title: The uncertain glory of APRIL.
abstract: The tumour necrosis factor (TNF) family is intimately connected to the regulation of cellular pathways. A PRoliferation-Inducing Ligand (APRIL) is a rather new member of that family, named for its capacity to stimulate the proliferation of tumour cells in vitro. Subsequent publications also called this ligand TRDL-1 or TALL-2, respectively. APRIL and B-lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS; also termed BAFF, TALL-1, THANK, zTNF4) form a new subfamily of TNF-like ligands that are expressed in haematopoietic cells. Both ligands can bind the two members of the TNF receptor family, namely the transmembrane activator and calcium modulator cyclophilin ligand interactor (TACI), as well as B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA). BLyS has recently been the subject of several reviews (for an extensive review, see Mackay et al.). The present review will thus focus on APRIL, and discuss BLyS only briefly for the sake of clarity.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor; D053301:B-Cell Maturation Antigen; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D000074049:Cytokine TWEAK; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000502:physiology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D053303:Transmembrane Activator and CAML Interactor Protein; D053300:Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 13; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D048069:Tumor Necrosis Factors
chemical_list: D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor; D053301:B-Cell Maturation Antigen; C120197:BLyS receptor; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D000074049:Cytokine TWEAK; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; C108467:TNFRSF13B protein, human; C086966:TNFRSF17 protein, human; C109743:TNFSF12 protein, human; C114631:TNFSF13 protein, human; C505719:TNFSF13B protein, human; D053303:Transmembrane Activator and CAML Interactor Protein; D053300:Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 13; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D048069:Tumor Necrosis Factors