Transcription factor Ebf1 regulates differentiation stage-specific signaling, proliferative expansion and survival of B cells [EBF1]. Mus musculus

Transcription factor Ebf1 is an important determinant of early B lymphopoiesis. To gain insight into differentiation stage-specific functions of Ebf1, we conditionally inactivated Ebf1. We found that Ebf1 is required for proliferation, survival and signaling of pro-B cells and peripheral B cell subsets. The proliferation defect of Ebf1-deficient pro-B cells, including the impaired expression of IL-7Ra and several cell cycle regulators, is overcome by transformation with v-Abl. The survival defect of transformed Ebf1fl/fl pro-B cells can be rescued by the forced expression of the Ebf1 targets c-Myb or Bcl-xL. In mature B cells, Ebf1 deficiency interferes with the BAFF-R and BCR-dependent Akt signaling pathways, as well as with germinal center formation and class switch recombination. Genome-wide analyses of Ebf1 binding and Ebf1-mediated gene expression in mature B cells and comparison with reported data sets in pro-B cells provide insight into the basis for lineage- and stage-specific functions of Ebf1. Overall design: EBF1 binding in splenic B cells in mice