Iron-dependent histone 3 lysine 9 demethylation controls B cell proliferation and humoral immune responses

Nat Commun. 2019 Jul 3;10(1):2935. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-11002-5.

Abstract

Trace elements play important roles in human health, but little is known about their functions in humoral immunity. Here, we show an important role for iron in inducing cyclin E and B cell proliferation. We find that iron-deficient individuals exhibit a significantly reduced antibody response to the measles vaccine when compared to iron-normal controls. Mice with iron deficiency also exhibit attenuated T-dependent or T-independent antigen-specific antibody responses. We show that iron is essential for B cell proliferation; both iron deficiency and α-ketoglutarate inhibition could suppress cyclin E1 induction and S phase entry of B cells upon activation. Finally, we demonstrate that three demethylases, KDM2B, KDM3B and KDM4C, are responsible for histone 3 lysine 9 (H3K9) demethylation at the cyclin E1 promoter, cyclin E1 induction and B cell proliferation. Thus, our data reveal a crucial role of H3K9 demethylation in B cell proliferation, and the importance of iron in humoral immunity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • B-Lymphocytes / chemistry
  • B-Lymphocytes / cytology
  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Cell Cycle
  • Cell Proliferation*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cyclin E / genetics
  • Cyclin E / immunology
  • Demethylation
  • F-Box Proteins / genetics
  • F-Box Proteins / immunology
  • Histones / chemistry*
  • Histones / genetics
  • Histones / immunology*
  • Immunity, Humoral*
  • Iron / metabolism
  • Jumonji Domain-Containing Histone Demethylases / genetics
  • Jumonji Domain-Containing Histone Demethylases / immunology
  • Lymphocyte Activation
  • Lysine / genetics
  • Lysine / immunology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Oncogene Proteins / genetics
  • Oncogene Proteins / immunology
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • T-Lymphocytes / cytology
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology

Substances

  • Cyclin E
  • F-Box Proteins
  • Histones
  • Oncogene Proteins
  • cyclin E1, mouse
  • Iron
  • Jmjd2c protein, mouse
  • Jumonji Domain-Containing Histone Demethylases
  • Kdm3b protein, mouse
  • Kdm2b protein, mouse
  • Lysine