Functional CD40 ligand is expressed by T cells in rheumatoid arthritis.

Targeting CD40L: a Promising Therapeutic Approach

“…CD40L expression at high levels may reflect augmented and prolonged activation of lymphocytes resulting in an increased and prolonged inflammatory activity. The expression of functional CD40L at high levels on T cells from patients with RA was also demonstrated by MacDonald et al (42).…”

Statins as antiinflammatory and immunomodulatory agents: A future in rheumatologic therapy?

“…The latter finding may be relevant to RA, since overexpression of CD40 and CD40 ligand (CD40L) in the rheumatoid synovium (synovial fibroblasts and lymphocytes, respectively) may play a role in RA pathogenesis (111). Indeed, interruption of CD40-CD40L interaction has been identified as a potential therapeutic target in RA (112,113).…”

Prevention of Experimental Colitis in SCID Mice Reconstituted with CD45RBhigh CD4+ T Cells by Blocking the CD40-CD154 Interactions

“…Moreover, CD40 ligation induces expression of adhesion molecules such as CD54, CD62E, and CD106 on endothelial cells, suggesting that CD40 signaling plays an important role in leukocyte extravasation to sites of inflammation (5,6). In recent years, greater attention has been paid to the role of CD40-CD40L interactions in the immunopathogenesis of some autoimmune diseases, where T or B cells have a prominent role, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (7), rheumatoid arthritis (8), and multiple sclerosis (9) as well as in allograft rejection (10). Administration of mAb directed against CD40L has been shown to effectively inhibit inflammatory responses in a variety of animal models such as experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (9,11), lupus nephritis (12), collagen-induced arthritis (13), atherosclerosis (14), and spontaneous autoimmune diabetes (15).…”