Molecular mechanisms of ige class switch recombination

Abstract

Immunoglobulin (Ig) E is the most tightly regulated of all Ig heavy chain (IgH) isotypes and plays a key role in atopic disease. The gene encoding for IgH in mature B cells consists of a variable region exon—assembled from component gene segments via V(D)J recombination during early B cell development—upstream of a set of IgH constant region CHexons. Upon activation by antigen in peripheral lymphoid organs, B cells can undergo IgH class switch recombination (CSR), a process in which the initially expressed IgH μ constant region exons (Cμ) are deleted and replaced by one of several sets of downstream CHexons (e.g., Cγ, Cε, and Cα). Activation of the IL-4 receptor on B cells, together with other signals, can lead to the replacement of Cμ with Cε resulting in CSR to IgE through a series of molecular events involving irreversible remodeling of the IgH locus. Here, we discuss the molecular mechanisms of CSR and the unique features surrounding the generation of IgE-producing B cells.