B cells regulate expression of CD40 ligand on activated T cells by lowering the mRNA level and through the release of soluble CD40

The expression of CD40 ligand (CD40L) on activated T cells (CD4⁺ T cell clone MT9) is diminished when the T cells are cultured in the presence of B cells. This effect, observed both with normal tonsil B cells and with the B cell line JY, was detected after 6 h and sustained at least until 18 h of co-culture. Analysis of mRNA showed that CD40L mRNA levels were not modified after 6 h, but were significantly down-regulated after 18 h of co-culture with B cells. Although CD40L expression could not be detected by a CD40-Fc chimera, the molecule was still expressed at the membrane as shown with a polyclonal antiserum against CD40L (anti-TRAP). In addition, T cells activated in the presence of B cells were stained by a polyclonal antiserum against CD40, without the appearance of CD40 mRNA. These results indicated that a soluble form of CD40 (sCD40) bound to the expressed CD40L on T cells. The existence of sCD40 was confirmed by detection of sCD40 in B cell supernatants using a specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Collectively, these data show that B cells can regulate the expression of CD40L on activated T cells at least by two different mechanisms.     

Epitope‐dependent synergism and antagonism between CD40 antibodies and soluble CD40 ligand for the regulation of CD23 expression and IgE synthesis in human B cells

BACKGROUND: The induction of IgE synthesis in naive B cells requires two T-cell-derived signals: one delivered through CD40 and the other via interleukin-4 (IL-4). The natural counterstructure to CD40 is the CD40 ligand (CD40L). We have asked about the interplay between CD40L and CD40 mAb that recognize distinct epitopes in delivering signals for regulating IL-4-dependent IgE synthesis and the expression of CD23, the low-affinity IgE receptor, in resting B cells. METHODS: After culture of purified human tonsillar B cells with CD40 agonists and IL-4, surface CD23 was determined by flow cytometric analysis. CD23 levels in cell lysates and supernatants were quantified by ELISA, as were those of secreted IgE. RESULTS: With regard to both induction of CD23 and IgE production, soluble CD40L trimer (sCD40LT) showed synergistic interaction with two mAb to CD40 which bind to epitopes located outside the ligand binding site (EA5 and 5C3), but not with a mAb (G28-5) which effectively competes for CD40L binding to CD40. Each of the two noncompeting mAb to CD40 was able to cooperate strongly with sCD40LT in promoting high-level induction of CD23 even in the absence of IL-4, an effect mirrored in the promotion of strong homotypic clustering and high-rate DNA synthesis. G28-5, uniquely, induced a down-regulation in IL-4-induced CD23 expression with time, a change that was accompanied by an increase in the amount of soluble CD23 detected. While the two noncompeting mAb consistently synergized with sCD40LT for the promotion of IL-4-dependent IgE synthesis, sCD40LT and G28-5 (which, by itself, was the most potent of the CD40 mAb at inducing IL-4-dependent IgE production) exhibited mutual antagonism in this regard, the level of which could be quite profound. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that appropriate targeting of CD40 can modulate IgE synthesis either positively or negatively.     

Induction,regulation, and function of soluble TRAP (CD40 ligand) during interaction of primary CD4+ CD45RA+ T cells with dendritic cells

To assess the induction, regulation, and the relative roles of cell surface tumor necrosis factor-related activation protein (TRAP; CD40 ligand) and the soluble form of TRAP (sTRAP) in the initial phase of T cell activation, primary CD4⁺ CD45RA⁺ (naive) T cells were co-cultured with mature Langerhans' cells (mLC) in the presence of superantigen. In this cell system, TRAP was very efficiently induced in T cells at both the mRNA and protein levels. After appearing on the cell surface, TRAP was rapidly down-regulated by a mechanism triggered through interaction of TRAP with CD40 on mLC. Co-culture of T cells with mLC led to the release of sTRAP, an 18-kDa protein capable of binding to CD40. Experimental data strongly suggest that sTRAP is not released by proteolytic cleavage of TRAP on the cell surface, but is generated in an intracellular compartment. Release of sTRAP and induction of TRAP cell surface expression were found to be regulated independently. In terms of function, sTRAP cannot compete with cell surface TRAP for ligation of CD40 on mLC, indicating that sTRAP release is not a mechanism for termination of the TRAP/CD40 interaction. However, sTRAP on its own rapidly down-regulates CD40 expression on mLC and has long-lasting anti-apoptotic effects on dendritic cells. Thus, we infer from our results obtained in vitro that primary activation of CD4⁺ T cells by dendritic cells in the lymphoid tissues leads to release of sTRAP, which may act on CD40⁺ bystander cells in a cytokine-like fashion.     

