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Genetic analysis of transcription factors implicated in B lymphocyte development

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Abstract

The transcription factors Oct-2, NF-ϰB and PU. 1 have been implicated in regulating the development of B lymphocytes. Genetic approaches have been used to analyze the developmental functions of these regulatory proteins. Using gene targeting in murine embryonic stem cells, PU. 1 is shown to be required for the development of progenitor B cells. Strikingly, PU. 1 is also essential for the development of T lymphoid, granulocytic and monocytic progenitors. Transcription factors of the NF-ϰB/Rel family, which appear to regulate immunoglobulin kappa gene expression, are shown to be a target of the viral transforming protein (v-abl) which arrests B lineage development at the precursor B stage. This suggests a mechanism by which v-abl blocks precursor B cell differentiation. The Oct-2 transcription factor was considered to represent a development regulator of immunoglobulin gene expression. Using gene targeting in a murine B cell, Oct-2 is shown to be dispensable for immunoglobulin gene expression. This suggests the existence of an alternate pathway, involving the ubiquitous related protein, Oct-1, in immunoglobulin gene regulation.

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  1. Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The University of Chicago, 920 East 58th Street, 60637, Chicago, IL, (USA)

    Harinder Singh

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Singh, H. Genetic analysis of transcription factors implicated in B lymphocyte development. Immunol Res 13, 280–290 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02935619

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