BAFF (D7I1U) Rabbit mAb #19944

BAFF, a member of the TNF superfamily of proteins, is a homotrimeric transmembrane protein, which is cleaved to produce a soluble cytokine (1). BAFF may also further oligomerize into 60-mer structures (1). BAFF is expressed by monocytes, neutrophils, macrophages, dendritic cells, activated T cells, and epithelial cells (1,2). BAFF plays a key role in B cell development, survival, and activation (1,3,4). BAFF binds to three distinct receptors, BAFF-R, TACI, and BCMA (1). These receptors are differentially expressed during B cell development and among B cell subsets (1,2,4). While BAFF-R and BCMA bind to the homotrimeric form of BAFF, TACI only binds to membrane bound or higher order BAFF structures (1). The BAFF/ BAFF-R interaction activates both canonical and non-canonical NF-κB pathways, PI3K/Akt, and mTOR (2,4). Activation of the noncanonical NF-κB pathway via BAFF-R is negatively regulated by TRAF3 (5). Research studies have shown that elevated levels of BAFF may exacerbate many autoimmune disorders, making it a potential therapeutic target (2).