title: Mice transgenic for BAFF develop lymphocytic disorders along with autoimmune manifestations.
abstract: The cause of many autoimmune and inflammatory diseases is unresolved, although dysregulated production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family members appears to be important in many cases. BAFF, a new member of the TNF family, binds to B cells and costimulates their growth in vitro. Mice transgenic for BAFF have vastly increased numbers of mature B and effector T cells, and develop autoimmune-like manifestations such as the presence of high levels of rheumatoid factors, circulating immune complexes, anti-DNA autoantibodies, and immunoglobulin deposition in the kidneys. This phenotype is reminiscent of certain human autoimmune disorders and suggests that dysregulation of BAFF expression may be a critical element in the chain of events leading to autoimmunity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Inflammation and Cell Biology, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA. fabienne_mackay@biogen.com
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mackay
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Woodcock
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lawton
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ambrose
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baetscher
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tschopp
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Browning
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000097:blood; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000378:metabolism; D007668:Kidney / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D007700:Kinetics; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000097:blood; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D001323:Autoantibodies; D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C505719:TNFSF13B protein, human; C505720:Tnfsf13b protein, mouse; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor