THE CD19 SIGNAL-TRANSDUCTION MOLECULE IS A RESPONSE REGULATOR OF B-LYMPHOCYTE DIFFERENTIATION

The phenotypes of CD19-deficient (CD19(-/-)) mice, and human CD19-transgenic (hCD19TG) mice that overexpress CD19 indicate that CD19 is a response regulator of B-lymphocyte surface receptor signaling. To further characterize the function of CD19 during B-cell differentiation, humoral immune responses to a T-cell-independent type 1 [trinitrophenyl-lipopolysaccharide (TNP-LPS)], a T-cell-independent type 2 [dinitrophenyl (DNP)-Ficoll], and a T-cell-dependent [DNP-keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH)] antigen were assessed in CD19(-/-) and hCD19TG mice. B cells from CD19(-/-) mice differentiated and underwent immunoglobulin isotype switching in vitro in response to mitogens and cytokines. In vivo, CD19(-/-) mice generated humoral responses to TNP-LPS and DNP-KLH that were dramatically lower than those of wild-type littermates. Surprisingly, the humoral response to DNP-Ficoll was significantly greater in CD19(-/-) mice. In contrast, hCD19TG mice were hyperresponsive to TNP-LPS and DNP-KLH immunization but were hyporesponsive to DNP-Ficoll, These results demonstrate that CD19 is not required for B-cell differentiation and isotype switching but serves as a response regulator which modulates B-cell differentiation. Since humoral responses to both T-cell-dependent and T-cell-independent antigens were similarly affected by alterations in CD19 expression, these differences are most likely to result from intrinsic changes in B cell function rather than from the selective disruption of B-cell interactions with T cells.