Stage-specific binding profiles of cohesin in resting and activated B lymphocytes suggest a role for cohesin in immunoglobulin class switching and maturation

PLoS One. 2014 Nov 6;9(11):e111748. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0111748. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

The immunoglobulin heavy chain locus (Igh) features higher-order chromosomal interactions to facilitate stage-specific assembly of the Ig molecule. Cohesin, a ring-like protein complex required for sister chromatid cohesion, shapes chromosome architecture and chromatin interactions important for transcriptional regulation and often acts together with CTCF. Cohesin is likely involved in B cell activation and Ig class switch recombination. Hence, binding profiles of cohesin in resting mature murine splenic B lymphocytes and at two stages after cell activation were elucidated by chromatin immunoprecipitation and deep sequencing. Comparative genomic analysis revealed cohesin extensively changes its binding to transcriptional control elements after 48 h of stimulation with LPS/IL-4. Cohesin was clearly underrepresented at switch regions regardless of their activation status, suggesting that switch regions need to be cohesin-poor. Specific binding changes of cohesin at B-cell specific gene loci Pax5 and Blimp-1 indicate new cohesin-dependent regulatory pathways. Together with conserved cohesin/CTCF sites at the Igh 3'RR, a prominent cohesin/CTCF binding site was revealed near the 3' end of Cα where PolII localizes to 3' enhancers. Our study shows that cohesin likely regulates B cell activation and maturation, including Ig class switching.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • B-Lymphocytes / drug effects
  • B-Lymphocytes / metabolism*
  • Binding Sites
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Chromatin / drug effects
  • Chromatin / genetics*
  • Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / metabolism*
  • Cohesins
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Immunoglobulin Class Switching* / drug effects
  • Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / genetics
  • Interleukin-4 / pharmacology
  • Lipopolysaccharides / pharmacology
  • Lymphocyte Activation
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid
  • Spleen / cytology

Substances

  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • Chromatin
  • Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone
  • Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Interleukin-4

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the SFB655 (DFG) to RJ and FB, the TUD “Support-the-best” program to FB, and by the EU (SyBoSS FP7-242129) to AB. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.