# CHARACTERIZATION OF HUMAN B-CELL ACTIVATION ANTIGENS

> **NIH NIH R01** · DANA-FARBER CANCER INST · 1989 · $268,410

## Abstract

Following stimulation with antigen or polyclonal mitogen, resting
human B lymphocytes become activated, proliferate, and
sequently differentiate into antibody secreting cells.  This
sequence can be delineated by a series of morphologic, metabolic,
molecular, and cell surface antigenic events.  The focus of this
proposal is to study the cellular expression and function of those
cell surface structures which are not expressed on the resting B
cell but appear with activation.  These activation antigens
(ActAgs) are excellent candidates for receptors for growth or
differentiation factors, molecules involved in localization in
microenvironments, or molecules involved in cell-cell interaction.
The aims of the present proposal are:  1) to identify and
characterize distinct populations of human B lymphocytes
expressing B cell ActAgs with attention to the stimuli that induce
them, 2) to attempt to identify the functions of B cell ActAgs by
studying their biochemical and molecular structures as well as
studying the effects of MoAbs directed against ActAgs on
proliferation, differentiation, and cell-cell interaction, and 3) to
attempt to develop new MoAbs to ActAgs.  To achieve these
aims, activated B cell populations will be induced in vitro,
isolated from normal lymphoid tissues, and isolated from patients
with diseases characterized by activated B lymphocytes.  The
expression of activation antigens on these populations will be
extensively studied and the major activated subpopulations of
human B lymphocyte identified.  These activated B cell
populations will be isolated, phenotypically characterized, and
analyzed for their response to growth and differentiation factors.
B cell ActAgs will be structurally characterized by standard
techniques and their genes will be cloned.  MoAbs to ActAgs will
be added to in vitro systems to determine whether they induce
proliferation or differentiation, block cytokine induced
proliferation or differentiation, or inhibit cell-cell association.
New MoAbs to B cell ActAgs will be developed in an attempt to
define new functionally important molecules.  Activated B cells
are involved in the pathogenesis of the majority of autoimmune
diseases, graft rejection, allergy, and immunity to infection.  This
study hopes to provide a strong foundation with which to study the
etiology and pathophysiology of these diseases.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3179881
- **Project number:** 5R01CA040216-05
- **Recipient organization:** DANA-FARBER CANCER INST
- **SAM.gov UEI:** DPMGH9MG1X67
- **Principal Investigator:** Lee Marshall Nadler
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1989
- **Award amount:** $268,410
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1985-08-01 → 1991-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3179881

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3179881, CHARACTERIZATION OF HUMAN B-CELL ACTIVATION ANTIGENS (5R01CA040216-05). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3179881. Licensed CC0.

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