Vitamin E inhibits CD95 ligand expression and protects T cells from activation-induced cell death.
Apoptosis is a morphologically distinct form of cell death involved in many physiological and pathological processes. Expression of the CD95 (APO-1/Fas) ligand (CD95L) is critically involved in activation-induced cell death (AICD) of activated T cells. Here we show that the natural free radical scavenger vitamin E suppresses the activity of the transcription factors NF-kappa B and AP-1, thus blocking expression of CD95L and preventing T cell AICD. Since AICD is a major cause of T cell depletion in AIDS, we examined 35 HIV-1-positive individuals and found that their T cells are more susceptible to AICD than are T cells isolated from healthy controls. Administration of vitamin E suppresses CD95L mRNA expression and protects T cells of HIV-1-infected individuals from CD95-mediated apoptosis. This evidence that vitamin E can affect T cell survival may merit further clinical investigation.
Li-Weber
Min
M
Tumor Immunology G0300, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.
Weigand
Markus A
MA
Giaisi
Marco
M
Süss
Dorothee
D
Treiber
Monika K
MK
Baumann
Sven
S
Ritsou
Elena
E
Breitkreutz
Raoul
R
Krammer
Peter H
PH
D000328:Adult; D016923:Cell Death; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D008156:Luciferases / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014162:Transfection; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*
C505661:FASLG protein, human; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D016328:NF-kappa B; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1; D014810:Vitamin E; D008156:Luciferases