Secondary literature sources for DEATH

The following references were automatically generated.

Tollefson AE et al.
Inhibition of trail-induced apoptosis and forced internalization of trail receptor 1 by adenovirus proteins.
J Virol. 2001; 75: 8875-87
Display abstract
Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) induces apoptosis through two receptors, TRAIL-R1 (also known as death receptor 4) and TRAIL-R2 (also known as death receptor 5), that are members of the TNF receptor superfamily of death domain-containing receptors. We show that human adenovirus type 5 encodes three proteins, named RID (previously named E3-10.4K/14.5K), E3-14.7K, and E1B-19K, that independently inhibit TRAIL-induced apoptosis of infected human cells. This conclusion was derived from studies using wild-type adenovirus, adenovirus replication-competent mutants that lack one or more of the RID, E3-14.7K, and E1B-19K genes, and adenovirus E1-minus replication-defective vectors that express all E3 genes, RID plus E3-14.7K only, RID only, or E3-14.7K only. RID inhibits TRAIL-induced apoptosis when cells are sensitized to TRAIL either by adenovirus infection or treatment with cycloheximide. RID induces the internalization of TRAIL-R1 from the cell surface, as shown by flow cytometry and indirect immunofluorescence for TRAIL-R1. TRAIL-R1 was internalized in distinct vesicles which are very likely to be endosomes and lysosomes. TRAIL-R1 is degraded, as indicated by the disappearance of the TRAIL-R1 immunofluorescence signal. Degradation was inhibited by bafilomycin A1, a drug that prevents acidification of vesicles and the sorting of receptors from late endosomes to lysosomes, implying that degradation occurs in lysosomes. RID was also shown previously to internalize and degrade another death domain receptor, Fas, and to prevent apoptosis through Fas and the TNF receptor. RID was shown previously to force the internalization and degradation of the epidermal growth factor receptor. E1B-19K was shown previously to block apoptosis through Fas, and both E1B-19K and E3-14.7K were found to prevent apoptosis through the TNF receptor. These findings suggest that the receptors for TRAIL, Fas ligand, and TNF play a role in limiting virus infections. The ability of adenovirus to inhibit killing through these receptors may prolong acute and persistent infections.

Kabra NH, Kang C, Hsing LC, Zhang J, Winoto A
T cell-specific FADD-deficient mice: FADD is required for early T cell development.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2001; 98: 6307-12
Display abstract
FADD/Mort1, initially identified as a Fas-associated death-domain containing protein, functions as an adapter molecule in apoptosis initiated by Fas, tumor necrosis factor receptor-I, DR3, and TRAIL-receptors. However, FADD likely participates in additional signaling cascades. FADD-null mutations in mice are embryonic-lethal, and analysis of FADD(-)/- T cells from RAG-1(-)/- reconstituted chimeras has suggested a role for FADD in proliferation of mature T cells. Here, we report the generation of T cell-specific FADD-deficient mice via a conditional genomic rescue approach. We find that FADD-deficiency leads to inhibition of T cell development at the CD4(-)CD8(-) stage and a reduction in the number of mature T cells. The FADD mutation does not affect apoptosis or the proximal signaling events of the pre-T cell receptor; introduction of a T cell receptor transgene fails to rescue the mutant phenotype. These data suggest that FADD, through either a death-domain containing receptor or a novel receptor-independent mechanism, is required for the proliferative phase of early T cell development.

Bridgham JT, Bobe J, Goetz FW, Johnson AL
Conservation of death receptor-6 in avian and piscine vertebrates.
Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2001; 284: 1109-15
Display abstract
One of the most recently identified members of the tumor necrosis factor receptor family, death receptor-6 (DR6), has been shown to mediate apoptosis following overexpression in HeLa cells. The avian and piscine orthologs of DR6 have now been identified, and the deduced amino acid sequence for each demonstrates a high level of conservation compared to the mammalian sequence. Expression of dr6 mRNA occurs widely across tissues of both the mature chicken and brook trout. It is now well-established that ovarian follicular atresia occurs via apoptosis originating within the granulosa cell layer. Accordingly, DR6 expression within the ovary was examined to assess the relationship between stage of follicle development and relative levels of this death receptor. Of particular interest was the finding that elevated levels of dr6 mRNA, as well as the translated protein, are expressed in atretic compared to healthy follicles of the hen ovary, thus providing the first association between DR6 expression and apoptosis, in vivo. We conclude that DR6 is a highly conserved and widely expressed death-domain-containing receptor and may be implicated in regulating follicle atresia within the vertebrate ovary. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

