CIITA is the master regulator of MHC class-II immune genes that are important for defense mechanism against infections and cancer development. CIITA is controlled by three specific switches used in a cell-type specific manner and can be turned on by a signal called IFN-γ. In recent work, research fellow Dr Grishma Rane and colleagues from the lab of N2CR member Dr Dennis Kappei found that a protein called ZBTB48 binds to the B-cell switch and activates CIITA in this type of white blood cells. When ZBTB48 is missing, CIITA and MHC-II gene activity are reduced and cannot be turned on even after signaling by IFN-γ. The team will next apply this fundamental science discovery to B-cell malignancies. Watch this space!

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