BLyS: member of the tumor necrosis factor family and B lymphocyte stimulator.

BLyS: member of the tumor necrosis factor family and B lymphocyte stimulator.

Science (New York, N.Y.) (1999-07-10)

P A Moore, O Belvedere, A Orr, K Pieri, D W LaFleur, P Feng, D Soppet, M Charters, R Gentz, D Parmelee, Y Li, O Galperina, J Giri, V Roschke, B Nardelli, J Carrell, S Sosnovtseva, W Greenfield, S M Ruben, H S Olsen, J Fikes, D M Hilbert

PMID10398604

ABSTRACT

The tumor necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily of cytokines includes both soluble and membrane-bound proteins that regulate immune responses. A member of the human TNF family, BLyS (B lymphocyte stimulator), was identified that induced B cell proliferation and immunoglobulin secretion. BLyS expression on human monocytes could be up-regulated by interferon-gamma. Soluble BLyS functioned as a potent B cell growth factor in costimulation assays. Administration of soluble recombinant BLyS to mice disrupted splenic B and T cell zones and resulted in elevated serum immunoglobulin concentrations. The B cell tropism of BLyS is consistent with its receptor expression on B-lineage cells. The biological profile of BLyS suggests it is involved in monocyte-driven B cell activation.