AUTHOR=Schulz Sebastian R. , Menzel Shannon R. , Wittner Jens , Ulbricht Carolin , Grofe Alina T. , Roth Edith , Mann-Nüttel Ritu , Scheu Stefanie , Kueh Andrew J. , Jäck Alexander , Herold Marco J. , Hauser Anja E. , Pracht Katharina , Schuh Wolfgang , Jäck Hans-Martin 

TITLE=Decoding plasma cell maturation dynamics with BCMA

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology

VOLUME=Volume 16 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1539773

DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2025.1539773

ISSN=1664-3224

ABSTRACT=Plasma cells provide protective antibodies following an infection or vaccination. A network of intrinsic and extrinsic factors fine-tunes the generation of a heterogenous plasma cell pool with varying metabolic requirements, transcriptional profiles and lifespans. Among these, the B cell maturation antigen (BCMA) has been implicated in the APRIL-mediated survival of long-lived plasma cells. To characterize the terminal maturation of plasma cells, we constructed a BCMA reporter mouse (BCMA:Tom) that exclusively labeled antibody-secreting cells and revealed that BCMA:Tom expression varied by IgH isotype and increased with plasma cell maturity. The BCMA reporter, used alongside the Blimp1-GFP reporter, also allowed detailed tracking of plasma cell development and highlighted the importance of the in vivo microenvironment to complete plasma cell maturation. Therefore, the BCMA:Tom reporter mouse provides a valuable tool for tracking plasma cell development and maturation with flow cytometry or advanced imaging techniques, enabling a deeper understanding of the mechanisms regulating plasma cell heterogeneity and longevity.