Frontiers in Immunology (Jun 2014)

HP-1γ controls high-affinity antibody response to T-dependent antigens

  • Ngoc eHa,
  • Hung Duc Pham,
  • Aliakbar eShahsafaei,
  • Chie eNaruse,
  • Masahide eAsano,
  • To-Ha eThai

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2014.00271
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 5

Abstract

Read online

In vitro observations suggest a role for the mouse heterochromatin protein 1 γ (HP-1γ) in the immune system. However, it has not been shown if and how HP-1γ contributes to immunity in vivo. Here we show that in mice, HP-1γ positively regulates the germinal center reaction and high-affinity antibody response to thymus (T)-dependent antigens by limiting the size of CD8+ regulatory T-cell (Treg) compartment without affecting progenitor B- or T-cell development. Moreover, HP-1γ does not control cell proliferation or class switch recombination. Haploinsufficiency of cbx-3 (gene encoding HP-1γ) is sufficient to expand the CD8+ Treg population and impair the immune response in mice despite the presence of wild type HP-1α and HP-1β. This is the first in vivo evidence demonstrating the non-redundant role of HP-1γ in immunity.

Keywords