Molecular cloning and characterization of a mouse homolog of human TNFSF14, a member of the TNF superfamily.

A member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily, human TNFSF14 (hTNFSF14)/HVEM-L (herpes virus entry mediator ligand) was isolated as a cellular ligand for HVEM/TR2 and human lymphotoxin beta receptor (LTbetaR). TNFSF14 induces apoptosis and suppresses tumor formation. We have isolated a cDNA clone for a mouse homologue of hTNFSF14 by signal sequence trap (SST) screening which we recently developed. The deduced amino acid sequence of the mouse TNFSF14 (mTNFSF14) cDNA comprised 239 amino acid residues and was 77% identical to the hTNFSF14 protein. In Northern blot analysis, 2.1 kb and 4.2kb mTNFSF14 transcripts were detected in spleen and lung, and in heart, respectively. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis localized the mTNFSF14 gene Tnfsf14 to chromosome 17 which is tightly linked with Tnf, Lta, and Ltb.