Cutting edge: polycomb gene expression patterns reflect distinct B cell differentiation stages in human germinal centers

FM Raaphorst, FJ van Kemenade, E Fieret… - The Journal of …, 2000 - journals.aai.org
FM Raaphorst, FJ van Kemenade, E Fieret, KM Hamer, DPE Satijn, AP Otte, CJLM Meijer
The Journal of Immunology, 2000journals.aai.org
Polycomb group (Pc-G) proteins regulate homeotic gene expression in Drosophila, mouse,
and humans. Mouse Pc-G proteins are also essential for adult hematopoietic development
and contribute to cell cycle regulation. We show that human Pc-G expression patterns
correlate with different B cell differentiation stages and that they reflect germinal center (GC)
architecture. The transition of resting mantle B cells to rapidly dividing Mib-1 (Ki-67)+
follicular centroblasts coincides with loss of BMI-1 and RING1 Pc-G protein detection and …
Abstract
Polycomb group (Pc-G) proteins regulate homeotic gene expression in Drosophila, mouse, and humans. Mouse Pc-G proteins are also essential for adult hematopoietic development and contribute to cell cycle regulation. We show that human Pc-G expression patterns correlate with different B cell differentiation stages and that they reflect germinal center (GC) architecture. The transition of resting mantle B cells to rapidly dividing Mib-1 (Ki-67)+ follicular centroblasts coincides with loss of BMI-1 and RING1 Pc-G protein detection and appearance of ENX and EED Pc-G protein expression. By contrast, differentiation of centroblasts into centrocytes correlates with reappearance of BMI-1/RING1 and loss of ENX/EED and Mib-1 expression. The mutually exclusive expression of ENX/EED and BMI-1/RING1 reflects the differential composition of two distinct Pc-G complexes. The Pc-G expression profiles in various GC B cell differentiation stages suggest a role for Pc-G proteins in GC development.
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