Decoding plasma cell maturation dynamics with BCMA
Plasma cells provide protective antibodies following an infection or vaccination. A network of intrinsic and extrinsic factors fine-tunes the generation of a heterogenous plasma cell pool with varying metabolic requirements, transcriptional profiles and lifespans. Among these, the B cell maturation antigen (BCMA) has been implicated in the APRIL-mediated survival of long-lived plasma cells. To characterize the terminal maturation of plasma cells, we constructed a BCMA reporter mouse (BCMA:Tom) that exclusively labeled antibody-secreting cells and revealed that BCMA:Tom expression varied by IgH isotype and increased with plasma cell maturity. The BCMA reporter, used alongside the Blimp1-GFP reporter, also allowed detailed tracking of plasma cell development and highlighted the importance of the <i>in vivo</i> microenvironment to complete plasma cell maturation. Therefore, the BCMA:Tom reporter mouse provides a valuable tool for tracking plasma cell development and maturation with flow cytometry or advanced imaging techniques, enabling a deeper understanding of the mechanisms regulating plasma cell heterogeneity and longevity.
Authors
- Alexander Jäck (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0183-4392)
- Katharina Pracht (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8943-4897)
- Sebastian Schulz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6554-3346)
- Carolin Ulbricht (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2983-6242)
- Andrew J. Kueh (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-9596-1422)
- Wolfgang Schuh (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6606-8388)
- Edith Roth
- Ritu Mann‐Nüttel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5660-8304)
- Stefanie Scheu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9707-8191)
- Stephan Menzel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1590-9108)
- Hans‐Martin Jäck (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6332-8463)
- Jens Wittner (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9729-9111)
- Anja E. Hauser (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7725-9526)
- Marco J. Herold (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7539-7581)
- Alina T. Grofe
Institutions
- The University of Melbourne (AU)
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (DE)
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (AU)
- La Trobe University (AU)
- LMU Klinikum (DE)
- Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (DE)
- Universitätsklinikum Erlangen (DE)
- Düsseldorf University Hospital (DE)
- German Rheumatism Research Centre (DE)
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre (AU)
- Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (DE)
- University of Rostock (DE)
- Freie Universität Berlin (DE)
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin (DE)
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (DE)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Frontiers in Immunology
- Published
- 2025-03-11
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1539773
- Citations
- 5
- Primary Topic
- T-cell and B-cell Immunology
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 3.99