title: Resistance to Fas-mediated T cell apoptosis in asthma.
abstract: Over activation of CD4+ T cells in the peripheral blood and airway tissues is characteristic of asthma; therefore, we investigated whether activated T cells from asthmatic subjects have altered apoptotic potential through the Fas death receptor. We found that mitogen-stimulated peripheral blood T cells of asthmatic subjects expressed cell surface Fas, but failed to undergo the normal degree of apoptosis after Fas receptor ligation. T cells from asthmatics exhibited normal apoptotic responses to gamma-irradiation (dependent on IL-1 converting enzyme family proteases), ceramide, and mitogen challenge, suggesting functional integrity of the apoptotic pathway. Furthermore, the defect in Fas-dependent apoptosis was overcome by prestimulation with allogeneic accessory cells instead of mitogen. Taken together, the findings suggest that selective resistance to Fas-dependent apoptosis reflects altered Ag-driven, accessory cell-dependent signaling and that ineffective activation of Fas signal transduction may contribute to T cell-dependent immunoinflammation in asthma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jayaraman
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: O'Sullivan
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Bragdon
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Holtzman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005720:Gamma Rays; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000378:metabolism*