MBD2 promotes B cell differentiation and BCR signaling in systemic lupus erythematosus by regulating the LEF-1-PTEN-PI3K axis

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a typical autoimmune disease characterized by the overproduction of autoantibodies and type I interferon, which damages its own tissues, causing multiple organ damage. B cells are thought to play a major role in the pathogenesis of SLE. As a DNA methylation reader, Methyl-CpG-binding domain protein 2 (MBD2) has been extensively studied in the contexts of innate immunity, adaptive immunity, and autoimmune diseases. However, its specific role in B cells and SLE remains unexamined. Herein, we found that MBD2 was highly expressed in B cells of SLE patients and positively correlated with disease activity. Knockout of MBD2 in B cells disturbed B-cell differentiation, dampened B-cell activation, B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling, and T-cell-dependent humoral immune responses in mice. What’s more, MBD2 deficiency effectively attenuated lupus-like symptoms, reduced the germinal center responses, and decreased anti-dsDNA antibodies in lupus model mice. Mechanistically, MBD2 selectively bound to the methylated CpG of Lef-1 induced by IFN-α, inhibiting the transcription and expression of Lef-1, which repressed Pten transcription and expression, thereby promoting PI3K-Akt-mTOR signaling. This study first demonstrated the role of MBD2 in the pathogenesis of SLE and provided a new target for SLE. (Figure presented.)