cDNA cloning, genomic structure, expression analysis and biological activity of porcine A Proliferation-Inducing Ligand (APRIL)

A Proliferation-Inducing Ligand (APRIL) is a novel member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily. In this study, a novel cDNA has been isolated from pig spleen by homology cloning and 3′- and 5′-rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) strategies and designates porcine APRIL (pAPRIL). The open reading frame (ORF) of this cDNA covers 756 bases, encoding 251 amino acids. The soluble part of pAPRIL shows 89% identity with its human counterpart at the level of the primary protein structure. The pAPRIL gene is approximately 2.1 kb in size and comprises six exons and five introns. Southern blotting analysis indicated that the pAPRIL gene is a single copy gene. Real-time PCR analysis revealed that pAPRIL is constitutively expressed in various tissues. Recombinant His6-tagged psAPRIL protein was efficiently expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) and its expression was confirmed by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting analysis. In vitro, purified recombinant psAPRIL protein co-stimulated the proliferation of porcine splenic B-cells in response to formalin-fixed Staphylococcus aureus Cowan 1 (SAC).