italy
| | - Domenico Frezza
- Department of Biology E. Calef, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Courtney E.W. Sulentic
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Boonshoft School of Medicine, Wright State University, Dayton, OH, United States
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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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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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Chi X, Li Y, Qiu X. V(D)J recombination, somatic hypermutation and class switch recombination of immunoglobulins: mechanism and regulation. Immunology 2020; 160:233-247. [PMID: 32031242 DOI: 10.1111/imm.13176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2019] [Revised: 12/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunoglobulins emerging from B lymphocytes and capable of recognizing almost all kinds of antigens owing to the extreme diversity of their antigen-binding portions, known as variable (V) regions, play an important role in immune responses. The exons encoding the V regions are known as V (variable), D (diversity), or J (joining) genes. V, D, J segments exist as multiple copy arrays on the chromosome. The recombination of the V(D)J gene is the key mechanism to produce antibody diversity. The recombinational process, including randomly choosing a pair of V, D, J segments, introducing double-strand breaks adjacent to each segment, deleting (or inverting in some cases) the intervening DNA and ligating the segments together, is defined as V(D)J recombination, which contributes to surprising immunoglobulin diversity in vertebrate immune systems. To enhance both the ability of immunoglobulins to recognize and bind to foreign antigens and the effector capacities of the expressed antibodies, naive B cells will undergo class switching recombination (CSR) and somatic hypermutation (SHM). However, the genetics mechanisms of V(D)J recombination, CSR and SHM are not clear. In this review, we summarize the major progress in mechanism studies of immunoglobulin V(D)J gene recombination and CSR as well as SHM, and their regulatory mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiying Chi
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Medical Immunology, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yue Li
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Medical Immunology, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoyan Qiu
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Medical Immunology, Peking University, Beijing, China
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Santos JM, Oudinet C, Schöne L, Dauba A, Khamlichi AA. Essential role of the initial activation signal in isotype selection upon deletion of a transcriptionally committed promoter. Sci Rep 2019; 9:18543. [PMID: 31811188 PMCID: PMC6898632 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-54929-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Class switch recombination (CSR), which targets exclusively the constant region of the immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) locus, plays an important role in humoral immunity by generating different antibody effector functions. The IgH constant locus contains multiple genes controlled by isotype (I) promoters induced by extracellular signals that activate specific I promoters, leading to B cell commitment. However, it is unknown whether after initial commitment to one promoter, non-responsive I promoters are irreversibly silent or if they can be activated after exposure to their specific inducers. Here, we studied the murine cell line CH12, which is committed to produce IgA in response to TGF-β. We show that, although other promoters than Iα are transcriptionally inactive, they are not irreversibly silent. Following deletion of the committed Iα promoter by CRISPR/Cas9, other I promoters display a complex transcriptional pattern largely dependent on the initial committing signal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana M Santos
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, 31077, Toulouse, France
| | - Chloé Oudinet
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, 31077, Toulouse, France
| | - Lisa Schöne
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, 31077, Toulouse, France
| | - Audrey Dauba
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, 31077, Toulouse, France
| | - Ahmed Amine Khamlichi
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, 31077, Toulouse, France.
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Two modes of cis-activation of switch transcription by the IgH superenhancer. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:14708-14713. [PMID: 31266889 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1902250116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
B cell isotype switching plays an important role in modulating adaptive immune responses. It occurs in response to specific signals that often induce different isotype (I) promoters driving transcription of switch regions, located upstream of the Ig heavy chain (IgH) constant genes. The transcribed switch regions can recombine, leading to a change of the constant gene and, consequently, of antibody isotype. Switch transcription is controlled by the superenhancer 3' regulatory region (3'RR) that establishes long-range chromatin cis-interactions with I promoters. Most stimuli induce more than one I promoter, and switch transcription can occur on both chromosomes. Therefore, it is presently unknown whether induced I promoters compete for the 3'RR on the same chromosome. Here we performed single-chromosome RT-qPCR assays to examine switch transcription monoallelically in the endogenous context. We show that there are two modes of 3'RR-mediated activation of I promoters: coactivation and competition. The nature of the inducing signal plays a pivotal role in determining the mode of activation. Furthermore, we provide evidence that, in its endogenous setting, the 3'RR has a bidirectional activity. We propose that the coactivation and competition modes mediated by the 3'RR may have evolved to cope with the different kinetics of primary immune responses.
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