De Wilde G et al.
Structure-activity relationship of the p55 TNF receptor death domain and its lymphoproliferation mutants.
Eur J Biochem. 2001; 268: 1382-91
Display abstract
Upon stimulation with tumor necrosis factor (TNF), the TNF receptor (TNFR55) mediates a multitude of effects both in normal and in tumor cells. Clustering of the intracellular domain of the receptor, the so-called death domain (DD), is responsible for both the initiation of cell killing and the activation of gene expression. To characterize this domain further, TNFR55 DD was expressed and purified as a thioredoxin fusion protein in Escherichia coli. Circular dichroism, steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy were used to compare TNFR55 DD with DDs of the Fas antigen (Fas), the Fas-associating protein with DD (FADD) and p75 nerve growth factor receptor, for which the 3-dimensional structure are already known. The structural information derived from the measurements strongly suggests that TNFR55 DD adopts a similar fold in solution. This prompted a homology modeling of the TNFR DD 3-D structure using FADD as a template. In vivo studies revealed a difference between the two lymphoproliferation (lpr) mutations. Biophysical techniques were used to analyze the effect of changing Leu351 to Ala and Leu351 to Asn on the global structure and its impact on the overall stability of TNFR55 DD. The results obtained from these experiments in combination with the modeled structure offer an explanation for the in vivo observed difference.

McDonald ER 3rd, Chui PC, Martelli PF, Dicker DT, El-Deiry WS
Death domain mutagenesis of KILLER/DR5 reveals residues critical for apoptotic signaling.
J Biol Chem. 2001; 276: 14939-45
Display abstract
The Fas/tumor necrosis factor (TNF)/TRAIL receptors signal death through a cytoplasmic death domain (DD) containing six alpha-helices with positively charged helix 2 interacting with negatively charged helix 3 of another DD. DD mutation occurs in head/neck and lung cancer (TRAIL receptor KILLER/DR5) and in lpr mice (Fas). We examined the apoptotic potential of known KILLER/DR5 lung tumor-derived mutants (n = 6) and DD mutants (n = 18) generated based on conservation with DR4, Fas, Fas-associated death domain (FADD), and tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1). With the exception of Arg-330 required in Fas or FADD for aggregation or for TNFR1 cytotoxicity, surprisingly major loss-of-function KILLER/DR5 alleles (W325A, L334A (lpr-like), I339A, and W360A) contained hydrophobic residues. Loss-of-function of I339A (highly conserved) has not been reported in DDs. Charged residue mutagenesis revealed the following points. 1) E326A, conserved in DR4, is dispensable for death; the homologous residue is positively charged in Fas, TNFR1, and FADD and is critical for DD interactions. 2) K331A, D336A, E338A, K340A, K343A, and D351A have partial loss-of-function suggesting multiple charges stabilize receptor-adapter interactions. Analysis of the tumor-derived KILLER/DR5 mutants revealed the following. 1) L334F has partial loss-of-function versus L334A, whereas E338K has major loss-of-function versus E338A, examples where alanine and tumor-specific substitutions have divergent phenotypes. 2) Unexpectedly, S324F, E326K, K386N, and D407Y have no loss-of-function with tumor-specific or alanine substitutions. Loss-of-function KILLER/DR5 mutants were deficient in recruitment of FADD and caspase 8 to TRAIL death-inducing signaling complexes. The results reveal determinants within KILLER/DR5 for death signaling and drug design.

Weber CH, Vincenz C
A docking model of key components of the DISC complex: death domain superfamily interactions redefined.
FEBS Lett. 2001; 492: 171-6
Display abstract
Apoptosis is mediated by a highly regulated signal transduction cascade that eventually leads to precisely directed cell death. The death-inducing signaling complex (DISC), composed of Fas, FADD, and caspase-8, is an apical signaling complex that mediates receptor-induced apoptosis. We have docked the experimentally determined structures of the Fas and FADD death domains into a model of a partial DISC signaling complex. The arrangement of Fas and FADD was determined using the interaction modes of the two heterodimer crystal structures determined to date, Pelle/Tube and Apaf-1/procaspase-9. The proposed model reveals that both interactions can be accommodated in a single multimeric complex. Importantly, the model is consistent with reported site-directed mutagenesis data indicating residues throughout the domain are critical for function. These results imply that members of the death domain superfamily have the potential for multivalent interactions, offering novel possibilities for regulation of apoptotic signaling.

