Decoding plasma cell maturation dynamics with BCMA
- Author(s)
- Schulz, SR; Menzel, SR; Wittner, J; Ulbricht, C; Grofe, AT; Roth, E; Mann-Nüttel, R; Scheu, S; Kueh, AJ; Jäck, A; Herold, MJ; Hauser, AE; Pracht, K; Schuh, W; Jäck, HM;
- Journal Title
- Frontiers in Immunology
- Abstract
- Plasma cells provide protective antibodies following an infection or vaccination. A network of intrinsic and extrinsic factors fine-tunes the generation of a heterogenous plasma cell pool with varying metabolic requirements, transcriptional profiles and lifespans. Among these, the B cell maturation antigen (BCMA) has been implicated in the APRIL-mediated survival of long-lived plasma cells. To characterize the terminal maturation of plasma cells, we constructed a BCMA reporter mouse (BCMA:Tom) that exclusively labeled antibody-secreting cells and revealed that BCMA:Tom expression varied by IgH isotype and increased with plasma cell maturity. The BCMA reporter, used alongside the Blimp1-GFP reporter, also allowed detailed tracking of plasma cell development and highlighted the importance of the in vivo microenvironment to complete plasma cell maturation. Therefore, the BCMA:Tom reporter mouse provides a valuable tool for tracking plasma cell development and maturation with flow cytometry or advanced imaging techniques, enabling a deeper understanding of the mechanisms regulating plasma cell heterogeneity and longevity.
- Publisher
- Frontiers
- Keywords
- Animals; *B-Cell Maturation Antigen/immunology/metabolism/genetics; *Plasma Cells/immunology/metabolism; Mice; *Cell Differentiation; Mice, Transgenic; Genes, Reporter; Positive Regulatory Domain I-Binding Factor 1/genetics/metabolism; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Bcma (tnfrsf17); antibody-secreting cells (ASC); bone marrow; plasma cells; spleen; survival; thymus
- Research Division(s)
- Blood Cells And Blood Cancer
- PubMed ID
- 40134424
- Publisher's Version
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1539773
- Open Access at Publisher's Site
https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1539773- Terms of Use/Rights Notice
- Refer to copyright notice on published article.
Creation Date: 2025-04-08 03:06:08
Last Modified: 2025-04-08 03:12:24