CD40-CD40 ligand interactions stimulate B cell antigen processing

The interactions between B cell CD40 and T cell CD40 ligand (CD40L) have been shown recently to play an important role in T cell-dependent activation of B cells. Here, we show that the ligation of CD40 stimulates the processing of antigen by B cells. The activation of an antigen-specific T cell hybrid by B cells co-cultured with insect cells expressing recombinant CD40L or with a CD40-specific monoclonal antibody requires less antigen and fewer B cells compared to control cells. The augmentation was observed both for processing initiated by antigen binding to and cross-linking the surface immunoglobulin, and processing of antigen taken up by fluid-phase pinocytosis. CD40 appears to affect a step in the intracellular processing of antigen, as CD40 has no effect on the presentation of an antigenic peptide which does not require processing. In addition, the CD40-induced augmentation of processing is not attributable to the effect of CD40 ligation on the cell surface expression of B7, LFA-1 or CD23. CD40 ligation does not affect the biosynthesis of the class II E^k molecules, and although ligation of CD40 induces B cell proliferation, the augmentation of processing does not require proliferation. The ability of CD40 to stimulate B cell antigen processing has the potential to influence significantly the outcome of antigen-dependent T cell-B cell interactions.     

A soluble form of TRAP (CD40 ligand) is rapidly released after T cell activation

TRAP is a tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related, 33-kDa type II transmembrane protein almost exclusively expressed on the surface of activated CD4⁺ T lymphocytes. Interaction of TRAP with CD40 on B cells is of paramount importance for immunoglobulin class switching and subsequent synthesis of IgG, IgA or IgE in vivo. We now provide evidence that activated T cells not only express cell membrane-associated TRAP but also a soluble form of TRAP (sTRAP). After generating monoclonal antibodies against TRAP and establishing a TRAP-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay we were able to detect substantial amounts of sTRAP in the supernatants of activated T cells. The onset and rate of sTRAP release was found to parallel the expression of TRAP on the cell surface. sTRAP, an 18-kDa protein, is generated by proteolytic proccessing of full-length TRAP in an intracellular compartment. Starting with methionine 113 of fulllength TRAP, sTRAP lacks the transmembrane region and a part of the extracellular domain but contains the entire TNF-α homology region and can, therefore, bind to CD40. Like other members of the TNF superfamily (e.g. TNF-α, Fas/APO-1 ligand), TRAP thus has the potential to be biologically active not only in a transmembrane form but also as a soluble molecule.     

Properties of mouse CD40: the role of homotypic adhesion in the activation of B cells via CD40

Stimulation of human B cells via CD40 is known to induce their homotypic aggregation. We show here that anti-mouse CD40 monoclonal antibodies (mAb) also induce B cells to form large, spherical, extremely stable clusters. This clustering is markedly enhanced by co-stimulation with either interleukin-4 (IL-4) or anti-immunoglobulin (Ig). The aggregation is slow in onset, and is largely (but not completely) abrogated by anti-LFA-1 mAb, but not by mAb directed against other potentially important adhesion molecules on B cells. Anti-LFA-1 mAb also partially suppressed DNA synthesis induced by anti-CD40, but not by other B cell mitogens, suggesting that clustering is an important component of B cell activation via CD40. This concept is supported by analyses of the phenotype of clustered B cells: the cells within clusters express higher levels of various activation markers, and also more of them are in cell cycle than non-clustered cells. These results therefore suggest that CD40 stimulation may either induce B cells to secrete soluble factors which act in an autocrine way to promote Bcell activation, or that clustering generates cell contact-mediated signals which are important in the activation cascade.     

