Identification and characterization of CD40 from humphead snapper (Lutjanus sanguineus)

CD40 is known as “master switch” in immune response to pathogen infection in mammals. However, limited information of CD40 is known in lower vertebrates. In this study, a novel CD40 homolog (Ls-CD40) was cloned and characterized from humphead snapper, Lutjanus sanguineus. The Ls-CD40 cDNA composed of 2073 bp with a 69 bp of 5′-UTR, a 1020 bp of 3′-UTR and an open reading frame (ORF) of 984 bp, encoding 327 amino acid residues. Sequence analysis showed that Ls-CD40 contained a single peptide, a transmembrane domain and four cysteine-rich domains. The deduced amino acid sequence of Ls-CD40 shared 40%-53% identities with other known fish CD40. The qRT-PCR showed that Ls-CD40 gene expressed in all examined tissues with the most abundant in spleen and lowest level in intestine. After V. harveyi and poly I:C stimulation, the expression of CD40 were significantly induced in spleen. Moreover, Ls-CD40 could interact with Ls-TRAF3 in vitro. These data indicate that Ls-CD40 might play a regulatory role in immune response of L. sanguineus.