title: BAFF, a novel ligand of the tumor necrosis factor family, stimulates B cell growth.
abstract: Members of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family induce pleiotropic biological responses, including cell growth, differentiation, and even death. Here we describe a novel member of the TNF family, designated BAFF (for B cell activating factor belonging to the TNF family), which is expressed by T cells and dendritic cells. Human BAFF was mapped to chromosome 13q32-34. Membrane-bound BAFF was processed and secreted through the action of a protease whose specificity matches that of the furin family of proprotein convertases. The expression of BAFF receptor appeared to be restricted to B cells. Both membrane-bound and soluble BAFF induced proliferation of anti-immunoglobulin M-stimulated peripheral blood B lymphocytes. Moreover, increased amounts of immunoglobulins were found in supernatants of germinal center-like B cells costimulated with BAFF. These results suggest that BAFF plays an important role as costimulator of B cell proliferation and function.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemistry, University of Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: MacKay
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Steiner
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hofmann
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Bodmer
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Holler
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ambrose
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lawton
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bixler
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Acha-Orbea
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Valmori
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Romero
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Werner-Favre
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Zubler
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Browning
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tschopp
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002455:Cell Division; D002460:Cell Line; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D002882:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 13 / Q000235:genetics; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor; D017931:DNA Primers; D008024:Ligands; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; C505719:TNFSF13B protein, human; C505720:Tnfsf13b protein, mouse; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha