Plasma cell ontogeny defined by quantitative changes in blimp-1 expression

• Published in: The Journal of experimental medicine 2004-10, Vol.200 (8), p.967-977
• Main Authors: Kallies, Axel, Hasbold, Jhagvaral, Tarlinton, David M, Dietrich, Wendy, Corcoran, Lynn M, Hodgkin, Philip D, Nutt, Stephen L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antibody-Producing Cells - metabolism; Cell Differentiation; Gene Expression Regulation; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Phenotype; Plasma Cells - cytology; Positive Regulatory Domain I-Binding Factor 1; Repressor Proteins - genetics; Repressor Proteins - physiology; Transcription Factors - genetics; Transcription Factors - physiology
• ISSN: 0022-1007; 1540-9538; 1892-1007
• DOI: 10.1084/jem.20040973

Plasma cells comprise a population of terminally differentiated B cells that are dependent on the transcriptional regulator B lymphocyte--induced maturation protein 1 (Blimp-1) for their development. We have introduced a gfp reporter into the Blimp-1 locus and shown that heterozygous mice express the green fluorescent protein in all antibody-secreting cells (ASCs) in vivo and in vitro. In vitro, these cells display considerable heterogeneity in surface phenotype, immunoglobulin secretion rate, and Blimp-1 expression levels. Importantly, analysis of in vivo ASCs induced by immunization reveals a developmental pathway in which increasing levels of Blimp-1 expression define developmental stages of plasma cell differentiation that have many phenotypic and molecular correlates. Thus, maturation from transient plasmablast to long-lived ASCs in bone marrow is predicated on quantitative increases in Blimp-1 expression.