title: Interferon-gamma modulates a p53-independent apoptotic pathway and apoptosis-related gene expression.
abstract: Interferon (IFN)-gamma increases the sensitivity of tumor cell lines, many of which are p53 mutants, to tumor necrosis factor-alpha-mediated and anti-Fas antibody-mediated cell death. To better understand the mechanism of IFN-gamma action in modulating the cell death response independently of p53 function, we analyzed the death of the human colon adenocarcinoma cell line, HT-29, following treatment with IFN-gamma and various cytotoxic agents. Here we show that IFN-gamma modulates cell death by sensitizing the cells to killing by numerous pro-apoptotic stimuli but not pro-necrotic stimuli. Furthermore, we show that select genes from several important apoptosis-related gene families are induced by IFN-gamma, including the apoptosis-signaling receptors CD95 (Fas/APO-1) and TNFR 1 and interleukin-1beta-converting enzyme (Ice) family members Ice, CPP32 (Yama, apopain), ICErel-II (TX, Ich-2), Mch-3 (ICE-LAP3, CMH-1), Mch-4, and Mch-5 (MACH, FLICE). Of the bcl-2 family members, IFN-gamma directly induced bak but notably not bax, which is activated by p53. The IFN-responsive transcriptional activator interferon regulatory factor-1 was also strongly induced and translocated into the nucleus following IFN-gamma treatment. We propose that IFN-gamma modulates a p53-independent apoptotic pathway by both directly and indirectly inducing select apoptosis-related genes.
authors.affiliation: LXR Biotechnology Inc., Richmond, California 94804, USA.
authors.forename: N K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Ossina
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cannas
authors.forename: V C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Powers
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Fitzpatrick
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Knight
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Gilbert
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Shekhtman
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Tomei
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Umansky
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Kiefer
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D003513:Cycloheximide / Q000494:pharmacology; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D019073:HT29 Cells; D006801:Humans; D050856:Interferon Regulatory Factor-1; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C494257:IRF1 protein, human; D050856:Interferon Regulatory Factor-1; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D003513:Cycloheximide