Among the family of regulatory B cells, the subset able to produce interleukin-10 (IL-10) is the most studied, yet its biology is still a matter of investigation. The DNA methyla- tion profiling of the il-10 gene locus revealed a novel epigenetic signature characterizing murine B cells ready to respond through IL-10 synthesis: a demethylated region located 4.5 kb from the transcription starting site (TSS), that we named early IL10 regulatory region (eIL10rr). This feature allows to distinguish B cells that are immediately prone and developmentally committed to IL-10 production from those that require a persistent stimulation to exert an IL-10-mediated regulatory function. These late IL-10 producers are instead characterized by a delayed IL10 regulatory region (dIL10rr), a partially demethy- lated DNA portion located 9 kb upstream from the TSS. A demethylated region was also found in human IL-10-producing B cells and, very interestingly, in some B-cell malignan- cies, such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia and mantle cell lymphoma, characterized by an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Our findings define murine and human regulatory B cells as an epigenetically controlled functional state of mature B cell subsets and open a new perspective on IL-10 regulation in B cells in homeostasis and disease.

IL‐10‐producing B cells are characterized by a specific methylation signature

DALLA CHIARA, Emiliano;Scapini, Patrizia;Cassatella, Marco A.;
2019-01-01

Abstract

Among the family of regulatory B cells, the subset able to produce interleukin-10 (IL-10) is the most studied, yet its biology is still a matter of investigation. The DNA methyla- tion profiling of the il-10 gene locus revealed a novel epigenetic signature characterizing murine B cells ready to respond through IL-10 synthesis: a demethylated region located 4.5 kb from the transcription starting site (TSS), that we named early IL10 regulatory region (eIL10rr). This feature allows to distinguish B cells that are immediately prone and developmentally committed to IL-10 production from those that require a persistent stimulation to exert an IL-10-mediated regulatory function. These late IL-10 producers are instead characterized by a delayed IL10 regulatory region (dIL10rr), a partially demethy- lated DNA portion located 9 kb upstream from the TSS. A demethylated region was also found in human IL-10-producing B cells and, very interestingly, in some B-cell malignan- cies, such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia and mantle cell lymphoma, characterized by an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Our findings define murine and human regulatory B cells as an epigenetically controlled functional state of mature B cell subsets and open a new perspective on IL-10 regulation in B cells in homeostasis and disease.
2019
B cells; B-cell malignancies; DNA methylation; epigenetics; Interleukin 10
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11562/998127
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