title: The role of APRIL and BAFF in lymphocyte activation.
abstract: The TNF family ligands BAFF (also called BLyS) and APRIL regulate lymphocyte survival and activation. BAFF binds to three receptors, BAFF-R, TACI and BCMA, whereas APRIL interacts with TACI, BCMA and proteoglycans. The contribution of BAFF and APRIL to B-cell and plasma-cell survival, CD154 (CD40L)-independent antibody isotype switching, germinal center maintenance, T-dependent and T-independent antibody responses, and T cell co-stimulation are relatively well understood. Constitutive BAFF produced by stromal cells determines the size of the peripheral B cell pool, whereas inducible BAFF produced by myeloid and other cells supports local survival of B lymphocytes and can be associated with development of autoimmunity when deregulated.
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry Department, University of Lausanne, Boveresses 155, CH-1066 Epalinges, Switzerland. pascal.schneider@unil.ch
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schneider
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D053300:Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 13; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; C114631:TNFSF13 protein, human; C505719:TNFSF13B protein, human; C505720:Tnfsf13b protein, mouse; D053300:Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 13; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha