Dok-3 plays a nonredundant role in negative regulation of B-cell activation

Abstract

p62dok and Dok-3 are members of the Dok family of adaptors found in B cells, with the former cloned as a substrate of the p210bcr/abl oncoprotein in Ph + chronic myelogenous leukemia. A role for p62dok in FcγRIIB-mediated negative regulation of B-cell proliferation had been established previously. Here, we generated Dok-3-/- mice to assess the function of Dok-3 in B cells. Mice lacking Dok-3 have normal B-cell development but possess higher level of IgM antibodies in their sera. In comparison to wild-type mice, Dok-3-/- mice mounted significantly enhanced humoral immune responses to T cell-independent type I and II antigens. Dok-3-deficient B cells hyperproliferated, exhibited elevated level of calcium signaling as well as enhanced activation of NF-κB, JNK, and p38MAPK in response to B-cell receptor (BCR) engagement. In the absence of Dok-3, the localization of the inhibitory phosphatase SHIP-1 to the plasma membrane is intact while its phosphorylation is compromised, suggesting that Dok-3 could function to facilitate or sustain the activation of SHIP-1. The phenotype and responses of Dok-3-/- mice and B cells could be differentiated from those of the Dok-1-/- counterparts. Hence, we propose that Dok-3 plays a distinct and nonredundant role in the negative regulation of BCR signaling. © 2007 by The American Society of Hematology.