IΚBα is required for marginal zone B cell lineage development

Abstract

Inactivation of members of the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) family results in the decrease or defect of marginal zone B (MZB) cells. It is not known which inhibitors of the NF-κB family (IκB) are required for MZB cell development. Here, we show that mice with B cell-specific inactivation of the main NF-κB inhibitor IκBα have a marked decrease of MZB cells and their presumed precursors. They exhibited increased mortality rates after blood-borne bacterial infection, indicating the importance of MZB cells for bacterial clearance. In contrast, response to T cell-dependent and -independent antigens resulted only in minor changes in immunoglobulin production. Our data demonstrate the importance of the intact NF-κB/IκBα pathway for proper MZB cell development. © 2008 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.