title: Fas ligand down-regulates cytokine-induced Fas receptor expression on insulinoma (NIT-1), but not islet cells, from autoimmune nonobese diabetic mice.
abstract: In the pathogenesis of autoimmune type 1 diabetes, the apoptosis receptor Fas appears de novo on the surface of insulin-producing beta-cells. Fas expression is thought to be induced by proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1beta, interferon-gamma (IFNgamma), and TNFalpha, released by islet-infiltrating mononuclear cells. To determine whether beta-cells can modulate their sensitivity to apoptosis at the level of Fas, we investigated the effect of Fas ligand (FasL) on surface expression of Fas in NIT-1 insulinoma cells from nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice prone to autoimmune diabetes and islet cells from NOD and nonautoimmune BALB/c mice. In NIT-1 insulinoma cells, Fas expression induced by the cytokine combination IL-1beta and IFNgamma was reduced in the presence of FasL, whereas in islet cells Fas expression was unaffected by FasL. The effect of FasL on NIT-1 cells was evident during and after the induction of Fas expression by IL-1beta and IFNgamma. Thus, FasL down-regulates cytokine-induced Fas expression in NOD mouse-derived NIT-1 cells, but not in NOD or BALB/c mouse islets. The ability of NIT-1 cells to down-regulate Fas receptor in response to ligation is similar to that of a variety of tumor cells, which may use this mechanism to escape destruction by cytotoxic T cells. Islets apparently cannot protect themselves against FasL-induced apoptosis by down-regulating the Fas receptor. Understanding how NIT-1 insulinoma cells down-regulate Fas receptor in response to ligation by FasL has therapeutic implications for protecting normal beta-cells in autoimmune type 1 diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Diabetes Gerhardt Katsch Karlsburg e.V, Greifswalder Strasse 11e, 17495 Karlsburg, Germany. augstein@mail.uni-greifswald.de
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Augstein
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Heinke
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Salzsieder
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Berg
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rettig
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Salzsieder
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Harrison
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015536:Down-Regulation; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D007340:Insulinoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000378:metabolism; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D016688:Mice, Inbred NOD; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; C505658:Fasl protein, mouse; D007375:Interleukin-1; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D019014:fas Receptor; D007371:Interferon-gamma