The membrane-bound and the soluble forms of CD40L also differentially influence the outcome of CD40-CD40L interaction in carcinomas, with membrane-bound CD40L (mCD40L) directly inducing apoptosis11–13, whilst a blockade of the protein synthesis machinery is a prerequisite for cell death induction by soluble CD40L (sCD40L)14. This evidence concerns the gene CD40 and carcinoma.