Open AccessAbsence of tumor necrosis factor rescues RelA-deficient mice from embryonic lethality
Author(s) -
Takahiro Doi,
Michael W. Marino,
Toshitada Takahashi,
Toshimichi Yoshida,
Teruyo Sakakura,
Lloyd J. Old,
Yuichi Obata
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.96.6.2994
Subject(s) - tumor necrosis factor alpha , embryonic stem cell , necrosis , apoptosis , biology , in vivo , programmed cell death , embryogenesis , endogeny , microbiology and biotechnology , embryo , cancer research , in vitro , immunology , endocrinology , genetics , gene
Mice lacking the RelA (p65) subunit of NF-kappaB die between days 14 and 15 of embryogenesis because of massive liver destruction. Fibroblasts and macrophages isolated from relA-/- embryos were found to be highly sensitive to tumor necrosis factor (TNF) cytotoxicity, raising the possibility that endogenous TNF is the cause of liver cell apoptosis. To test this idea, we generated mice lacking both TNF and RelA. Embryogenesis proceeds normally in such mice, and TNF/RelA double-deficient mice are viable and have normal livers. Thus, the RelA-mediated antiapoptotic signal that protects normal cells from TNF injury in vitro can be shown to be operative in vivo.