Induction of apoptosis in mature T cells by tumour necrosis factor.
T-cell receptor-induced apoptosis regulates immune responses and can result from interactions between Fas (Apo1/CD95) and Fas ligand (FasL). Mutations in the genes for Fas and FasL cause disorders resembling human autoimmune diseases in lpr and gld mice, respectively. However, peripheral T-cell deletion takes place in lpr mice, and autoimmune syndromes occur in mouse strains without Fas or FasL defects. Here we show that tumour necrosis factor (TNF) can mediate mature T-cell receptor-induced apoptosis through the p75 TNF receptor. Blockage of both TNF and FasL is required to abrogate T-cell death and TNF mediates the death of most CD8+ T cells, whereas FasL mediates the death of most CD4+ T cells. Our results suggest that autoregulatory apoptosis of the mature T cells can occur by two distinct molecular mechanisms.
Zheng
L
L
Laboratory of Immunology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
Fisher
G
G
Miller
R E
RE
Peschon
J
J
Lynch
D H
DH
Lenardo
M J
MJ
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D002460:Cell Line; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000502:physiology; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000502:physiology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000172:deficiency / Q000502:physiology*
C505661:FASLG protein, human; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; C505658:Fasl protein, mouse; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha