IgH mRNA Research Articles

RNA Splicing in the Transition from B Cells to Antibody-Secreting Cells: The Influences of ELL2, Small Nuclear RNA, and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress.

In the transition from B cells to Ab-secreting cells (ASCs) many genes are induced, such as ELL2, Irf4, Prdm1, Xbp1, whereas other mRNAs do not change in abundance. Nonetheless, using splicing array technology and mouse splenic B cells plus or minus LPS, we found that induced and "uninduced" genes can show large differences in splicing patterns between the cell stages, which could influence ASC development. We found that ∼55% of these splicing changes depend on ELL2, a transcription elongation factor that influences expression levels and splicing patterns of ASC signature genes, genes in the cell-cycle and N-glycan biosynthesis and processing pathways, and the secretory versus membrane forms of the IgH mRNA. Some of these changes occur when ELL2 binds directly to the genes encoding those mRNAs, whereas some of the changes are indirect. To attempt to account for the changes that occur in RNA splicing before or without ELL2 induction, we examined the amount of the small nuclear RNA molecules and found that they were significantly decreased within 18 h of LPS stimulation and stayed low until 72 h. Correlating with this, at 18 h after LPS, endoplasmic reticulum stress and Ire1 phosphorylation are induced. Inhibiting the regulated Ire1-dependent mRNA decay with 4u8C correlates with the reduction in small nuclear RNA and changes in the normal splicing patterns at 18 h. Thus, we conclude that the RNA splicing patterns in ASCs are shaped early by endoplasmic reticulum stress and Ire1 phosphorylation and later by ELL2 induction.

High-resolution analysis of the B cell repertoire before and after polyethylene glycol fusion reveals preferential fusion of rare antigen-specific B cells.

The hybridoma technology is one of the most important advances in clinical immunology. Little is known about the differences between the antibodies produced during the in vivo immune response and those recovered in hybridoma libraries. Here, we investigate a potential fusion bias inherent to the hybridoma production process. Transgenic rats carrying human Ig heavy and light chain loci were immunized with measles virus (MV) to generate human mAbs. Usin g high-throughput sequencing of IgH mRNA, we compared the IgH repertoire of lymph nodes and the derived hybridoma library using the sequences of the MV-specific hybridoma clones as a reference set with known specificity. We observed that large clonotypes from the lymph nodes were not represented in the hybridoma library, but low-frequency B cell populations became highly enriched and most hybridoma clones were derived from these. Our data also showed that identical CDR3s evolved from diverse VDJ recombinations, indicating convergence of different B cells subpopulations towards expression of antibodies with similar paratopes. The efficient generation of mAbs results from a fusion process highly selective for rare antigen-specific B cells rather than in vivo expanded populations. Antibodies of particular interest may therefore be missed during classical hybridoma production.

Transcription Elongation Factor ELL2 Drives Ig Secretory-Specific mRNA Production and the Unfolded Protein Response

Differentiation of B cells into Ab-secreting cells induces changes in gene transcription, IgH RNA processing, the unfolded protein response (UPR), and cell architecture. The transcription elongation factor eleven nineteen lysine-rich leukemia gene (ELL2) stimulates the processing of the secreted form of the IgH mRNA from the H chain gene. Mice (mus musculus) with the ELL2 gene floxed in either exon 1 or exon 3 were constructed and crossed to CD19-driven cre/CD19(+). The B cell-specific ELL2 conditional knockouts (cKOs; ell2(loxp/loxp) CD19(cre/+)) exhibit curtailed humoral responses both in 4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenyl acetyl-Ficoll and in 4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenyl acetyl-keyhole limpet hemocyanin immunized animals; recall responses were also diminished. The number of immature and recirculating B cells in the bone marrow is increased in the cKOs, whereas plasma cells in spleen are reduced relative to control animals. There are fewer IgG1 Ab-producing cells in the bone marrow of cKOs. LPS ex vivo-stimulated B220(lo)CD138(+) cells from ELL2-deficient mouse spleens are 4-fold less abundant than from control splenic B cells; have a paucity of secreted IgH; and have distended, abnormal-appearing endoplasmic reticulum. IRE1α is efficiently phosphorylated, but the amounts of Ig κ, ATF6, BiP, Cyclin B2, OcaB (BOB1, Pou2af1), and XBP1 mRNAs, unspliced and spliced, are severely reduced in ELL2-deficient cells. ELL2 enhances the expression of BCMA (also known as Tnfrsf17), which is important for long-term survival. Transcription yields from the cyclin B2 and the canonical UPR promoter elements are upregulated by ELL2 cDNA. Thus, ELL2 is important for many aspects of Ab secretion, XBP1 expression, and the UPR.

