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Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Induction and Assessment of Class Switch Recombination in Purified Murine B Cells
Published on: August 13, 2010
Rad9 is required for B cell proliferation and immunoglobulin class switch recombination
Lili An1, Yulan Wang, Yuheng Liu
1National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
Rad9 protein is crucial for B cells to produce functional antibodies and maintain DNA integrity. Deleting Rad9 in B cells impairs immunoglobulin production and leads to DNA damage.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- B cell maturation and antibody production rely on DNA modifications like V(D)J recombination and somatic hypermutation.
- DNA repair proteins are essential for B cell development and activation.
- Rad9 protein is known for its roles in DNA repair and cell cycle checkpoint control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the function of Rad9 in B cell maturation and immunoglobulin (Ig) generation.
- To determine Rad9's role in DNA repair and genome integrity within B cells.
Main Methods:
- Generated a conditional knock-out mouse model with Rad9 specifically deleted in B cells (Rad9-/-).
- Isolated and analyzed Rad9-/- B cells for growth response, DNA lesions, and Ig production.
- Assessed Ig class switch recombination efficiency in Rad9-/- B cells.
Main Results:
- Rad9-/- B cells exhibited impaired growth and increased DNA lesions.
- Immunization of Rad9-/- mice resulted in reduced Ig production.
- Ig class switch recombination was significantly deficient in Rad9-/- B cells.
Conclusions:
- Rad9 plays a dual role in B cells: facilitating functional antibody generation and maintaining genomic integrity.
- Rad9 is essential for proper B cell function and DNA repair pathways involved in antibody diversification.
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