Pre-B-Lymphocyte Gene 1 (VPREB1) Antibody

Background

VPREB1 (V-set pre-B cell surrogate light chain 1) is a gene encoding a protein that plays a crucial role in early B-cell development. During the development of B cells in the bone marrow, cells progress through several stages to create a functional B cell receptor (BCR), which is essential for the immune system to identify and respond to foreign antigens. VPREB1 encodes a component of the pre-B cell receptor (pre-BCR), a critical complex that allows for the transition of B cells from the pro-B cell to the pre-B cell stage. The pre-BCR includes the immunoglobulin heavy chain and two surrogate light chain components: the VpreB (encoded by VPREB1) and λ5 proteins. This pre-BCR complex is necessary to ensure only B cells with productive heavy chain gene rearrangements continue to develop, a process known as positive selection. Through interaction with the heavy chain, VPREB1 helps form a structurally similar but transient BCR to stimulate cell proliferation and survival at this early stage. This surrogate light chain helps enforce allelic exclusion, which ensures that each B cell produces a unique antibody specificity by allowing only one immunoglobulin heavy chain allele to be expressed. Thus, VPREB1 is vital for a highly selective B cell repertoire, preventing autoimmunity and contributing to immune diversity.