Figure 3.

Activin A stimulates BAFF expression in mouse macrophage cells. (A) Effect of activin A on BAFF transcription in RAW264.7 cells. RAW264.7 cells (a mouse macrophage cell line) were treated with TGF-β (1 ng/ml) and activin A (10 ng/ml) for 24 h (left panel). Effect of activin A on BAFF transcription as a function of time (right panel). Activin A (10 ng/ml) was added to the cell cultures for the indicated times. Levels of BAFF mRNA were determined by RT-PCR. (B) Effect of activin A on BAFF expression by mouse peritoneal macrophages. Freshly isolated mouse peritoneal macrophages were incubated with activin A (10 ng/ml) for 24 h. Levels of BAFF transcripts were determined by RT-PCR (left panel). After 48 h of culture, BAFF secretion was measured by ELISA (right panel). Data are means of triplicate samples±SEM. ^**p<0.01.