title: Expression and localization of rabbit B-cell activating factor (BAFF) and its specific receptor BR3 in cells and tissues of the rabbit immune system.
abstract: Rabbits are widely used for vaccine development, and investigations of human infectious and autoimmune diseases such as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). For these applications, we cloned, sequenced and expressed rabbit B-cell Activating Factor (BAFF), and localized BAFF in cells and tissues of the rabbit immune system. The rabbit homolog of the human BAFF binding site (miniBR3 peptide) within the BAFF-specific receptor BR3 was synthesized. This 26-residue core domain binds to recombinant rabbit BAFF protein. Flow cytometric analyses using purified recombinant rabbit BAFF combined with real-time PCR findings revealed that BAFF detected on peripheral blood B-cells from normal rabbits is probably complexed to BAFF receptors rather than produced by the B-cells. BAFF was detected in developing appendix of young rabbits by immunohistochemical staining suggesting that BAFF plays a role during the period following birth when rabbit B-cell development and pre-immune antibody repertoire diversification and selection is occurring.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892-1892, USA.
authors.forename: Jiahui
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pospisil
authors.forename: Rose G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Mage
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D053265:B-Cell Activation Factor Receptor / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D007107:Immune System; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011817:Rabbits; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor; D053265:B-Cell Activation Factor Receptor; D011994:Recombinant Proteins