© 2007 The Japanese Biochemical Society.
JB Minireviews-Genome Decoding Systems |
Architecture and Dynamics of the Transcription Factor Network that Regulates B-to-Plasma Cell Differentiation
Department of Biochemistry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Seiryo-machi 2-1, Sendai 980-8575, Japan
*To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: 81-22-717-7595, Fax: 81-22-717-7598, E-mail: igarak{at}mail.tains.tohoku.ac.jp
Received February 15, 2007; Accepted March 4, 2007
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Abstract |
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Upon antigen stimulation, B lymphoid cells undergo terminal differentiation into antibody-secreting plasma cells. This process accompanies drastic changes in cell functions such as a loss of B-cell identity, induction of secretory apparatus, and an extremely increased transcription of antibody genes. These changes are the result of re-wiring of a transcription factor network in B and plasma cells. While the transcription repressor Blimp-1 induces plasma cell differentiation, another repressor Bach2 has emerged as a negative regulator of Blimp-1 in B cells. These two transcription factors, together with other several factors, appear to constitute a main transcriptional regulatory network for the terminal differentiation process of plasma cells from B cells.
Key Words: Bach2, Blimp-1, class switch recombination, plasma cells, transcription factor
Abbreviations: AID, activation-induced cytidine deaminase; Bach2, BTB and CNC homology 2; Bcl6, B-cell lymphoma 6; Blimp-1, B lymphocyte-induced maturation protein 1; bZip, basic region-leucine zipper; CLS, cytoplasmic localization signal; CSR, class switch recombination; GC, germinal centre; Ig, immunoglobulin; IRF-4, interferon regulatory factor 4; LPS, lipopolysaccharide; MARE, Maf-recognition element; MITF, microphthalmia-associated transcription factor; Pax5, paired box gene 5; SHM, somatic hypermutation; XBP-1, X-box binding protein 1