iNOS potentiates mouse Ig isotype switching through AID expression

The IgA antibody plays an important role in protecting mucosal surfaces against pathogens. It has recently been shown that nitric oxide (NO) plays a critical role in mouse IgA synthesis. In the present study, we further characterized inducible-nitric oxide synthase-deficient (iNOS−/−) mice in the context of Ig expression. The amount of IgA in fecal pellets was substantially diminished in iNOS−/− mice and was paralleled by a decrease in IgA production by Peyer’s patch cells. Interestingly, the amount of all IgG subisotypes, as well as IgA, was substantially diminished in sera and in cultured spleen B cells from iNOS−/− mice. Moreover, the synthesis of TGF-β1-inducible IgA and IgG2b in iNOS−/− mice was also lower than that in WT mice. However, levels of Ig germ-line transcripts, and expression of TGF-β receptor type II (TβRII) and BAFF/APRIL, were comparable between iNOS−/− and WT mice. Expression of activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) was diminished in iNOS−/− B cells, but restored by a NO donor, SNAP. These results indicate that iNOS regulates Ig isotype switching events at the level of AID gene expression.

► In this study, we found that Ig class switch recombination (CSR) was significantly suppressed in iNOS−/− mice.
► This was paralleled by the decreased expression levels of AID, the single most critical enzyme in the CSR.
► Our results suggest that nitric oxide synthesized by iNOS mediates Ig CSR through the induction of AID.