The expression and function of lymphocyte surface molecular CD40

CD40 and CD40L(CD40 ligand,CD154) are both members of the tumor necrosis factor receptor(TNFR) superfamily.The interaction between CD40 and CD40L is associated with the activation of antigen presenting cells(APC) and T cells.It also plays an important role in tumor immunity,autoimmune diseases and inflammatory response.Nowadays,some findings suggest that CD40 are not only expressed on APCs,endothelial cells and some tumor cells,but also on T cells.The studies of CD40+CD8+T cells are focused on the signaling transduction and adoptive immunotherapy,while the studies of CD40+CD4+T cells are focused on its role in autoimmune diseases.This review summarizes the expression and function of CD40 on the surface of T lymphocytes.