The oligomerization status of soluble tumor necrosis factor-related apopto-sis inducing ligand (TRAIL) trimers has an overwhelming impact on cell death induction in a cell-type dependent fashion. Thus, we evaluated the ability of single and oligomerized TRAIL trimers to induce cell death in human myeloma cells. In all myeloma cell lines analyzed, oligomerized TRAIL trimers induced caspase activation and complete cell death, whereas non-oligomerized TRAIL trimers showed no or only a modest effect. .
