A new hypersensitive site, HS10, and the enhancers, E3' and Ed, differentially regulate Igκ gene expression

J Immunol. 2012 Mar 15;188(6):2722-32. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1102758. Epub 2012 Feb 8.

Abstract

The mouse Igκ gene locus has three known transcriptional enhancers: an intronic enhancer (Ei), a 3' enhancer (E3'), and a further downstream enhancer (Ed). We previously discovered, using the chromosome conformation-capture technique, that Ei and E3' interact with a novel DNA sequence near the 3' end of the Igκ locus, specifically in B cells. In the present investigation, we examined the function of this far downstream element. The sequence is evolutionarily conserved and exhibits a plasmacytoma cell-specific DNase I-hypersensitive site in chromatin, henceforth termed HS10 in the locus. HS10 acts as a coactivator of E3' in transient transfection assays. Although HS10(-/-) mice exhibited normal patterns of B cell development, they were tested further along with E3'(-/-) and Ed(-/-) mice for their Igκ expression levels in plasma cells, as well as for both allelic and isotype exclusion in splenic B cells. HS10(-/-) and Ed(-/-), but not E3'(-/-), mice exhibited 2.5-fold lower levels of Igκ expression in antigenically challenged plasma cells. E3'(-/-) mice, but not HS10(-/-) mice, exhibited impaired IgL isotype and allelic exclusion in splenic B cells. We have suggestive results that Ed may also weakly participate in these processes. In addition, HS10(-/-) mice no longer exhibited regional chromosome interactions with E3', and they exhibited modestly reduced somatic hypermutation in the Jκ-Cκ intronic region in germinal center B cells from Peyer's patches. We conclude that the HS10, E3', and Ed differentially regulate Igκ gene dynamics.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Base Sequence
  • Blotting, Southern
  • Cell Differentiation / genetics
  • Cell Differentiation / immunology
  • Cell Separation
  • Enhancer Elements, Genetic / genetics*
  • Enhancer Elements, Genetic / immunology
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Gene Expression Regulation / genetics*
  • Gene Expression Regulation / immunology*
  • Genes, Immunoglobulin / genetics*
  • Genes, Immunoglobulin / immunology
  • Immunoglobulins / biosynthesis
  • Immunoglobulins / genetics*
  • Immunoglobulins / immunology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Transfection

Substances

  • IgK
  • Immunoglobulins