High levels of c-rel expression are associated with programmed cell death in the developing avian embryo and in bone marrow cells in vitro.
To determine the physiological processes in which the transcription factor c-Rel may act, we have examined its pattern of expression in the avian embryo by in situ hybridization. These studies showed that c-rel is expressed ubiquitously at low levels and at high levels in isolated cells undergoing programmed cell death by apoptosis or autophagocytosis. To further establish a functional link between expression of c-rel and cell death, we examined the biological consequences of c-rel overexpression in vitro. In primary avian fibroblasts, overexpression of c-rel leads to transformation and dramatic life span extension. In contrast, bone marrow cells expressing high levels of c-rel undergo a process of programmed cell death displaying features of both apoptosis and autophagocytic cell death. Thus, these experiments suggest a critical role for c-rel not only in the control of cell proliferation, but also in the induction of cell death.
Abbadie
C
C
Laboratoire d'Oncologie Moleculaire, Institut Pasteur, Lille, France.
Kabrun
N
N
Bouali
F
F
Smardova
J
J
Stéhelin
D
D
Vandenbunder
B
B
Enrietto
P J
PJ
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells; D002642:Chick Embryo; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism; D004249:DNA Damage; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology; D015870:Gene Expression; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D020569:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-rel; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics
D002843:Chromatin; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D020569:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-rel; D012333:RNA, Messenger