title: Differential response of human lung epithelial cells to fas-induced apoptosis.
abstract: The Fas (CD95)/Fas ligand (CD178) system plays an important role in epithelial damage during the acute respiratory distress syndrome. The goal of this study was to determine whether proximal and distal human lung epithelial cells differ in their sensitivity to Fas ligand (rh-sFasL), and whether the response of lung epithelium to Fas ligation is modulated by proinflammatory cytokines. Although the expression of both Fas message and protein was similar in proximal and distal lung epithelial cells, only distal cells became apoptotic when exposed to serial dilutions of rh-sFasL. Stimulation with tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1beta, or interferon-gamma significantly increased the sensitivity of proximal cells to rh-sFasL, and exposure to either tumor necrosis factor-alpha or interferon-gamma enhanced the sensitivity of distal cells to Fas ligation. These findings suggest that in normal human lungs, the responses of the epithelium to Fas ligation become more pronounced from proximal to distal locations. Furthermore, proinflammatory cytokines sensitize lung epithelium to Fas-induced death. These findings are relevant for understanding the role of the Fas/FasL system in acute lung injury, in which epithelial damage occurs primarily in distal airway and alveolar epithelium, whereas sFasL is present throughout the airspaces.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: Morio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Matute-Bello
authors.forename: W Conrad
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Liles
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kajikawa
authors.forename: Shu-Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Charles W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Frevert
authors.forename: Thomas R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000235:genetics; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D016923:Cell Death; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis; D017931:DNA Primers; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000494:pharmacology; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000235:genetics; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D047889:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D016207:Cytokines; D017931:DNA Primers; C505661:FASLG protein, human; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D007375:Interleukin-1; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D047889:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D019014:fas Receptor; D007371:Interferon-gamma