title: Apoptosis induced by disruption of the actin cytoskeleton is mediated via activation of CD95 (Fas/APO-1).
abstract: Activation of the death receptor CD95 by its ligand or by UV radiation is associated with receptor clustering. The mechanism underlying this clustering is mostly unclear. Here we show that although disruption of the actin cytoskeleton by cytochalasin B (CyB) itself induces moderate apoptosis, it enhances apoptosis in HeLa cells induced either by UV radiation or an agonistic anti-CD95 antibody. CyB augments UV-induced apoptosis independently of UV-mediated DNA damage, since induction of DNA repair by exogenous DNA repair enzymes did not alter its enhancing effect. Inhibition of caspase-8, the most upstream caspase in CD95 signaling, blocked the apoptotic effect of CyB and the enhancing effect on UV- and CD95-induced apoptosis. Confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed that (i) CyB induces CD95 clustering, (ii) enhances UV-induced CD95 clustering, and (iii) CD95 clusters colocalize with disrupted actin filaments, suggesting a link between receptor clustering and actin rearrangement. Disruption of CD95 signaling by a dominant negative mutant of the signaling protein FADD protected from CyB-induced apoptosis and prevented the UV-enhancing effect. Accordingly, both the apoptotic and the enhancing effect of CyB was reduced in epidermal cells obtained from CD95 deficient mice (lpr) when compared to wild-type mice. These data suggest that disruption of the cytoskeleton causes apoptosis via activation of CD95 and enhances UV-induced apoptosis, possibly via aiding receptor clustering.
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Cell Biology and Immunobiology of the Skin, Department of Dermatology, University Münster, D-48149 Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kulms
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Düssmann
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pöppelmann
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ständer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schwarz
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schwarz
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D051023:BH3 Interacting Domain Death Agonist Protein; D053446:CASP8 and FADD-Like Apoptosis Regulating Protein; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D053148:Caspase 3; D053181:Caspase 8; D053453:Caspase 9; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D003571:Cytochalasin B / Q000378:metabolism; D003574:Cytochrome c Group / Q000378:metabolism; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism*; D004249:DNA Damage; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D051023:BH3 Interacting Domain Death Agonist Protein; C494814:BID protein, human; D053446:CASP8 and FADD-Like Apoptosis Regulating Protein; C506386:CFLAR protein, human; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D003574:Cytochrome c Group; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D019014:fas Receptor; D003571:Cytochalasin B; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; C505530:CASP8 protein, human; C506433:CASP9 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D053181:Caspase 8; D053453:Caspase 9; D020169:Caspases