Activation and regulation of the IκB kinase in human B cells by CD40 signaling

This study demonstrates that the engagement of CD40 results in the activation of the recently described IκB kinase (IKK) in a human B cell line. The kinase appears to reside within the cell in a cytosolic signalsome complex consisting of IKK, IκB, and an MKP-1-like molecule. While the binding of CD154 to CD40 induces the assembly of a CD40-TRAF receptor complex, IKK is not recruited to this complex. Nonetheless, a functional link between TRAF2 and IKK activity in B cells is demonstrated by the fact that overexpression of TRAF2 constitutively induces IKK activity, NF-κB luciferase and Fas expression. Synergy in the activation of IKK and NF-κB-dependent gene expression was observed by the simultaneous engagement of the B cell receptor and CD40, establishing an early means for cross-talk between these two B cell activation pathways. This study discusses the sequential biochemical events that transpire upon CD40 engagement by its ligand in human B cells.