title: Death receptor-induced cell killing.
abstract: Apoptosis pathways activated by death receptors of the tumour necrosis factor (TNF) family such as Fas, TNFR1, or the TRAIL receptors DR4 and DR5 are implicated in diverse diseases. These are also the best-understood apoptosis pathways and many of our ideas about apoptosis regulation come from studying these pathways. Cell killing from such receptors occurs because of recruitment to the receptor of the adaptor protein FADD, which in turn recruits the pro form of caspase-8. Aggregation of pro-caspase-8 leads to its auto-activation and subsequent activation of effector caspases such as caspase-3. The apoptotic signal can be amplified through the mitochondria and inhibited through the action of competing molecules such as the inhibitor c-FLIP, which binds to the receptor complex in place of caspase-8. This simple mechanism explains much of the cell death that is induced by death receptors. However, recent studies indicate that we must incorporate new information into this model. Some examples that add new layers of complexity will be discussed in this review.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cancer Biology and Comprehensive Cancer Center, Wake Forest University, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA. athorbur@wfubmc.edu
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thorburn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D053446:CASP8 and FADD-Like Apoptosis Regulating Protein; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D053220:Receptors, TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D053221:TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D053446:CASP8 and FADD-Like Apoptosis Regulating Protein; C506386:CFLAR protein, human; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D053220:Receptors, TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D053221:TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand; C105190:TNFRSF10A protein, human; C505639:TNFRSF10B protein, human; C505653:TNFSF10 protein, human; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D019014:fas Receptor; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases; C084083:Fad7 protein, Arabidopsis; D020169:Caspases