Sukits SF, Lin LL, Hsu S, Malakian K, Powers R, Xu GY
Solution structure of the tumor necrosis factor receptor-1 death domain.
J Mol Biol. 2001; 310: 895-906
Display abstract
Tumor necrosis factor receptor-1 death domain (TNFR-1 DD) is the intracellular functional domain responsible for the receptor signaling activities. The solution structure of the R347K mutant of TNFR-1 DD was solved by NMR spectroscopy. A total of 20 structures were calculated by means of hybrid distance geometry-simulated annealing using a total of 1167 distance constraints and 117 torsion angle constraints. The atomic rms distribution about the mean coordinate positions for the 20 structures for residues composing the secondary structure region is 0.40 A for the backbone atoms and 1.09 A for all atoms. The structure consists of six antiparallel alpha-helices arranged in a similar fashion to the other members of the death domain superfamily. The secondary structure and three-dimensional structure of R347K TNFR1-DD are very similar to the secondary structure and deduced topology of the R347A TNFR1-DD mutant. Mutagenesis studies identified critical residues located in alpha2 and part of alpha3 and alpha4 that are crucial for self-interaction and interaction with TRADD. Structural superposition with previously solved proteins in the death domain superfamily reveals that the major differences between the structures reside in alpha2, alpha3, and alpha4. Interestingly, these regions correspond to the binding sites of TNFR1-DD, providing a structural basis for the specificity of death domain interactions and its subsequent signaling event. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

Benedict CA et al.
Three adenovirus E3 proteins cooperate to evade apoptosis by tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand receptor-1 and -2.
J Biol Chem. 2001; 276: 3270-8
Display abstract
Adenovirus encodes multiple gene products that regulate proapoptotic cellular responses to viral infection mediated by both the innate and adaptive immune systems. The E3-10.4K and 14.5K gene products are known to modulate the death receptor Fas. In this study, we demonstrate that an additional viral E3 protein, 6.7K, functions in the specific modulation of the two death receptors for tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL). The 6.7K protein is expressed on the cell surface and forms a complex with the 10.4K and 14.5K proteins, and this complex is sufficient to induce down-modulation of TRAIL receptor-1 and -2 from the cell surface and reverse the sensitivity of infected cells to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis. Down-modulation of TRAIL-R2 by the E3 complex is dependent on the cytoplasmic tail of the receptor, but the death domain alone is not sufficient. These results identify a mechanism for viral modulation of TRAIL receptor-mediated apoptosis and suggest the E3 protein complex has evolved to regulate the signaling of selected cytokine receptors.

Kischkel FC, Lawrence DA, Chuntharapai A, Schow P, Kim KJ, Ashkenazi A
Apo2L/TRAIL-dependent recruitment of endogenous FADD and caspase-8 to death receptors 4 and 5.
Immunity. 2000; 12: 611-20
Display abstract
Fas (APO-1/CD95) and tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1) trigger apoptosis by recruiting the apoptosis initiator caspase-8 through the adaptor FADD. Fas binds FADD directly, whereas TNFR1 binds FADD indirectly, through TRADD. TRADD alternatively recruits the NF-kappaB-inducing adaptor RIP. The TNF homolog Apo2L/TRAIL triggers apoptosis through two distinct death receptors, DR4 and DR5; however, receptor over-expression studies have yielded conflicting results on the ligand's signaling mechanism. Apo2L/TRAIL induced homomeric and heteromeric complexes of DR4 and DR5 and stimulated recruitment of FADD and caspase-8 and caspase-8 activation in nontransfected cells. TRADD and RIP, which bound TNFR1, did not bind DR4 and DR5. Thus, Apo2L/TRAIL and FasL initiate apoptosis through similar mechanisms, and FADD may be a universal adaptor for death receptors.

Bang S, Jeong EJ, Kim IK, Jung YK, Kim KS
Fas- and tumor necrosis factor-mediated apoptosis uses the same binding surface of FADD to trigger signal transduction. A typical model for convergent signal transduction.
J Biol Chem. 2000; 275: 36217-22
Display abstract
FADD is known to function as a common signaling conduit in Fas- and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-mediated apoptosis. The convergent death signals from the Fas receptor and TNF receptor 1 are transferred to FADD by death domain interactions triggering the same cellular event, caspase-8 activation. In this work, we investigated whether the same binding surface of FADD is used for both signaling pathways by using FADD death domain mutants. Mutations in helices alpha2 and alpha3 of the FADD death domain, the interacting surface with the Fas death domain, affected TNF-mediated apoptosis to various extents. This indicated that TNF-mediated apoptosis uses the same binding surface of the FADD death domain as Fas-mediated apoptosis. The binding specificity is not the same, however. Some mutations affected the binding affinity of the Fas death domain for the FADD death domain, but did not influence TNF-mediated apoptosis and vice versa. Interestingly, all mutants tested that affected TNF-mediated apoptosis have structural perturbations, implying that the structural integrity, involving helices alpha2 and alpha3 in particular, is critical in TNF-mediated apoptosis. Our results suggest that different signaling molecules use a similar structural interaction to trigger the same cellular event, such as caspase-8 recruitment, which could be typical in convergent signal transduction.

