Research Article1 December 1992free access The human T cell antigen gp39, a member of the TNF gene family, is a ligand for the CD40 receptor: expression of a soluble form of gp39 with B cell co-stimulatory activity. D. Hollenbaugh D. Hollenbaugh Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98121. Search for more papers by this author L.S. Grosmaire L.S. Grosmaire Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98121. Search for more papers by this author C.D. Kullas C.D. Kullas Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98121. Search for more papers by this author N.J. Chalupny N.J. Chalupny Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98121. Search for more papers by this author S. Braesch-Andersen S. Braesch-Andersen Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98121. Search for more papers by this author R.J. Noelle R.J. Noelle Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98121. Search for more papers by this author I. Stamenkovic I. Stamenkovic Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98121. Search for more papers by this author J.A. Ledbetter J.A. Ledbetter Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98121. Search for more papers by this author A. Aruffo A. Aruffo Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98121. Search for more papers by this author D. Hollenbaugh D. Hollenbaugh Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98121. Search for more papers by this author L.S. Grosmaire L.S. Grosmaire Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98121. Search for more papers by this author C.D. Kullas C.D. Kullas Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98121. Search for more papers by this author N.J. Chalupny N.J. Chalupny Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98121. Search for more papers by this author S. Braesch-Andersen S. Braesch-Andersen Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98121. Search for more papers by this author R.J. Noelle R.J. Noelle Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98121. Search for more papers by this author I. Stamenkovic I. Stamenkovic Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98121. Search for more papers by this author J.A. Ledbetter J.A. Ledbetter Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98121. Search for more papers by this author A. Aruffo A. Aruffo Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98121. Search for more papers by this author Author Information D. Hollenbaugh1, L.S. Grosmaire1, C.D. Kullas1, N.J. Chalupny1, S. Braesch-Andersen1, R.J. Noelle1, I. Stamenkovic1, J.A. Ledbetter1 and A. Aruffo1 1Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98121. The EMBO Journal (1992)11:4313-4321https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1460-2075.1992.tb05530.x PDFDownload PDF of article text and main figures. ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinked InMendeleyWechatReddit Figures & Info Signals delivered to B cells via CD40 can synergize with those provided by other B cell surface receptors to induce B cell proliferation and antibody class switching as well as modulate cytokine production and cell adhesion. Recently, it has been shown that the ligand for CD40 is a cell surface protein of approximately 39 kDa expressed by activated T cells, gp39. Here we report on the isolation and characterization of a cDNA clone encoding human gp39, a type II membrane protein with homology to TNF, and the construction and characterization of a soluble recombinant form of gp39. COS cell transfectants expressing gp39 synergized with either anti-CD20 mAb or PMA to drive strong B cell proliferation and alone were able to drive B cells to proliferate weakly. In all cases the B cell proliferation induced by gp39-expressing COS cells was reduced to background levels by the addition of soluble CD40. Unlike gp39-expressing COS cells, recombinant soluble gp39 was not mitogenic alone and required co-stimulation to drive B cell proliferation. These results suggest that B cells require a second signal besides gp39-CD40 to drive proliferation and that soluble gp39 alone in a non-membrane bound form is able to provide co-stimulatory signals to B cells. Previous ArticleNext Article Volume 11Issue 121 December 1992In this issue RelatedDetailsLoading ...

The human T cell antigen gp39, a member of the TNF gene family, is a ligand for the CD40 receptor: expression of a soluble form of gp39 with B cell co-stimulatory activity.