Regulation of B cell growth and differentiation via CD21 and CD40

Stimulation in vitro of murine splenic B cells by lipopolysaccharide, anti-ϰ Sepharose, anti-CD40 or allo-reactive T helper cells all up-regulated CD21 and CD23 surface expression. Neither anti-CD21 nor anti-CD23 antibodies induced B cell growth or differentiation when added in soluble form or coupled to Sepharose. However, anti-CD40-stimulated B cells showed increased proliferation in the presence of anti-CD21 antibodies coupled to Sepharose; co-stimulation via CD21 also induced differentiation to immunoglobulin secretion in a fraction of anti-CD40-stimulated B cells. Furthermore, anti-CD40 antibodies inhibited differentiation to immunoglobulin secretion induced by lipopolysaccharide and, hence, appears to be a dominant negative signal for B cell differentiation.     

Properties of mouse CD40: Cellular distribution of CD40 and B cell activation by monoclonal anti-mouse CD40 antibodies

We describe here the derivation of a rat monoclonal antibody (mAb) against mouse CD40 (designated 3/23), which stains 45–50% of spleen cells of adult mice, approximately 90% of which are B cells. Interestingly, some 5–10% of both CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells in the spleens of (some, but not all) adult, unimmunized mice are also CD40⁺, whereas CD40⁺ cells were not detectable in the thymus, even following collagenase digestion. Some 35–40% of lymphoid cells in the bone marrow of adult mice are CD40⁺ and virtually all of these are B220⁺, and hence of the B cell lineage: triple-color flow cytometry showed that CD40 is expressed at low levels on some 30% of pre-B cells, at intermediate levels on 80% of immature B cells and on essentially all mature B cells in the bone marrow. These results, therefore, suggest that in the mouse CD40 is expressed relatively late during the process of B cell differentiation. The mAb induced marked up-regulation of major histocompatibility complex class II molecules, CD23 and B7.2 antigens on mature B cells. It also stimulated modest levels of DNA synthesis in mature B cells by itself: this was markedly enhanced by suboptimal concentrations of mitogenic (but not non-mitogenic) anti-μ and anti-δ mAb, and moderately enhanced by co-stimulation with interleukin-4. Hyper-cross-linking of CD40 (using biotinylated mAb and avidin) also enhanced the proliferative response to anti-CD40.     

Interaction of B cells with activated T cells reduces the threshold for CD40-mediated B cell activation

CD154-CD40 interactions are of central importance for the induction of antibody responses to T-dependent antigens. Since most anti-CD40 mAb are only weak B cell mitogens, it is believed that under physiological conditions, signals through CD40 synergize with those from other receptors on B cells to induce B cell activation. We show here that the interaction of either normal B cells, or those from CBA/N (xid) mice, with CD3-activated primary T cells in whole spleen cell cultures markedly reduces the threshold for B cell activation via CD40. Hence, these pre-activated cells undergo vigorous proliferation when stimulated with either optimal or suboptimal concentrations of weakly mitogenic anti-CD40 mAb, or with soluble CD40 ligand. Blocking experiments indicate that the establishment of this priming effect requires stimulation via CD40 itself, plus T cell-derived IL-2. In support of this concept, only CD3/CD28-pre-activated, but not CD3-pre-activated T cells induce this effect, unless the co-cultures of B cells with the latter T cells are supplemented with IL-2. Although B cells activated in this fashion do express higher levels of CD40 than naive cells, we believe that this is insufficient to explain the observed dramatic effects on their proliferative capacity. Rather we propose that T cell-dependent B cell activation induces fundamental changes in the signalling machinery invoked by ligation of CD40. It is likely that this amplification loop could play an important role during the initiation of antibody responses to T-dependent antigens, when activated CD4 T cells only express low levels of CD154.     

