The plasma cell transcription factor BLIMP1 unexpectedly functions in germinal center B cells as a signaling-induced gatekeeper, restraining B cell receptor signaling and positive selection to limit clonal dominance. Acting as a molecular brake, BLIMP1 helps to maintain the balance between affinity maturation and antibody repertoire diversity.
Victora, G. D.
& Nussenzweig, M. C.
Germinal Centers. Annu.
Rev. Immunol.
40 , 413–442 (2022). A review article that presents an overview of GC dynamics and the mechanisms that regulate B cell selection and affinity maturation.
Shapiro-Shelef, M. & Calame, K.
Regulation of plasma-cell development. Nat.
Rev. Immunol.
5 , 230–242 (2005). A review article that presents the transcriptional regulation of plasma cell differentiation, highlighting the central role of BLIMP1.
Conter, L. et al.
BLIMP1 controls GC B cell expansion and exit through regulating cell cycle progression and key transcription factors BCL6 and IRF4. Cell Rep.
44 , 115977 (2025). This study reports that BLIMP1 regulates GC B cell expansion and exit.
Brooks, J. F.
et al. Negative feedback by NUR77/Nr4a1 restrains B cell clonal dominance during early T-dependent immune responses.
Nature Immunology published a clinical update in Infectious Disease on 23 Apr 2026.
The item focuses on BLIMP1 tunes germinal center B cell responses to limit clonal dominance.
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