Core Fucosylation of IgG B Cell Receptor Is Required for Antigen Recognition and Antibody Production

Ag recognition and Ab production in B cells are major components of the humoral immune response. In the current study, we found that the core fucosylation catalyzed by alpha 1,6-fucosyltransferase (Fut8) was required for the Ag recognition of BCR and the subsequent signal transduction. Moreover, compared with the 3-83 B cells, the coalescing of lipid rafts and Ag-BCR endocytosis were substantially reduced in Fut8-knockdown (3-83-KD) cells with p31 stimulation and then completely restored by reintroduction of the Fut8 gene to the 3-83-KD cells. Indeed, Fut8-null (Fut8(-/-)) mice evoked a low immune response following OVA immunization. Also, the frequency of IgG-producing cells was significantly reduced in the Fut8(-/-) spleen following OVA immunization. Our results clearly suggest an unexpected mode of BCR function, in which the core fucosylation of IgG-BCR mediates Ag recognition and, concomitantly, cell signal transduction via BCR and Ab production.