Cleavage of membrane-bound CD40 ligand is not required for inducing B cell proliferation and differentiation

The phycical interaction between the B cell surface molecule CD40 and its ligand, CD40L, is known to be crucial in the development and maintenance of humoral immunity. Recently it has been shown that the CD40L is processed and that its soluble cleavage products are released into the extracellular environment. To study the functions of soluble and membrane-bound human CD40L on human B cells, we generated an uncleavable CD40L cDNA deletion mutant. The activities of transfectants expressing either mutated or wild-type CD40L were then compared on human B cells. Both the soluble and the uncleavable membrane-bound CD40L were able to induce, in conjunction with interleukin-4, B cell proliferation and IgE synthesis. Therefore, membrane-bound and soluble CD40L exhibit the same pattern of activities on B cells and membrane CD40L cleavage is not a prerequisite for its function.     

CD40 ligand-positive CD8+ T cell clones allow B cell growth and differentiation

A fraction of activated CD8⁺ T cells expresses CD40 ligand (CD40L), a molecule that plays a key role in T cell-dependent B cell stimulation. CD8⁺ T cell clones were examined for CD40L expression and for their capacity to allow the growth and differentiation of B cells, upon activation with immobilized anti-CD3. According to CD40L expression, CD8⁺ clones could be grouped into three subsets. CD8⁺ T cell clones expressing high levels of CD40L (≥80% CD40L⁺ cells) were equivalent to CD4⁺ T cell clones with regard to induction of tonsil B cell proliferation and immunoglobulin (Ig) production, provided the combination of interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-10 was added to cultures. CD8⁺ T cell clones, with intermediate levels of CD40L expression (10 to 30% CD40L⁺ cells), also stimulated B cell proliferation and Ig secretion with IL-2 and IL-10. B cell responses induced by these CD8⁺ T cell clones were neutralized by blocking monoclonal antibodies specific for either CD40L or CD40. By contrast, CD40L^?? T cell clones (?5 % CD40L⁺ cells), only induced marginal B cell responses even with IL-2 and IL-10. All three clone types were able to activate B cells as shown by up-regulation of CD25, CD80 and CD86 expression. A neutralizing anti-CD40L antibody indicated that T cell-dependent B cell activation was only partly dependent on CD40-CD40L interaction. These CD40L^?? clones had no inhibitory effects on B cell proliferation induced by CD40L-expressing CD8⁺ T cell clones. Taken together, these results indicate that CD8⁺ T cells can induce B cell growth and differentiation in a CD40L-CD40-dependent fashion.     

Recombinant CD40 ligand stimulation of murine B cell growth and differentiation: cooperative effects of cytokines

The ligand for the B cell surface antigen CD40 was recently cloned from a murine thymoma cDNA library and shown to be expressed on activated T cells. In this study, we investigate the biological effects of murine recombinant CD40 ligand. The recombinant CD40 ligand expressed on the CV-1/EBNA monkey fibroblast cell line directly activated resting B cell to express elevated levels of cell surface class II major histocompatibility complex and CD23 molecules. CD40 ligand also stimulated B cell proliferation, reaching maximal levels on day 2 of culture and declining thereafter. This effect was positively regulated by other cytokines, most notably interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-5. By itself, CD40 ligand had no effect upon immunoglobulin secretion by B cells. However, when B cells were treated with CD40 ligand plus cytokines, immunoglobulin secretion was stimulated in a cytokine-dependent and isotype-specific manner. IL-4 was a potent co-stimulator of IgE and IgG1 in the presence of CD40 ligand, and IL-5 acted synergistically with IL-4 in these responses as well as in IgM and IgG3 production. Taken together, the results indicate that CD40 ligand is a potent regulatory molecule for B cell growth and differentiation, and its activities are potentiated in a cytokine-specific manner.     

