BAFF binds to the tumor necrosis factor receptor–like molecule B cell maturation antigen and is important for maintaining the peripheral B cell population

JS Thompson, P Schneider, SL Kalled… - The Journal of …, 2000 - rupress.org
JS Thompson, P Schneider, SL Kalled, LC Wang, EA Lefevre, TG Cachero, F MacKay
The Journal of experimental medicine, 2000rupress.org
The tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family member B cell activating factor (BAFF) binds B cells
and enhances B cell receptor–triggered proliferation. We find that B cell maturation antigen
(BCMA), a predicted member of the TNF receptor family expressed primarily in mature B
cells, is a receptor for BAFF. Although BCMA was previously localized to the Golgi
apparatus, BCMA was found to be expressed on the surface of transfected cells and tonsillar
B cells. A soluble form of BCMA, which inhibited the binding of BAFF to a B cell line, induced …
The tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family member B cell activating factor (BAFF) binds B cells and enhances B cell receptor–triggered proliferation. We find that B cell maturation antigen (BCMA), a predicted member of the TNF receptor family expressed primarily in mature B cells, is a receptor for BAFF. Although BCMA was previously localized to the Golgi apparatus, BCMA was found to be expressed on the surface of transfected cells and tonsillar B cells. A soluble form of BCMA, which inhibited the binding of BAFF to a B cell line, induced a dramatic decrease in the number of peripheral B cells when administered in vivo. Moreover, culturing splenic cells in the presence of BAFF increased survival of a percentage of the B cells. These results are consistent with a role for BAFF in maintaining homeostasis of the B cell population.
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