BAFF/BLyS can potentiate B-cell selection with the B-cell coreceptor complex.
The tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-like ligand BAFF/BLyS (B-cell activating factor of the TNF family/B-lymphocyte stimulator) is a potent B-cell survival factor, yet its functional relationship with other B-cell surface molecules such as CD19 and CD40 is poorly understood. We found that follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) in human lymph nodes expressed BAFF abundantly. BAFF up-regulated a B cell-specific transcription factor Pax5/BSAP (Pax5/B cell-specific activator protein) activity and its target CD19, a major component of the B-cell coreceptor complex, and synergistically enhanced CD19 phosphorylation by B-cell antigen receptor (BCR). BAFF further enhanced B-cell proliferation, immunoglobulin G (IgG) production, and reactivity to CD154 by BCR/CD19 coligation and interleukin-15 (IL-15). Our results suggest that BAFF may play an important role in FDC-B-cell interactions through the B-cell coreceptor complex and a possibly sequential link between the T cell-independent and -dependent B-cell responses in the germinal centers.
Hase
Hidenori
H
Division of Immunology, Institute for Medical Science, and Department of Pathology, Dokkyo University School of Medicine, Mibu, Tochigi 321-0293, Japan
Kanno
Yumiko
Y
Kojima
Masaru
M
Hasegawa
Kaoru
K
Sakurai
Daisuke
D
Kojima
Hidefumi
H
Tsuchiya
Naoyuki
N
Tokunaga
Katsushi
K
Masawa
Nobuhide
N
Azuma
Miyuki
M
Okumura
Ko
K
Kobata
Tetsuji
T
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D018941:Antigens, CD19 / Q000378:metabolism*; D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D023201:CD40 Ligand / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D018858:Germinal Center / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D019409:Interleukin-15 / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051757:PAX5 Transcription Factor; D010766:Phosphorylation; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000276:immunology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D018941:Antigens, CD19; D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor; C120197:BLyS receptor; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D019409:Interleukin-15; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051757:PAX5 Transcription Factor; C497281:PAX5 protein, human; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; C505719:TNFSF13B protein, human; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D023201:CD40 Ligand