Perez-Garcia, ArantxaMarina-Zarate, EsterAlvarez-Prado, Angel FranciscoLigos, Jose M.Galjart, NielsRamiro, Almudena R2017-10-202017-10-202017Nat Commun. 2017; 8:160672041-1723http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12105/5106In germinal centres (GC) mature B cells undergo intense proliferation and immunoglobulin gene modification before they differentiate into memory B cells or long-lived plasma cells (PC). GC B-cell-to-PC transition involves a major transcriptional switch that promotes a halt in cell proliferation and the production of secreted immunoglobulins. Here we show that the CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) is required for the GC reaction in vivo, whereas in vitro the requirement for CTCF is not universal and instead depends on the pathways used for B-cell activation. CTCF maintains the GC transcriptional programme, allows a high proliferation rate, and represses the expression of Blimp-1, the master regulator of PC differentiation. Restoration of Blimp-1 levels partially rescues the proliferation defect of CTCF-deficient B cells. Thus, our data reveal an essential function of CTCF in maintaining the GC transcriptional programme and preventing premature PC differentiation.engVoRhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/3' REGULATORY REGIONC-MYC GENEIGH LOCUST-CELLSB-CELLSCHROMATIN ARCHITECTUREV(D)J RECOMBINATIONGENOMEEXPRESSIONBLIMP-1Atribución 4.0 Internacional28677680810.1038/ncomms16067Nature Communicationsopen access