OBJECTIVE: To study the expression level of serum B-cell maturation antigen (sBCMA) in the peripheral blood of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM) patients, and explore its relationship with the prognosis of MM patients. METHODS: The peripheral blood of 31 newly diagnosed MM patients and 30 healthy volunteers were collected. The level of sBCMA in the peripheral blood was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The correlation between the level of sBCMA and the prognosis of MM patients was analyzed. RESULTS: The level of sBCMA in newly diagnosed MM patients was significantly higher than that in healthy controls (P <0.05). The level of sBCMA was closely related to the plasma cells ratio in bone marrow, the M protein level and the treatment (P <0.05). The level of sBCMA was negatively correlated with the overall survival (OS) of MM patients (r =-0.47). MM patients with low expression of sBCMA had significantly longer OS than patients with high expression of sBCMA (P <0.05). CONCLUSION The level of sBCMA is significantly increased in MM patients, which is expected to be a new indicator for evaluating the curative efficacy and prognosis of MM patients. Targeting sBCMA may provide new ideas for the treatment of MM.
Humans ; Multiple Myeloma ; B-Cell Maturation Antigen/metabolism* ; Prognosis

Many studies show that as a transcription factor, B lymphocyte-induced maturation protein 1 (Blimp 1) is the master regulator of plasma-cell differentiation. The abnormality of Blimp 1 plays an important part in the genesis and development of lymphoma. This review introduces and summarizes Blimp 1's protein structure and functions, its role in B cell differentiation, its main target genes and the mechanism of its transcriptional repressor activity. Besides, the relationship between Blimp 1 gene mutation or Blimp 1 protein expression reduction and the development of DLBCL is preliminary summaried.
B-Cell Maturation Antigen ; genetics ; B-Lymphocytes ; Cell Differentiation ; Humans ; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse ; Positive Regulatory Domain I-Binding Factor 1 ; Repressor Proteins ; metabolism ; Transcription Factors

BCMA is one of the transmembrane receptors belonging to BAFF and APRIL. In order to identify the feasibility of sBCMA as decoy receptor and obtain active sBCMA for its structural and functional research, full length of hBCMA was amplified with total RNA from Raji cell line by RT-PCR, and the cDNA encoding the extracelluar soluble domain of hBCMA was inserted into pET43.1a(+) vector. The recombinant vector pET43.1a(+)-sBCMA was transformed into E. coli Origami B(DE3) pLyS which is helpful for disulfide bond construction of expression proteins. After IPTG induction, the recombinant protein was expressed as soluble fusion protein, sBCMA-NusA-His6, and identified by western blotting. Then the target protein was purified by Ni(+)-chelating Sepharose Fast Flow. The binding activity between recombinant sBCMA and BAFF was detected by ELISA. Also, Recombinant sBCMA inhibited proliferation of mouse B cell stimulating by rhsBAFF. It was proved that recombinant sBCMA has good bioactivity and the method to express those proteins rich in disulfide bond is feasible and effectual.
B-Cell Activating Factor ; chemistry ; B-Cell Maturation Antigen ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Complementary ; genetics ; Disulfides ; chemistry ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Solubility ; Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 13 ; chemistry

B lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS), a tumor neurosis factor ligand superfamily, is an important factor of B cell survival and activation. However, BLyS also regulates T cell activation and survival, playing key roles in T cell-mediated autoimmune disorders. In the paper, we introduced the mechanisms of BLyS and a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL) regulating T cell responses and their roles in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Animals ; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized ; therapeutic use ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; B-Cell Activating Factor ; metabolism ; B-Cell Activation Factor Receptor ; metabolism ; B-Cell Maturation Antigen ; metabolism ; B-Lymphocytes ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Lymphocyte Activation ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; therapeutic use ; T-Lymphocytes ; metabolism ; pathology ; Transmembrane Activator and CAML Interactor Protein ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 13 ; metabolism