Polyclonal activation of immature B cells by preactivated T cells: the role of IL-4 and CD40 ligand

It is well-established that preactivated CD4⁺ T cells can activatemature B cells in a polyclonal, MHC-unrestricted fashion. Wehave used this system to investigate the effects of T cell-derivedsignals on immature B cells purified from the spleens of neonatalmice, since these cells are unresponsive to many polyclonalactivators and are exquisitely sensitive to tolerizatlon. Weshow that immature B cells can be induced to proliferate byanti-CD3 activated, fixed T_h1 and T_h2 cells, although the latterinduce a greater response than the former. Antibodies to IL-4partially blocked stimulation by T_h2 cells, where as antibodiesto IL-2 and IL-5 had no effect on responses to T_h1 cells. Thissuggested that molecules in addition to IL-4 contribute to thecapacity of T cells to induce B cell activation, one likelycandidate being the ligand for CD40. We therefore generatedmouse erythroleukemia (MEL) transfectants which express CD40ligand (CD40L). These transfectants also induced proliferationof immature B cells, which is enhanced by IL-;4. Unlike thesituation with mature B cells, both anti-µ and anti- antibodiesinhibited the activation of immature B cells by CD40L-MEL cells.However, this inhibition was reversed by IL-4, which synergizedwith signals delivered through CD40 to render immature B cellsrefractory to negative signals delivered through slg. Takentogether these data suggest that immature B cells can be activatedby T cell-derived contact signals and that CD40L – CD40interactions, in the presence of IL-4, are capable of abrogatingthe negative signals generated via slgM and slgD receptors expressedby these cells.     

可溶性CD40的研究进展

CD40分子是属于肿瘤坏死因子受体（TNFR）超家族的Ⅰ型跨膜糖蛋白，可溶性CD40（sCD40）与膜型CD40（mCD40）共存，并具有与CD40L结合的能力，是CD40-CD40L作用的天然拮抗剂。研究显示健康人血清中存在低水平的sCD40，而肾脏疾病、肝脏疾病、血液病、神经系统疾病等患者血液和体液中异常高表达sCD40，且其水平与病程发展和预后有关，具有重要的临床意义。     

CD40-CD40L共同表达于人内皮细胞及人动脉粥样斑块中

目的:探讨CD40和CD40L在人脐静脉内皮细胞及动脉粥样硬化斑块中是否可共同表达。方法:CD40及CD40L在内皮细胞表面的表达分别采用荧光技术、RT-PCR、流式细胞仪和Western blotting检测。人的动脉粥样硬化斑块中CD40及CD40L的表达采用免疫组化方法。结果:人内皮细胞能连续表达CD40及CD40LmRNA和蛋白, 并且细胞因子IL-1β、IL-6、TNF-α、INF-γ能明显刺激内皮细胞表达CD40、CD40L。人动脉粥样斑块中能共同表达CD40及CD40L, 而动脉壁的其它部分不表达。CD40L主要表达在斑块的肩部和底部, CD40在斑块中表达广泛。结论:人内皮细胞表面及粥样斑块中能共同高表达CD40和CD40L, 提示CD40及CD40L相互作用在动脉粥样硬化形成及发展中起重要作用。     

