Role of Polycomb RYBP in Maintaining the B-1-to-B-2 B-Cell Lineage Switch in Adult Hematopoiesis

Polycomb chromatin modifiers regulate hematopoietic pluripotent stem and progenitor cell self-renewal and expansion. Polycomb complex redundancy and biochemical heterogeneity complicate the unraveling of the functional contributions of distinct components. We have studied the hematopoietic activity of RYBP, a direct interactor and proposed modulator of RING1A/RING1B-dependent histone H2A monoubiquitylation (H2AUb). Using a mouse model to conditionally inactivate Rybp in adult hematopoiesis, we have found that RYBP deletion results in a reversion of B-1-to-B-2 B-cell progenitor ratios, i.e., of the innate (predominantly fetal) to acquired (mostly adult) immunity precursors. Increased numbers of B-1 progenitors correlated with a loss of pre-proB cells, the B-2 progenitors. RYBP-deficient stem and progenitor cell populations (LKS) and isolated common lymphoid progenitors (CLP) gave rise to increased numbers of B-1 progenitors in vitro. Rybp inactivation, however, did not result in changes of global H2AUb and did not interact genetically with Ring1A or Ring1B deletions. These results show that a sustained regulation of the B-1-to-B-2 switch is needed throughout adult life and that RYBP plays an important role in keeping B-2 dominance, most likely independently of its Polycomb affiliation.