Plasma cell gene expression depends on ELL2 (HEM2P.271)

Abstract ELL2, the eleven-nineteen lysine rich leukemia gene, a transcription elongation factor, has been found to play vital roles in Igh mRNA production, myeloma cell survival, and in HIV tar:tat mediated viral RNA transcription. We previously showed that ELL2 is responsible for Igh mRNA being both alternatively processed to the secretory-specific form and increased in its abundance, leading to high levels of secreted Ig protein and a robust immune response. ELL2 associates with pTEFb in a super elongation complex. We made conditional knockouts of ELL2 in mouse B cells using loxp/ CD19 cre. The splenic B cell populations of T3 and mature plasma cells in the whole mouse are reduced in the knockouts. The ELL2 cKO results in decreased serum Ig levels and severe reduction in antigen specific responses against NP-ficoll and NP-KLH. Recall responses are also impaired. LPS stimulation of splenic B cells shows decreased maturation to B220loCD138+ plasma cells with the expression of IRE1, XBP-1 spliced form, and cyclin B2 significantly lower in the cKO than LPS stimulated WT mice. The processing of the Igh mRNA to the secretory-specific form is suppressed in the conditional ELL2 knockouts with a compensatory increase in Igh membrane mRNA. Production of the unfolded protein response is thus impaired. Analysis of the ELL2 knockouts may lend insight into the relationships between Ig secretion, cell growth and the unfolded protein response in plasmablasts and long term plasma cells.

Plasma cell formation, secretion, and persistence: the short and the long of it.

B cells can be activated by cognate antigen, anti-B-cell receptor antibody, complement receptors, or polyclonal stimulators like lipopolysaccharide; the overall result is a large shift in RNA processing to the secretory-specific form of immunoglobulin (Ig) heavy chain mRNA and an upregulation of Igh mRNA amounts. Associated with this shift is the large-scale induction of Ig protein synthesis and the unfolded protein response to accommodate the massive quantity of secretory Ig that results. Stimulation to secretion also produces major structural accommodations and stress, with extensive generation of endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi as part of the cellular architecture. Reactive oxygen species can lead to either activation or apoptosis based on context and the high or low oxygen tension surrounding the cells. Transcription elongation factor ELL2 plays an important role in the induction of Ig secretory mRNA production, the unfolded protein response, and gene expression during hypoxia. After antigen stimulation, activated B cells from either the marginal zones or follicles can produce short-lived antibody secreting cells; it is not clear whether cells from both locations can become long-lived plasma cells. Autophagy is necessary for plasma cell long-term survival through the elimination of some of the accumulated damage to the ER from producing so much protein. Survival signals from the bone marrow stromal cells also contribute to plasma cell longevity, with BCMA serving a potentially unique survival role. Integrating the various information pathways converging on the plasma cell is crucial to the development of their long-lived, productive immune response.

Plasma cell gene expression depends on ELL2 (176.15)

Abstract From studies with splenic B cells and cell lines ELL2, a transcription elongation factor, was found to play a vital role in the differentiation of B cells into plasma cells. It is responsible for Igh mRNA being both alternatively processed to the secretory-specific form and increased in abundance, leading to high levels of secreted Ig protein and a robust immune response. To investigate the molecular mechanisms that occur as a result of ELL2 action, we studied histone H3 methylation at K4 and K79 on the Igh in plasma cells by chromatin IP. We found that knocking out ELL2 with siRNA decreases the H3K4 di- and tri-methylation and K79 tri-methylation patterns as well as the association of CstF-64 and pTEFb, a part of the super elongation complex. Recent chromatin IP studies show that ELL2 is associated with RNA polymerase II on essential regulatory plasma cell genes including IRF-4 and blimp-1. Using luciferase transcription assays we show that ELL2 is able to increase transcription from its own and the IRF-4 promoter. Elongation is thus linked to increased mRNA production and the use of a proximal poly(A) site in the IRF-4 gene. ELL2 and ELL1 do not have identical patterns of action. Taken together, these studies define a fundamental role for ELL2 in the transcription elongation machinery and RNA processing in plasma cell differentiation. Studies on the in vivo role of ELL2 in Ig secretion are in progress.

