Journal article
The tetraspanin CD37 orchestrates the α4β1 integrin-Akt signaling axis and supports long-lived plasma cell survival
AB Van Spriel, S De Keijzer, A Van Der Schaaf, KH Gartlan, M Sofi, A Light, PC Linssen, JB Boezeman, M Zuidscherwoude, I Reinieren-Beeren, A Cambi, F Mackay, DM Tarlinton, CG Figdor, MD Wright
Science Signaling | AMER ASSOC ADVANCEMENT SCIENCE | Published : 2012
Abstract
Signaling by the serine and threonine kinase Akt (also known as protein kinase B), a pathway that is common to all eukaryotic cells, is central to cell survival, proliferation, and gene induction. We sought to elucidate the mechanisms underlying regulation of the kinase activity of Akt in the immune system. We found that the four-transmembrane protein CD37 was essential for B cell survival and long-lived protective immunity. CD37-deficient (Cd37 -/-) mice had reduced numbers of immunoglobulin G (IgG)-secreting plasma cells in lymphoid organs compared to those in wild-type mice, which we attributed to increased apoptosis of plasma cells in the germinal centers of the spleen, areas in which B ..
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Awarded by European Commission
Funding Acknowledgements
This research was supported by grants from the Dutch Cancer Society (KWF 2007-3917 to A. B. v. S.), the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO-Vidi to A. B. v. S., NWO-MEERVOUD to A. C., and NWO-Spinoza to C. G. F.), the European Research Council (ERC Advanced Grant 269019 to C. G. F.), the Human Frontier Science Program (to A. C.), the Fondo de Cooperacion Internacional en Ciencia y Tecnologia (c0002 2008 ALA 2006 18149 to C. G. F.), the Association of International Cancer Research (to M. D. W.), the Anti-Cancer Council of Victoria (to M. D. W.), and the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (to D. M. T. and M.D.W.).