可溶性CD40L在评价冠状动脉粥样硬化斑块易损伤中的意义

目的：探讨血清可溶性白细胞分化抗原40配体（sCD40L）在评价冠状动脉粥样硬化斑块易损性中的意义，并探讨sCD40L水平和冠状动脉狭窄程度及其与C-反应蛋白（CRP）和血沉（ESR）的相关性。 方法：按照WHO关于冠心病的诊断标准，并结合冠状动脉造影（CAG）结果，选择84例冠心病（CHD）患者和20例非冠心病患者（NCHD）作为研究对象。84例CHD分为3组：急性心肌梗死（AMI）30例， 不稳定心绞痛（UA）30例 ，稳定性心绞痛（SA）24例。4组患者均在入院当天采用双抗体夹心酶标免疫吸附法（ELISA）测定血清标本中的sCD40L水平（μg/L）。并进行CAG检查，确定冠状动脉病变支数和Jenkins评分。同时测定ESR、CRP。 结果：4组患者血清sCD40L水平存在明显差异（P<0.01）。AMI组sCD40L水平［（8.48±4.13) μg/L］明显高于SA组［（4.36±2.68) μg/L］（P<0.01）和NCHD组［（4.12±1.96) μg/L］（P<0.01）；UA组sCD40L水平［（8.72±4.26) μg/L］明显高于SA组和NCHD组（P<0.01）；UA组sCD40L水平轻微高于AMI组，但无显著差异（P>0.05）；SA组sCD40L水平轻微高于NCHD组，但无显著差异（P>0.05）。冠心病患者血清sCD40L水平与Jenkins评分呈显著正相关关系（r=0.524，P<0.01）。sCD40L水平与ESR和CRP显著相关（r=0.722，P<0.01和r=0.734，P<0.01）。 结论：AMI和UA组患者血清sCD40L水平明显高于SA和NCHD患者，提示sCD40L水平可能反映冠状动脉粥样硬化斑块的易损性。sCD40L水平随着冠脉病变支数和Jenkins积分的增加而升高，提示sCD40L可能有促进冠状动脉硬化的作用。sCD40L与ESR和CRP具有显著相关关系。     

Soluble CD40 ligand induces expression of CD25 and CD23 in resting human tonsillar B lymphocytes

In this report, we describe the dose-dependent increase in both CD25 and CD23 levels on resting human B cells in response to CD40 ligation, as mediated by soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) or anti-CD40 antibody. In combination with interleukin (IL)-4, sCD40L had limited additive effects on CD25 expression, but significantly enhanced CD23 expression on tonsillar B cells. Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) exerted no inhibitory effect upon increases in CD25 or CD23 driven by CD40 ligation with sCD40L or anti-CD40 antibody. These data suggest that the induction of CD25 and CD23 genes by IL-4 is mediated, at least in part, by an IFN-γ-sensitive component, whereas gene activation driven via CD40 ligation involves signaling pathways which are not sensitive to IFN-γ.     

CD40 ligand is functionally expressed on human eosinophils

CD40 ligand (CD40L), a surface molecule which can be expressed by T cells, mast cells and basophils, has been shown to be involved in the control of B cell proliferation, immunoglobulin class switching as well as in the activation of monocytes and T cells. We demonstrate that CD40L can also be expressed constitutively by eosinophils from an hypereosinophilic patient or, upon activation, by the eosinophilic cell line EOL-3 and normal blood eosinophils. Eosinophils were able to induce, in conjunction with IL-4, CD40L-dependent B cell proliferation in vitro. These results suggest that CD40L could play a role in the inflammatory processes during which eosinophil infiltration and activation are observed.     

Elevated plasma levels of soluble CD40 in incipient Alzheimer's disease

CD40 is a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor super-family and has been suggested to play a role in the metabolism of beta-amyloid (Abeta) in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the role of CD40-signalling in incipient AD has not yet been studied. We investigated the plasma levels of soluble CD40 (sCD40) and the soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) at baseline in 136 subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 30 age-matched controls. Sixty of the 136 MCI cases converted to AD (MCI-AD) during a clinical follow-up period of 4-7 years. The baseline levels of sCD40, but not sCD40L, were elevated in MCI-AD cases when compared to age-matched controls (Mann-Whitney U-test, p=0.02). However, MCI patients who were cognitively stable or developed vascular dementia during follow-up did not have significantly increased levels of sCD40 or sCD40L when compared to controls. The levels of sCD40 correlated to decreased baseline performance on mini-mental state examination (MMSE) in both controls (r(s)=-0.37, p<0.05) and MCI-AD cases (r(s)=-0.29, p<0.05). Finally, the plasma levels of sCD40 correlated with the levels of soluble amyloid precursor protein-alpha (sAPP-alpha) (r(s)=0.28, p<0.01) and sAPP-beta (r(s)=0.23, p<0.05) in cerebrospinal fluid. In conclusion, CD40-signalling might play a role in the pathogenesis of early AD.