We provide a robust four-color fluorescence-based flow cytometry protocol that distinguishes viable dividing plasmablasts from nondividing plasma cells and, based on CD19 surface abundance, identifies two mature plasma cell populations in the spleen and the bone marrow of mice.

B cells undergo affinity maturation and class switch recombination of their immunoglobulin receptors during a germinal center (GC) reaction, before they differentiate into longlived antibody-secreting plasma cells (PCs). Transcription factors such as Bach2 and Mitfare essential during this process, as they delay premature differentiation of GC B cells by repressing Blimp-1 and IRF4, two transcription factors required for terminal PC differentiation. Therefore, Bach2 and Mitf expression must be attenuated in activated B cells to allow terminal PC differentiation, but the precise mechanism remains enigmatic. Here, we provide evidence that miR-148a, a small noncoding microRNA, fosters PC differentiation and survival. Next-generation sequencing revealed that miR-148a is the most abundant microRNA in primary human and murine PCs, and its expression is upregulated in activated murine B cells and coincides with Blimp-1 synthesis. miR-148a targets Bach2, Mitf and proapoptotic factors such as PTEN and Bim. When prematurely expressed, miR-148a promotes the differentiation and survival of plasmablasts and reduces frequencies of IgG1 + cells in primary B-cell cultures. In summary, we propose that miR-148a is a new player in the regulatory network controlling terminal PC differentiation and could, therefore, be a therapeutic target for interfering with PC differentiation and survival.Keywords: B cells r Blimp-1 r MicroRNAs r miR-148a r Plasma cell differentiation r Bach2, Mitf See accompanying article by Haftmann et al.Additional supporting information may be found in the online version of this article at the publisher's web-site IntroductionThe generation of antibody-secreting plasma cells (PCs) and memory B cells is essential for eliminating pathogens and establishing Correspondence: Prof. Hans-Martin Jäck e-mail: hjaeck@molmed.uni-erlangen.de effective protection after vaccination. After antigen encounter, B cells are clonally expanded in the T-cell zone of a peripheral lymphatic organ and differentiate quickly into IgM-secreting short-lived PCs (extrafollicular pathway). If an antigen-activated * These authors contributed equally to this work.C 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim www.eji-journal.eu Eur. J. Immunol. 2015. 45: 1206-1215 Molecular immunology 1207B cell receives T-cell help, some of these cells move from the Tcell zone to a B-cell follicle located in the B-cell zone. There, they are further expanded, resulting in the formation of a germinal center (GC). During a GC reaction, B cells undergo somatic hypermutation (SHM) of their immunoglobulin variable region exons and class switch recombination (CSR). After B cells with highaffinity and class-switched antigen receptors have been selected, they leave the GC and differentiate either into memory B cells or long-lived PCs [1][2][3]. The differentiation of mature B cells into long-lived PCs via the GC pathway is tightly controlled by a regulatory network of mutually exclusive transcription factors; one set maintains the GC reaction, and the other is re...

Long-lived antibody-secreting plasma cells are essential to establish humoral memory against pathogens. While a regulatory transcription factor network has been established in plasma cell differentiation, the regulatory role of miRNAs remains enigmatic. We have recently identified miR-148a as the most abundant miRNA in primary mouse and human plasma cells. To determine whether this plasma cell signature miRNA controls the in vivo development of B cells into long-lived plasma cells, we established mice with genomic, conditional, and inducible deletions of miR-148a. The analysis of miR-148adeficient mice revealed reduced serum Ig, decreased numbers of newly formed plasmablasts and reduced CD19-negative, CD93-positive long-lived plasma cells. Transcriptome and metabolic analysis revealed an impaired glucose uptake, a reduced oxidative phosphorylation-based energy metabolism, and an altered abundance of homing receptors CXCR3 (increase) and CXCR4 (reduction) in miR-148a-deficient plasma cells. These findings support the role of miR-148a as a positive regulator of the maintenance of longlived plasma cells.

Natural IgM are involved in numerous immunological functions but the genetic factors that control the homeostasis of its secretion and upholding remain unknown. Prompted by the finding that C57BL/6 mice had significantly lower serum levels of IgM when compared with BALB/c mice, we performed a genome-wide screen and found that the level of serum IgM was controlled by a QTL on chromosome 13 reaching the highest level of association at marker D13Mit266 (LOD score¼3.54). This locus was named IgMSC1 and covered a region encompassing the interferon-regulatory factor 4 gene (Irf4). The number of splenic mature B cells in C57BL/6 did not differ from BALB/c mice but we found that low serum levels of IgM in C57BL/6 mice correlated with lower frequency of IgM-secreting cells in the spleen and in the peritoneal cavity. These results suggested that C57BL/6 mice have lower efficiency in late B-cell maturation, a process that is highly impaired in Irf4 knockout mice. In fact, we also found reduced Irf4 gene expression in B cells of C57BL/6 mice. Thus, we propose Irf4 as a candidate for the IgMSC1 locus, which controls IgM homeostatic levels at the level of B-cell terminal differentiation