title: Ligation of CD40 induces sterile transcripts of multiple Ig H chain isotypes in human B cells.
abstract: Stimulation of human B cells with mAb to CD40 in the presence of IL-4 induces proliferation and differentiation into Ig-secreting cells. To delineate the molecular events leading to Ig secretion after stimulation via the CD40 molecule, the induction of germ-line transcripts of Ig H chain isotypes was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction. The results document that costimulation with mAb to CD40 and IL-4 induces sterile transcription of all Ig H chain isotypes. Of importance, stimulation with mAb to CD40 without the addition of IL-4 induced germ-line transcription of most downstream isotypes, suggesting that this signal is sufficient to initiate the first step in switch recombination.
authors.affiliation: Harold C. Simmons Arthritis Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas 75235.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Jumper
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Splawski
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Lipsky
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Meek
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000502:physiology*; D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte / Q000502:physiology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D019013:CD40 Antigens; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D005312:Fetal Blood; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human; D006801:Humans; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000235:genetics*; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes / Q000235:genetics*; D007139:Immunoglobulin epsilon-Chains / Q000235:genetics; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000494:pharmacology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte; D019013:CD40 Antigens; D017931:DNA Primers; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes; D007139:Immunoglobulin epsilon-Chains; D015847:Interleukin-4