Expression of human complement receptor 2 (CR2, CD21) in Cr2-/- mice restores humoral immune function

Complement receptor type 2 (CR2, CD21) is expressed by both human and murine B cells and has been demonstrated to play a pivotal role in the humoral immune response. We have reconstituted Cr2-/- mice with an 80-kb human genomic fragment (designated P1-5) containing the full-length human CR2 (hCR2) gene. Transfection of P1-5 into the mouse A20 B cell line confirmed that it would direct expression of the hCR2 protein in mouse B cells. Immunoprecipitation analysis in these cells revealed that hCR2 coassociates with mouse CD19. After creation of transgenic mice using P1-5, we found significant expression of hCR2 on peripheral blood and splenic B cells by flow cytometric analysis. RT-PCR analysis of tissues and purified cell populations from transgene-positive mice revealed that hCR2 expression was restricted to B cells and the spleen in a pattern that matches mouse CR2. To rigorously assess the functional capabilities of hCR2, the transgene was bred onto Cr2-/- mice, which have a notable defect in response to SRBC Ag. We found that Cr2-/- mice expressing hCR2 had a substantial restoration of the humoral immune response to SRBC as compared with nontransgenic Cr2-/- littermate controls. Overall, this study suggests that hCR2 is able to substitute for mouse CR2 in the murine immune system. Therefore, hCR2-transgenic mice offer a valuable model system to further examine immunologic roles as well as structure-function relationships important for hCR2 function in primary cells in vivo.