title: Requirement for Casper (c-FLIP) in regulation of death receptor-induced apoptosis and embryonic development.
abstract: Casper (c-FLIP) associates with FADD and caspase-8 in signaling complexes downstream of death receptors like Fas. We generated Casper-deficient mice and cells and noted a duality in the physiological functions of this molecule. casper-/- embryos do not survive past day 10.5 of embryogenesis and exhibit impaired heart development. This phenotype is reminiscent of that reported for FADD-/- and caspase-8-/- embryos. However, unlike FADD-/- and caspase-8-/- cells, casper-/- embryonic fibroblasts are highly sensitive to FasL- or TNF-induced apoptosis and show rapid induction of caspase activities. NF-kappaB and JNK/SAPK activation is intact in TNF-stimulated casper-/- cells. These results suggest that Casper has two distinct roles: to cooperate with FADD and caspase-8 during embryonic development and to mediate cytoprotection against death factor-induced apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Amgen Institute, Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto and Ontario Cancer Institute, Canada.
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Itie
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Elia
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Shu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wakeham
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mirtsos
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bonnard
authors.forename: D V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Goeddel
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Mak
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D053446:CASP8 and FADD-Like Apoptosis Regulating Protein; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D053148:Caspase 3; D053181:Caspase 8; D053453:Caspase 9; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000196:embryology; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D009206:Myocardium / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000502:physiology*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D053446:CASP8 and FADD-Like Apoptosis Regulating Protein; D002352:Carrier Proteins; C506387:Cflar protein, mouse; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D016328:NF-kappa B; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; C505409:Casp3 protein, mouse; C505526:Casp8 protein, mouse; C506434:Casp9 protein, mouse; D053148:Caspase 3; D053181:Caspase 8; D053453:Caspase 9; D020169:Caspases