The role of BAFF in B-cell maturation, T-cell activation and autoimmunity

Occasionally, the discovery of a new molecule sheds light on an entire biological system. A good example is the discovery of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related molecule, B-cell-activating factor belonging to the TNF family (BAFF), known also as BLyS, TALL-1, zTNF4 or THANK. A flurry of papers from several groups, describing results from transgenic and knockout mice, animal models and human studies, has shown that BAFF is a crucial molecule involved in B-cell maturation and the development of autoimmunity. Several recent reports add to this exciting story and illustrate some of the formative stages of B-cell maturation and tolerance.