Role of JAK3 in CD40 mediated signaling

CD40 is a member of the TNF receptor family and plays an important role in B cell survival, growth, differentiation and isotype switching. Recently, CD40 has been shown to associate with JAK3, a member of the Janus Kinase family which are non-receptor protein kinases that are involved in intracellular signaling mediated by cytokines, interferons, and growth factors. To investigate the role of JAK3 in CD40 mediated signalling, we studied the effect of CD40 stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) obtained from JAK3 deficient patients on proliferation, isotype switching, and upregulation of B cell surface expression of CD23 and ICAM-1. Our studies show that stimulation of PBMC with monoclonal antibody to CD40 in the presence of IL-4 or EL-13, resulted in similar profiles in both patients and normal controls in all the above assays. This suggests that JAK3 is not essential for CD40 mediated B cell proliferation, isotype switching, and upregulation of CD23 and ICAM-1 surface expression.

Duke Scholars

Author Rebecca Hatcher Buckley Pediatrics, Allergy and Immunology

Author Joseph Linton Roberts Pediatrics, Allergy and Immunology