Transcriptional and epigenetic regulation of B cell development

B cell development starts in the bone marrow where hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) progress through sequential developmental stages, as it differentiates into a naïve B cell expressing surface immunoglobulin. In the periphery, B cells that encounter antigen can further differentiate into antibody-secreting plasma cells. In this review, we focus on two factors, E47 and ELL2, which play important roles in the regulation of B cell development in the bone marrow and differentiation of mature B cells into plasma cells in the periphery, respectively. First, E47 activity is required for B cell development in the bone marrow. In addition, we have identified a cell-intrinsic role for E47 in regulating efficient self-renewal and long-term multilineage bone marrow reconstitution potential of HSCs. Second, we explored the role of transcription elongation factors in the super elongation complex (SEC), including ELL2 (eleven-nineteen lysine-rich leukemia factor) in driving poly(A) site choice and plasma cell development. We found that elongation factors impel high levels of IgH mRNA production and alternative processing at the promoter proximal, secretory-specific (sec) poly(A) site in plasma cells by enhancing RNA polymerase II modifications and downstream events. The sec poly(A) site, essentially hidden in B cells, is found by SEC factors in plasma cells.

Pro-B cells sense productive immunoglobulin heavy chain rearrangement irrespective of polypeptide production

B-lymphocyte development is dictated by the protein products of functionally rearranged Ig heavy (H) and light (L) chain genes. Ig rearrangement begins in pro-B cells at the IgH locus. If pro-B cells generate a productive allele, they assemble a pre-B cell receptor complex, which signals their differentiation into pre-B cells and their clonal expansion. Pre-B cell receptor signals are also thought to contribute to allelic exclusion by preventing further IgH rearrangements. Here we show in two independent mouse models that the accumulation of a stabilized μH mRNA that does not encode μH chain protein specifically impairs pro-B cell differentiation and reduces the frequency of rearranged IgH genes in a dose-dependent manner. Because noncoding IgH mRNA is usually rapidly degraded by the nonsense-mediated mRNA decay machinery, we propose that the difference in mRNA stability allows pro-B cells to distinguish between productive and nonproductive Ig gene rearrangements and that μH mRNA may thus contribute to efficient H chain allelic exclusion.

Evolution of B-cell clonal expansions with age

B-cell clonal expansions (BCE) in young mice are transient, detectable for less than 4 weeks. In contrast, BCE in old mice persist more than 2 months. The greater persistence of BCE in old mice does not appear to be due to the age of the host as the survival of phenyloxazolone chicken serum albumin-induced BCE in most old mice was shorter than in young mice. This raises the possibility that persistent BCE seen in old mice develop over time from transient BCE present earlier in life. To test this hypothesis, young C57BL/6 mice were immunized with hen egg lysozyme (HEL) during the first year of life. By 28 months of age, the majority of these mice had developed a benign, persistent BCE associated with a HEL-specific serum mIg. We also investigated whether benign, persistent BCE, present in 18-month-old mice, can evolve into B-cell lymphomas. We observed that four of eight C57BL/6 mice that survived to 29 months of age had developed diffuse large cell lymphomas. In three of these mice, this diagnosis was made by microscopic analysis of the lymphoid organs. In one mouse, a macroscopic lymphoma was present that permitted us to demonstrate that the IgH mRNA CDR3 length and sequence in the malignant lymphoma was derived from a persistent BCE present 11 months earlier. Together these observations are consistent with the hypothesis that stepwise accumulation of genetic alterations combined with Darwinian selection underlies the evolution of B cells from transient BCE in young mice into persistent BCE, serum mIg, and B-cell lymphomas observed in older mice.

