Membrane lymphotoxin-α2β is a novel tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor 2 (TNFR2) agonist

Abstract In the early 1990s, it has been described that LTα and LTβ form LTα2β and LTαβ2 heterotrimers, which bind to TNFR1 and LTβR, respectively. Afterwards, the LTαβ2–LTβR system has been intensively studied while the LTα2β–TNFR1 interaction has been ignored to date, presumably due to the fact that at the time of identification of the LTα2β–TNFR1 interaction one knew already two ligands for TNFR1, namely TNF and LTα. Here, we show that LTα2β interacts not only with TNFR1 but also with TNFR2. We furthermore demonstrate that membrane-bound LTα2β (memLTα2β), despite its asymmetric structure, stimulates TNFR1 and TNFR2 signaling. Not surprising in view of its ability to interact with TNFR2, LTα2β is inhibited by Etanercept, which is approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and also inhibits TNF and LTα.