title: The avian transcription factor c-Rel is induced and translocates into the nucleus of thymocytes undergoing apoptosis.
abstract: This study investigates the involvement of the avian transcription factor c-Rel in thymocyte apoptosis occurring either in vivo or in organotypic culture. In vivo, only a few cortical thymocytes express the c-Rel protein. Their number, localization and morphology resemble that of apoptotic cells evidenced by TUNEL staining. In organotypic culture, the expression of c-Rel is induced in medullary thymocytes as apoptosis is triggered. This induction would be post-transcriptional since no increase in the c-rel gene expression is detected. Moreover, c-Rel translocates into the nucleus of medullary thymocytes during the time course of apoptosis. This translocation is preceded by a decrease in ikba expression, the gene which encodes the avian homologue of IkappaBalpha. Altogether these results suggest that the proto-oncogene c-rel could take an active part in apoptosis of cortical thymocytes occurring in vivo during T-cell selection as well as in experimentally-induced apoptosis of medullary thymocytes.
authors.affiliation: Regulation des Processus Invasifs, de l'Angiogenèse et de l'Apoptose, EP560 CNRS/Institut Pasteur de Lille, 1 rue du Professeur Calmette, BP447, 59021 Lille, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Huguet
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mattot
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bouali
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stéhelin
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vandenbunder
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Abbadie