Dendritic Cells, BAFF, and APRIL

April and Baff Connect Autoimmunity and Cancer

Recent studies of two newcomers to the TNF cytokine family have revealed an unsuspected link between autoimmunity and cancer. In this issue, Rennert et. al. (1) define the specific receptors for the orphan ligand known as APRIL (a proliferation-inducing ligand), which was previously recognized for its growth stimulating activity for tumors of lymphoid, colon, and thyroid origin (2). APRIL binds...

Data for the crystal structure of APRIL-BAFF-BAFF heterotrimer.

The TNF family ligands B cell activation factor (BAFF) and a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL) modulate B cell function by forming homotrimers and heterotrimers. To determine the structure of a heterotrimer of BAFF and APRIL, these ligands were expressed as a single chain protein in HEK 293 cells, purified by affinity and size exclusion chromatographies, and crystallized. Crystals belonging...

Investigation of serum APRIL and BAFF levels in pemphigus vulgaris patients in Southern Iran

Background: Pemphigus vulgaris, the most common form of pemphigus, is due to the production of auto-antibodies directed against adhesion molecules (desmoglein 1 and 3) that belong to the cadherin family. B cell-activating factor of the TNF family (BAFF) and a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL) may play a significant role in autoimmune diseases such as pemphigus vulgaris. Only a few studies h...

BAFF, APRIL and their receptors: structure, function and signaling.

BAFF, APRIL and their receptors play important immunological roles, especially in the B cell arm of the immune system. A number of splice isoforms have been described for both ligands and receptors in this subfamily, some of which are conserved between mouse and human, while others are species-specific. Structural and mutational analyses have revealed key determinants of receptor-ligand specifi...

BAFF and APRIL Expression in B Cells In Vitro and In Vivo Activation Induces