anti-APRIL (human), mAb (blocking) (Mahya-1) (preservative free)

The B cell-stimulating molecules, BAFF (B cell activating factor) and APRIL (a proliferation-inducing ligand), are critical factors in the maintenance of the B cell pool and humoral immunity. APRIL binds to transmembrane activator and CAML interactor (TACI), B cell maturation antigen (BCMA), and heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG) within the extracellular matrix or on the surface of cells such as plasma cells. APRIL maintains B cell homeostasis by acting at a later stage, modulating the function and survival of antigen-experienced B cells. APRIL (as well as BAFF) stimulates class-switch recombination (CSR), hence contributes to shaping humoral effector mechanisms. With regards to humoral memory, APRIL is involved in the establishment and survival of the long-lived plasma cell (LLPC) pool in the bone marrow (BM). APRIL is expressed by a number of myeloid-derived cell types including BM granulocytes, megakaryocytes, eosinophils and osteoclasts and by dendritic cells following exposure to IFN-α, IFN-γ or CD40L. APRIL expression is induced during hematopoiesis in the bone marrow. APRIL expression is not limited to cells of myeloid origin, but can also be found in epithelial cells of the gut, tonsil, breast and skin. Finally, APRIL is expressed in tumor cell lines and human cancer cells of colon, thyroid and lymphoid origin. APRIL (a proliferation-inducing ligand) is implicated in several human autoimmune diseases with autoreactive B cell involvement, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Sjögren’s syndrome (SS), IgA nephropathy (IgAN) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). APRIL might also function in enhancing proliferation of some tumor cells, especially B cell malignancies.