Sialic acids on B cells are crucial for their survival and provide protection against apoptosis

Linder A, Schmidt M, Hitschfel J, Abeln M, Schneider P, Gerardy-Schahn R, Münster-Kühnel AK, Nitschke L (2022)


Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2022

Journal

Book Volume: 119

Article Number: e2201129119

Journal Issue: 25

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2201129119

Abstract

Sialic acids (Sias) on the B cell membrane are involved in cell migration, in the control of the complement system and, as sialic acid–binding immunoglobulin-like lectin (Siglec) ligands, in the regulation of cellular signaling. We studied the role of sialoglycans on B cells in a mouse model with B cell–specific deletion of cytidine monophosphate sialic acid synthase (CMAS), the enzyme essential for the synthesis of sialoglycans. Surprisingly, these mice showed a severe B cell deficiency in secondary lymphoid organs. Additional depletion of the complement factor C3 rescued the phenotype only marginally, demonstrating a complement-independent mechanism. The B cell survival receptor BAFF receptor was not up-regulated, and levels of activated caspase 3 and processed caspase 8 were high in B cells of Cmas-deficient mice, indicating ongoing apoptosis. Overexpressed Bcl-2 could not rescue this phenotype, pointing to extrinsic apoptosis. These results show that sialoglycans on the B cell surface are crucial for B cell survival by counteracting several death-inducing pathways.

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APA:

Linder, A., Schmidt, M., Hitschfel, J., Abeln, M., Schneider, P., Gerardy-Schahn, R.,... Nitschke, L. (2022). Sialic acids on B cells are crucial for their survival and provide protection against apoptosis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 119(25). https://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2201129119

MLA:

Linder, Alexandra, et al. "Sialic acids on B cells are crucial for their survival and provide protection against apoptosis." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 119.25 (2022).

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