The 3/23 clone monoclonal antibody specifically binds to CD40, a 40-50 kDa glycoprotein expressed on B lymphocytes and other antigen-presenting cells. CD40 has been reported to be transiently expressed on activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and in some mouse strains, the 3/23 mAb has been reported to react with 5-10% of T lymphocytes in adult mouse, but not neonatal, spleen. CD40 plays a key role in B-cell growth and differentiation where interactions of CD40 with its ligand, CD154, are involved in the initiation, effector, and memory stages of cell-mediated immune responses. In addition, CD40 has been reported to be involved with the triggering of NK cells and NK-T cells. Ligation of CD40 with the 3/23 antibody has been reported to induce splenic B cells to express the costimulatory molecule CD86 (B7-2). In addition, although the 3/23 antibody by itself is a weak B-cell mitogen, it has been reported to synergize markedly with mitogenic anti-IgM, anti-IgD mAb or IL-4 to promote B-cell proliferation.
The antibody was conjugated to BD Horizon™ BUV661 which is part of the BD Horizon Brilliant™ Ultraviolet family of dyes. This dye is a tandem fluorochrome of BD Horizon BUV395 with an Ex Max of 348-nm and an acceptor dye with an Em Max at 661-nm. BD Horizon Brilliant BUV661 can be excited by the ultraviolet laser (355 nm) and detected with a 670/25 filter and a 630 nm LP. Due to cross laser excitation of this dye, there may be significant spillover into channels detecting APC-like emissions (eg, 670/25-nm filter).
Due to spectral differences between labeled cells and beads, using BD™ CompBeads can result in incorrect spillover values when used with BD Horizon BUV661 reagents. Therefore, the use of BD CompBeads or BD CompBeads Plus to determine spillover values for these reagents is not recommended. Different BUV661 reagents (eg, CD4 vs. CD45) can have slightly different fluorescence spillover therefore, it may also be necessary to use clone-specific compensation controls when using these reagents.