Role of Fas ligand in apoptosis induced by hepatitis C virus infection.
To investigate the role that Fas ligand plays in the apoptosis of hepatocytes induced by hepatitis C virus infection, we isolated a cDNA clone for human Fas ligand and examined the expression of Fas ligand in liver-infiltrating mononuclear cells obtained from patients with chronic hepatitis C. The amino acid sequence of human Fas ligand showed 76% and 77% identity with those of rat and mouse Fas ligand, respectively. When the expression of Fas ligand transcripts was tested by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, the amplified signal was detected in liver-infiltrating mononuclear cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells, whereas only a weak signal or none at all was detected in liver tissues. These findings suggest that the Fas ligand-Fas antigen system may play an important role in liver cell injury by hepatitis C virus infection.
First Department of Medicine, Osaka University School of Medicine, Japan.
E
E
Mita
N
N
Hayashi
S
S
Iio
T
T
Takehara
T
T
Hijioka
A
A
Kasahara
H
H
Fusamoto
T
T
Kamada
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001483:Base Sequence; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats
D018076:DNA, Complementary; C505661:FASLG protein, human; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; C505658:Fasl protein, mouse; C505662:Faslg protein, rat; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger