The cytoskeletal regulator HEM1 governs B cell development and prevents autoimmunity
Elisabeth Salzer, Samaneh Zoghi, Máté G. Kiss, Frieda Kage, Christina Rashkova, Stephanie Stahnke, Matthias Haimel, René Platzer, Michael Caldera, Rico Chandra Ardy, Birgit Hoeger, Jana Block, Dávid Medgyesi, Celine Sin, Sepideh Shahkarami, Renate Kain, Vahid Ziaee, Peter Hammerl, Christoph Bock, Jörg Menche, Loı̈c Dupré, Johannes B. Huppa, Michael Sixt, Alexis J. Lomakin, Klemens Rottner, Christoph J. Binder, Theresia E. B. Stradal, Nima Rezaei, Kaan Boztuǧ
Abstract
mice display systemic autoimmunity, phenocopying the human disease. In the absence of Hem1, B cells become deprived of extracellular stimuli necessary to maintain the strength of B cell receptor signaling at a level permissive for survival of non-autoreactive B cells. This shifts the balance of B cell fate choices toward autoreactive B cells and thus autoimmunity.