Immune-mediator CD40 ligand is expressed on a variety of cell types involved in the immune response and on the cells of the vascular system. Inhibition of CD40 signaling has been associated with reduction of experimental atherosclerosis and transplant-associated vasculopathy. Immune response also plays a cardinal role in intimal thickening after acute arterial-wall injury. After carotid artery ...

Microarray analysis is a promising new approach for creating specific expression profiles of multiple genes simultaneously. We quantitatively analyzed differential gene expression patterns in mycosis fungoides-derived clonal T cells and autologous, identically cultured CD4+ lymphocytes using microarrays containing 588 cDNA segments from genes relevant to cell signaling, carcinogenesis, and apop...

CD40 is recognized as a member of tumor necrosis factor receptor super family. It is expressed by the immune and non-immune cells. Its interaction with CD40 ligand (CD154) brings about a regulatory effect on the cellular and humoral immunity. The pathway of CD40-CD154 is influential in various diseases. Investigations on such diseases have revealed dimensional mechanisms whereby this route inte...

A strategy to improve the immunogenicity of candidate vaccines is to trigger the innate immune system. Triggering of CD40 at the surface of dendritic cells (DC) is essential in the induction of an efficient immune response. Although CD40 agonist antibodies have been shown to be potent inducers of immune responses in experimental models, serious safety concerns have been raised for their use in ...