CD34+ Cells in the Blood of Patients With Multiple Myeloma Express CD19 and IgH mRNA and Have Patient-Specific IgH VDJ Gene Rearrangements

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from patients with multiple myeloma (MM) are here shown to include 23% ± 2% of CD34+ cells, the majority of which coexpress CD19, as identified by a panel of 17 anti-CD34 antibodies. The expression of CD34 mRNA by sorted CD34+ PBMC from MM was confirmed by in situ reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with CD34-specific primers. The majority of CD34+ MM PBMC were CD19+ cells that expressed mRNA for CD19 and for rearranged IgH as identified with consensus IgH VDJ primers, as well as having cytoplasmic Ig, definitively identifying them as B cells, in absolute numbers of 0.06 to 0.69 × 109/L of blood. CD34 is largely absent from normal B cells. To determine the clonal relationship of CD34+ B cells to autologous MM plasma cells, IgH VDJ DNA rearrangements of sorted CD34+ MM blood B cells were amplified by nested PCR using consensus primers followed by Southern blotting with allele-specific oligonucleotides for 7 MM patients, and clonotypic IgH mRNA expression was assessed for 4 MM patients using quantitative patient-specific in situ RT-PCR. For 9 of 11 myeloma patients tested, CD34+ blood B cells included IgH gene rearrangements or expressed IgH mRNA identical to that of autologous bone marrow plasma cells. For 4 of 4 MM patients, 74% to 94% of individual sorted CD34+19+ B cells expressed clonotypic IgH mRNA, as detected by in situ RT-PCR with patient-specific primers. Clonotypic IgH VDJ sequences were absent from B cells of unrelated MM patients and of normal donors. Clonotypic CD34+ B cells were detected before, during, and after treatment, and during relapse. Our results indicate a clonal relationship between CD34+ MM B cells and malignant plasma cells. We speculate that CD34 may play an important role in the biology of myeloma by facilitating extravasation from blood and thus spread of myeloma through the skeletal system.

CD34+ Cells in the Blood of Patients With Multiple Myeloma Express CD19 and IgH mRNA and Have Patient-Specific IgH VDJ Gene Rearrangements

AbstractPeripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from patients with multiple myeloma (MM) are here shown to include 23% ± 2% of CD34+ cells, the majority of which coexpress CD19, as identified by a panel of 17 anti-CD34 antibodies. The expression of CD34 mRNA by sorted CD34+ PBMC from MM was confirmed by in situ reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with CD34-specific primers. The majority of CD34+ MM PBMC were CD19+ cells that expressed mRNA for CD19 and for rearranged IgH as identified with consensus IgH VDJ primers, as well as having cytoplasmic Ig, definitively identifying them as B cells, in absolute numbers of 0.06 to 0.69 × 109/L of blood. CD34 is largely absent from normal B cells. To determine the clonal relationship of CD34+ B cells to autologous MM plasma cells, IgH VDJ DNA rearrangements of sorted CD34+ MM blood B cells were amplified by nested PCR using consensus primers followed by Southern blotting with allele-specific oligonucleotides for 7 MM patients, and clonotypic IgH mRNA expression was assessed for 4 MM patients using quantitative patient-specific in situ RT-PCR. For 9 of 11 myeloma patients tested, CD34+ blood B cells included IgH gene rearrangements or expressed IgH mRNA identical to that of autologous bone marrow plasma cells. For 4 of 4 MM patients, 74% to 94% of individual sorted CD34+19+ B cells expressed clonotypic IgH mRNA, as detected by in situ RT-PCR with patient-specific primers. Clonotypic IgH VDJ sequences were absent from B cells of unrelated MM patients and of normal donors. Clonotypic CD34+ B cells were detected before, during, and after treatment, and during relapse. Our results indicate a clonal relationship between CD34+ MM B cells and malignant plasma cells. We speculate that CD34 may play an important role in the biology of myeloma by facilitating extravasation from blood and thus spread of myeloma through the skeletal system.

Predominant expression of the long isoform of Bcl-x (Bcl-xL) in human lymphomas.

