Integrin-α FG-GAP repeat-containing protein 2 is critical for normal B cell differentiation and controls disease development in a lupus model

J Immunol. 2013 Oct 1;191(7):3789-98. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1203534. Epub 2013 Aug 30.

Abstract

The phenylalanyl-glycyl-glycyl-alanyl-prolyl (FG-GAP) domain plays an important role in protein-protein interactions, including interaction of integrins with their ligands. Integrin-α FG-GAP repeat-containing protein 2 (Itfg2) is a highly conserved protein in vertebrates that carries two FG-GAP domains, but its role in mammalian physiology is unknown. In this article, we show that Itfg2 is an intracellular protein and it plays a critical role in B cell differentiation and development of autoimmunity. Itfg2-deficient mice displayed a phenotype consistent with retention of B cells in the spleen and had a lower concentration of IgG in the blood when compared with wild-type littermates. Itfg2-deficient splenocytes also showed a defect in cell migration in vitro. After immunization with a thymus-dependent Ag, the absence of Itfg2 caused a shift in B cell maturation from the germinal centers to the extrafollicular regions of the spleen and blocked deposition of Ag-specific plasma cells in the bone marrow. In support of hematopoietic cell intrinsic activity of Itfg2, bone marrow transplantation of Itfg2-deficient cells was sufficient to impair germinal center development in wild-type mice. Furthermore, Itfg2 deficiency exacerbated development of autoimmune disease in MRL/lpr lupus-prone mice. These results identify Itfg2 as a novel contributor to B cell differentiation and a negative regulator of the autoimmune response during lupus.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Autoimmune Diseases / genetics*
  • Autoimmune Diseases / immunology
  • Autoimmune Diseases / metabolism
  • B-Lymphocytes / cytology*
  • B-Lymphocytes / metabolism*
  • Base Sequence
  • Cell Differentiation / genetics*
  • Cell Differentiation / immunology
  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism
  • Cytoplasm / metabolism
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Gene Order
  • Gene Targeting
  • Genotype
  • Germinal Center / immunology
  • Germinal Center / metabolism
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / metabolism
  • Immunoglobulins / blood
  • Integrin alpha Chains / chemistry
  • Integrin alpha Chains / genetics*
  • Integrin alpha Chains / metabolism
  • Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / genetics*
  • Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / immunology
  • Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phenotype
  • Sequence Alignment
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / metabolism

Substances

  • Immunoglobulins
  • Integrin alpha Chains
  • Itfg2 protein, mouse