Role of B cell activating factor in non-infectious complications of common variable immunodeficiency

Project Narrative Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is the most common symptomatic primary immunodeficiency. Approximately 50% of CVID patients develop autoimmune and lymphoproliferative complications, which are the greatest cause of morbidity and mortality because there are no effective treatments. This work will study the cytokine B cell activating factor and its relationship with the B cell maturation arrest that defines CVID in order to understand why these complications occur in the hope of inspiring novel therapeutic approaches.