Fig. 8.

Zbtb24-deficiency has no effect on the differentiation, but slightly reduces BCR-triggered proliferation of MZB cells in vitro. CD19⁺CD23^highCD21^low FOB and CD19⁺CD23^lowCD21^high MZB cells were FACS-sorted from spleens of Cd19^Cre/+ and Zbtb24^B−CKO mice (male, 14 weeks old), labeled with CFSE (10 μM), and then cultured (~ 1 × 10⁵ cells/well in 96-U bottom plate) with LPS (0.1/0.5 μg/ml), αIgM (5 μg/ml) in the absence/presence of exogenous Hemin (25 μM). On day 3, cells were collected, stained with anti-CD138 before flow cytometry analysis. A, representative overlayed histograms showing the cell division profiles (CFSE) of cultured control versus Zbtb24^B−CKO FOB (top) and MZB (bottom) cells. Numbers indicate the percentages of divided CFSE^low cells. B Bar graphs showing the percentages of divided CFSE^low cells in cultured FOB and MZB cells. C Representative contour-plots showing the proliferation (CFSE) versus differentiation (CD138) of splenic control (top) versus Zbtb24^B−CKO (bottom) MZB cells in different cultures. D Bar graphs showing the percentages CD138⁺ PC cells in differently stimulated MZB cells purified from control versus Zbtb24^B−CKO mice. Each symbol represents a single mouse of the indicated genotype, and numbers below horizonal lines in B indicate P values determined by student t-test. Data are representative of two experiments