Open AccessEnhanced Expression of Fas-Associated Death Domain-Like IL-1-Converting Enzyme (FLICE)-Inhibitory Protein Induces Resistance to Fas-Mediated Apoptosis in Activated Mast Cells
Author(s) -
Hideshi Yoshikawa,
Yasuo Nakajima,
Kachio Tasaka
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
the journal of immunology/the journal of immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.737
H-Index - 372
eISSN - 1550-6606
pISSN - 0022-1767
DOI - 10.4049/jimmunol.165.11.6262
Subject(s) - apoptosis , flip , fas receptor , death domain , microbiology and biotechnology , programmed cell death , caspase 8 , mast cell , inflammation , allergic inflammation , immune system , biology , caspase , chemistry , cancer research , immunology , biochemistry
Mast cells play a critical role in host immune responses and are implicated in the pathogenesis of allergic inflammation. Though mouse mast cell line MC/9 expresses cell surface Fas Ag and is sensitive to Fas-induced apoptosis, activated MC/9 cells are resistant to Fas-induced cell death by cross-linking of FcepsilonRI or FcgammaR. Fas-associated death domain-like IL-1-converting enzyme (FLICE)-inhibitory protein (FLIP), a caspase-8 inhibitor that lacks the cysteine domain, is one of the negative regulators of receptor-mediated apoptosis. In this report, we show that activation of mast cells by cross-linking of FcepsilonRI or FcgammaR can induce enhanced expression of FLIP and consequently a resistance to Fas-induced apoptosis, although the expression level of Fas Ag is not changed. Addition of antisense oligonucleotide for FLIP prevents resistance to Fas-induced apoptosis of activated mast cells, suggesting that endogenous FLIP inhibits Fas-mediated apoptosis in activated mast cells. Thus, the enhanced expression of FLIP in activated mast cells contributes to the resistance to Fas-induced apoptosis, which may result in the development and prolongation of allergic inflammation.