Abstract
Abstract B cell receptor (BCR) and B cell activating factor receptor (BAFF-R) signaling are critical for the generation of mature splenic B cells. BCR expressing Transitional type 1 (T1) cells migrate from the bone marrow to the spleen where they must successfully pass BCR mediated checkpoints to become Transitional type 2 (T2) cells and subsequently mature follicular B (FoB) cells. T1 and T2 cells are fundamentally different in their response to BCR or BAFF-R stimulation; T1 cells do not survive whereas T2 cells do when triggered through BCR or BAFF-R. Our results demonstrate that Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (Btk) plays a critical role in both BCR and BAFF-R mediated T2 and mature B cell survival. These results suggest that a potential mechanism that provides T2 cells with a survival advantage is their ability to sustain c-Rel expression in response to BCR engagement via mechanisms involving Btk. The increased c-Rel expression coincides precisely with the up-regulation of anti-apoptotic members of the Bcl-2 family as well as BAFF-R and its substrate p100 (NF-κB2). Thus, BCR indirectly enhances the survival function of BAFF-R in part through c-Rel. Consistent with a supporting role for BCR/c-Rel signaling in the activation of alternative NF-κB pathway, c-Rel-deficient B cells are impaired for BCR-induced expression of p100 as well as RelB.