title: The long form of FLIP is an activator of caspase-8 at the Fas death-inducing signaling complex.
abstract: Death receptors, such as Fas and tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand receptors, recruit Fas-associated death domain and pro-caspase-8 homodimers, which are then autoproteolytically activated. Active caspase-8 is released into the cytoplasm, where it cleaves various proteins including pro-caspase-3, resulting in apoptosis. The cellular Fas-associated death domain-like interleukin-1-beta-converting enzyme-inhibitory protein long form (FLIP(L)), a structural homologue of caspase-8 lacking caspase activity because of several mutations in the active site, is a potent inhibitor of death receptor-induced apoptosis. FLIP(L) is proposed to block caspase-8 activity by forming a proteolytically inactive heterodimer with caspase-8. In contrast, we propose that FLIP(L)-bound caspase-8 is an active protease. Upon heterocomplex formation, a limited caspase-8 autoprocessing occurs resulting in the generation of the p43/41 and the p12 subunits. This partially processed form but also the non-cleaved FLIP(L)-caspase-8 heterocomplex are proteolytically active because they both bind synthetic substrates efficiently. Moreover, FLIP(L) expression favors receptor-interacting kinase (RIP) processing within the Fas-signaling complex. We propose that FLIP(L) inhibits caspase-8 release-dependent pro-apoptotic signals, whereas the single, membrane-restricted active site of the FLIP(L)-caspase-8 heterocomplex is proteolytically active and acts on local substrates such as RIP.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemistry, University of Lausanne, 155 Chemin des Boveresses, CH-1066 Epalinges, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Micheau
authors.forename: Margot
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thome
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Nils
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Holler
authors.forename: Jürg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tschopp
authors.forename: Donald W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Nicholson
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Briand
authors.forename: Markus G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Grütter
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D001665:Binding Sites; D053446:CASP8 and FADD-Like Apoptosis Regulating Protein; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D053148:Caspase 3; D053181:Caspase 8; D053453:Caspase 9; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D020169:Caspases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D048429:Cell Size; D019281:Dimerization; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008024:Ligands; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D053446:CASP8 and FADD-Like Apoptosis Regulating Protein; C506386:CFLAR protein, human; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; C505661:FASLG protein, human; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008024:Ligands; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D019014:fas Receptor; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; C505530:CASP8 protein, human; C506433:CASP9 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D053181:Caspase 8; D053453:Caspase 9; D020169:Caspases