title: CD40: a pivotal receptor in the determination of life/death decisions in B lymphocytes.
abstract: CD40 is a 48 kDa glycoprotein predominantly expressed on B cells in both mouse and man, which interacts with a counterligand (CD40L), expressed on activated CD4+ T cells. CD40/CD40L interactions are now known to be essential for the initiation of antibody responses to T-dependent antigens. In this review we discuss the immunobiology of CD40, with a special emphasis on our own studies in the mouse. These have focused on signal transduction via CD40, the role of cytokines (both T cell-derived and B cell-derived) in CD40-mediated B cell activation, and the role of CD40 in protecting B cells from apoptotic cell death. The available data indicate clearly that this protein is a pivotal receptor on B cells, both for the delivery of activating signals and for promoting B cell survival.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cellular Immunology, National Institute for Medical Research, London, UK.
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Klaus
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: E W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Johnson-Léger
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cliff
mesh_terms: D000077329:Agammaglobulinaemia Tyrosine Kinase; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D019013:CD40 Antigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D019013:CD40 Antigens; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D000077329:Agammaglobulinaemia Tyrosine Kinase