Differential expression of FCRLA in naïve and activated mouse B cells

• Published in: Cellular immunology 2012-01, Vol.272 (2), p.182-192
• Main Authors: Reshetnikova, Evdokiya S., Mechetina, Ludmila V., Volkova, Olga Y., Guselnikov, Sergey V., Chikaev, Nikolai A., Kövesdi, Dorottya, Alabyev, Boris, Sármay, Gabriella, Burrows, Peter D., Najakshin, Alexander M., Taranin, Alexander V.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antibodies - immunology; B cell differentiation; B-Lymphocytes - immunology; B-Lymphocytes - metabolism; Bone Marrow - immunology; Bone Marrow - metabolism; Cell Differentiation - genetics; Cell Differentiation - immunology; FcR-like proteins; Female; Immunoglobulins - immunology; Immunoglobulins - metabolism; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins - genetics; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins - immunology; Lymphocyte Activation; Lymphoid Tissue - immunology; Lymphoid Tissue - metabolism; Memory B cells; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Inbred CBA; Plasma cells; Receptors, Immunologic - biosynthesis; Receptors, Immunologic - genetics; Receptors, Immunologic - immunology; Signal Transduction
• ISSN: 0008-8749; 1090-2163
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2011.10.013

► We characterize FCRLA expression pattern in mouse. ► We show that FCRLA is differentially expressed during mouse B cell differentiation. ► Weak FCRLA expression is characteristic of naïve follicular and MZ B cells. ► FCRLA expression is upregulated in small subset(s) of activated B cells. FCRLA is an intracellular B cell protein that belongs to the FcR-like family. Using newly generated FCRLA-specific antibodies, we studied the constitutive expression pattern of mouse FCRLA and monitored changes during an immune response and following in vitro B cell activation. All B cell subpopulations examined expressed FCRLA. However, the level of FCRLA expression is determined by the stage of B cell differentiation. Low expression of FCRLA is characteristic of naïve follicular and marginal zone B cells. High expression was detected in a small fraction of activated B cells scattered along migratory pathways in the lymphoid tissues. FCRLA-bright cells could be subdivided into two subpopulations, with high and low/undetectable level of intracellular immunoglobulins, which phenotypically resemble either plasma or memory B cells. High expression of FCRLA in subset(s) of terminally differentiated B-cells suggests that, being an ER protein, FCRLA may participate in the regulation of immunoglobulin assembly and secretion.