American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Sep 2015
Role of B Cell Activating Factor (BAFF) in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
B cell-activating factor (BAFF) plays a major role in activation of B cells and in adaptive humoral immune responses. In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lymphoid follicles have been associated with disease severity, and overexpression of BAFF has been demonstrated within lymphoid follicles of patients with severe COPD. ⋯ BAFF is significantly increased in lungs of patients with COPD and is present around both immune and stromal cells within lymphoid follicles. Antagonizing BAFF in CS-exposed mice attenuates pulmonary inflammation and alveolar destruction.