The mitochondrial iron transporter abcb7 is required for b cell development, proliferation, and class switch recombination in mice

Michael Jonathan Lehrke, Michael Jeremy Shapiro, Matthew J. Rajcula, Madeleine M. Kennedy, Shaylene A. McCue, Kay L. Medina, Virginia Smith Shapiro

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Iron-sulfur (Fe-S) clusters are cofactors essential for the activity of numerous enzymes including DNA polymerases, helicases, and glycosylases. They are synthesized in the mitochondria as Fe-S intermediates and are exported to the cytoplasm for maturation by the mitochondrial transporter ABCB7. Here, we demonstrate that ABCB7 is required for bone marrow B cell development, proliferation, and class switch recombination, but is dispensable for peripheral B cell homeostasis in mice. Conditional deletion of ABCB7 using Mb1-cre resulted in a severe block in bone marrow B cell development at the pro-B cell stage. The loss of ABCB7 did not alter expression of transcription factors required for B cell specification or commitment. While increased intracellular iron was observed in ABCB7-deficient pro-B cells, this did not lead to increased cellular or mitochondrial reactive oxygen species, ferroptosis, or apoptosis. Interestingly, loss of ABCB7 led to replication-induced DNA damage in pro-B cells, independent of VDJ recombination, and these cells had evidence of slowed DNA replication. Stimulated ABCB7-deficient splenic B cells from CD23-cre mice also had a striking loss of proliferation and a defect in class switching. Thus, ABCB7 is essential for early B cell development, proliferation, and class switch recombination.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article numbere69621
JournaleLife
Volume10
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2021

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Neuroscience
  • General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
  • General Immunology and Microbiology

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