title: AIDS and the death receptors.
abstract: Activation-induced cell death (AICD) of T cells involves the CD95 receptor/ligand system. T cell activation through the T cell receptor results in expression of the CD95 ligand (CD95L) that acts on CD95+ cells by direct binding and in a paracrine or autocrine fashion. In AIDS, upregulation of CD95L in T cells is accelerated by two viral gene products, HIV-1 Tat and gp120. The CD95 signaling pathway is, therefore, likely to represent an important road to cell death of the CD4+ T cells in AIDS. Recently, the early events in the CD95 signaling pathway have been identified. A key role hereby plays a receptor-interacting member of the interleukin 1 beta-converting enzymes (ICE), FLICE, that could be a target for therapeutic intervention. In addition to CD95, the role of other members of the TNF receptor superfamily in AIDS is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Tumorimmunology Program, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Peter
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ehret
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Berndt
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Krammer
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000276:immunology*; D015756:Genes, tat / Q000276:immunology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D019974:Pan paniscus; D002679:Pan troglodytes; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000276:immunology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D019014:fas Receptor