Methods for preventing or treating an antibody-mediated disease in a
patient are presented, the methods comprising administration of a
monoclonal antibody capable of binding to a human CD40 antigen located on
the surface of a human B cell, wherein the binding of the antibody to the
CD40 antigen prevents the growth or differentiation of the B cell.
Monoclonal antibodies useful in these methods, and epitopes
immunoreactive with such monoclonal antibodies are also presented.