Bcl-x is a member of the bcl-2 family of proteins which are characterized by their ability to modulate apoptosis. Alternative splicing results in two distinct bcl-x mRNAs encoding a long isoform, bcl-xL, which acts as a bcl-2 agonist; and a short isoform, bcl-xS, which inhibits bcl-2 effects. The aim of the study was to determine whether bcl-x is expressed in lymphoma tissues and to characterize the respective production of bcl-xs and bcl-xL. We investigated the expression of bcl-x mRNA in a series of 50 non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) and Hodgkin's disease (HD) cases using a RT-PCR method in order to amplify both transcripts simultaneously, and to estimate their relative abundance. The rearrangements of the bcl-2 gene were analysed by RT-PCR expression of the hybrid bcl-2-lgH mRNA. In addition, 20 PCR-positive NHL cases and three HD cases were analysed by immunohistochemistry using bcl-x polyclonal antisera. RT-PCR showed bcl-x expression in 43/45 NHLs and 5/5 HD cases. The bcl-xL transcript was predominant in all positive cases and was associated with variable amounts of bcl-xS. There was no significant correlation between the profile of bcl-xL/bcl-xS expression and the histological and immunological subtyping. Bcl-x immunodetection was positive in the neoplastic cell component in all analysed cases, but the degree of staining was highly variable between cases. Expression of the hybrid bcl-2-IgH gene was detected by RT-PCR in five cases of follicular NHL and in one case of HD, but this group of tumours did not display a particular profile of bcl-xL/bcl-xS expression. We conclude that bcl-x is commonly expressed by malignant cells in various types of malignant lymphomas, with a predominance of the bcl-xL transcript. Since the corresponding bcl-xL isoform can block the cell death machinery and potentialize bcl-2 effects, it may be involved in some pathways of lymphomagenesis.

Molecular cloning of the imidazoleglycerolphosphate dehydratase gene of Trichoderma harzianum by genetic complementation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae using a direct expression vector.

The Trichoderma harzianum imidazoleglycerolphosphate dehydratase gene (igh) has been isolated by complementation of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae his3 mutant using a direct expression vector. This Escherichia coli-yeast shuttle vector was developed to allow efficient cloning and expression of cDNA libraries. The cDNA is 627 nucleotides long and codes for a protein of 209 amino acids with an apparent molecular mass of 22,466 daltons. The predicted protein sequence showed 63.6%, 58.7%, and 38.4% identity respectively to the corresponding enzymes from S. cerevisiae, Pichia pastoris and E. coli. Northern analysis showed that the expression of the igh gene in T. harzianum is not inhibited by external histidine and the level of igh mRNA was about threefold higher in cells starved of histidine.

Identification of IL-7-dependent bone marrow-derived Thy-1-B220- lymphoid cell clones that rearrange and express both Ig and T cell receptor genes.

Bone marrow stromal cell lines and lymphoid cell lines were co-established from the Whitlock-Witte type of long term liquid cultures of MRL/1 and C57BL/10 (B10) (Thy-1.1) bone marrow cells. The present study investigates the immunologic nature of parental and cloned lymphoid cell lines. Both strains of parental lines and their clones did not grow alone but proliferated on the monolayers of co-established parental stromal cell lines from a syngeneic or alternative strain. When various lymphokines or cytokines were tested for their capacity to support the growth of these lymphoid cell clones, only IL-7 could substitute for the growth-promoting function of stromal cells. These IL-7-dependent clones expressed neither Thy-1 nor B220 Ag. However, all of them from two strains were found to rearrange synchronously H chain of Ig as well as gamma chain of TCR genes. Some of the clones transcribed a mature size of IgH mRNA. Co-expression of mRNA for lambda 5 but not for IgL chain (kappa, lambda) genes resulted in the generation of cell surface mu chain in these clones. Other clones expressed a smaller size of IgH mRNA without exhibiting surface mu chain. Irrespective of the differences in IgH rearrangements and its mRNA expression, a mature size TCR gamma mRNA was detected in all of the clones. Thus, these results demonstrate the existence of untransformed (IL-7-dependent) immature lymphoid cells rearranging both Ig and TCR genes. Their unique features concerning cell surface markers (B220- mu+), specific growth factor requirement, and various modes of Ig/TCR gene rearrangements are discussed in the context of early lymphoid development.