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The roles of gamma 1 heavy chain membrane expression and cytoplasmic tail in IgG1 responses
T Kaisho1, F Schwenk, K Rajewsky
1Institute for Genetics, University of Cologne, Weyertal 121, D-50931 Cologne, Germany. tkaisho@home.hyo-med.ac.jp
In antibody responses, B cells switch from the expression of immunoglobulin (Ig) mu and delta heavy (H) chains to that of other Ig classes (alpha, gamma, or epsilon), each with a distinct effector function. Membrane-bound forms of alpha, gamma, and epsilon, but not mu and delta, have highly conserved cytoplasmic tails. Mutant mice unable to express membrane gamma1 H chains or producing tailless gamma1 H chains failed to generate efficient IgG1 responses and IgG1 memory. H chain membrane expression after class switching is thus required for these functions, and class switching equips the B cell antigen receptor with a regulatory cytoplasmic tail that naïve B cells lack.
In antibody responses, B cells switch from the expression of immunoglobulin (Ig) mu and delta heavy (H) chains to that of other Ig classes (alpha, gamma, or epsilon), each with a distinct effector function. Membrane-bound forms of alpha, gamma, and epsilon, but not mu and delta, have highly conserved cytoplasmic tails. Mutant mice unable to express membrane gamma1 H chains or producing tailless gamma1 H chains failed to generate efficient IgG1 responses and IgG1 memory. H chain membrane expression after class switching is thus required for these functions, and class switching equips the B cell antigen receptor with a regulatory cytoplasmic tail that naïve B cells lack.