Kwon B, Moon CH, Kang S, Seo SK, Kwon BS
4-1BB: still in the midst of darkness.
Mol Cells. 2000; 10: 119-26
Display abstract
4-1BB is a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily. The receptor functions mainly as a costimulatory molecule in T lymphocytes. In addition, several lines of evidence have shown that interactions between 4-1BB and its ligand are involved in the antigen presentation process and the generation of cytotoxic T cells. Recent studies, however, have demonstrated that 4-1BB plays more diverse roles: Signals through 4-1BB are important for long-term survival of CD8+ T cells and the induction of helper T cell anergy. Clinically, there is great interest in 4-1BB, because T-cell activation induced by anti-4-1BB monoclonal antibodies is highly efficient in the eradication of established tumor cells in mice. Now, since mice deficient in 4-1BB or the 4-1BB ligand are available, subtle roles played by 4-1BB may be revealed in the near future.

Peter ME
The TRAIL DISCussion: It is FADD and caspase-8!
Cell Death Differ. 2000; 7: 759-60

Harrington JR
SODD-silencer of death domains.
Stem Cells. 2000; 18: 388-9

Chan FK, Chun HJ, Zheng L, Siegel RM, Bui KL, Lenardo MJ
A domain in TNF receptors that mediates ligand-independent receptor assembly and signaling.
Science. 2000; 288: 2351-4
Display abstract
A conserved domain in the extracellular region of the 60- and 80-kilodalton tumor necrosis factor receptors (TNFRs) was identified that mediates specific ligand-independent assembly of receptor trimers. This pre-ligand-binding assembly domain (PLAD) is physically distinct from the domain that forms the major contacts with ligand, but is necessary and sufficient for the assembly of TNFR complexes that bind TNF-alpha and mediate signaling. Other members of the TNFR superfamily, including TRAIL receptor 1 and CD40, show similar homotypic association. Thus, TNFRs and related receptors appear to function as preformed complexes rather than as individual receptor subunits that oligomerize after ligand binding.

Clarke P et al.
Reovirus-induced apoptosis is mediated by TRAIL.
J Virol. 2000; 74: 8135-9
Display abstract
Members of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor superfamily and their activating ligands transmit apoptotic signals in a variety of systems. We now show that the binding of TNF-related, apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) to its cellular receptors DR5 (TRAILR2) and DR4 (TRAILR1) mediates reovirus-induced apoptosis. Anti-TRAIL antibody and soluble TRAIL receptors block reovirus-induced apoptosis by preventing TRAIL-receptor binding. In addition, reovirus induces both TRAIL release and an increase in the expression of DR5 and DR4 in infected cells. Reovirus-induced apoptosis is also blocked following inhibition of the death receptor-associated, apoptosis-inducing molecules FADD (for FAS-associated death domain) and caspase 8. We propose that reovirus infection promotes apoptosis via the expression of DR5 and the release of TRAIL from infected cells. Virus-induced regulation of the TRAIL apoptotic pathway defines a novel mechanism for virus-induced apoptosis.

Berglund H, Olerenshaw D, Sankar A, Federwisch M, McDonald NQ, Driscoll PC
The three-dimensional solution structure and dynamic properties of the human FADD death domain.
J Mol Biol. 2000; 302: 171-88
Display abstract
FADD (also known as MORT-1) is an essential adapter protein that couples the transmembrane receptors Fas (CD95) and tumor necrosis factor receptor-1 (TNF-R1) to intracellular cysteine proteases known as caspases, which propagate and execute the programmed cell death-inducing signal triggered by Fas ligand (FasL, CD95L) and TNF. FADD contains 208 amino acid residues, and comprises two functionally and structurally distinct domains: an N-terminal death effector domain (DED) that promotes activation of the downstream proteolytic cascade through binding of the DED domains of procaspase-8; and a C-terminal death domain (DD). FADD-DD provides the site of FADD recruitment to death receptor complexes at the plasma membrane by, for example, interaction with the Fas receptor cytoplasmic death domain (Fas-DD), or binding of the TNF-R1 adapter molecule TRADD. We have determined the three-dimensional solution structure and characterised the internal polypeptide dynamics of human FADD-DD using heteronuclear NMR spectroscopy of (15)N and (13)C,(15)N-labelled samples. The structure comprises six alpha-helices joined by short loops and displays overall similarity to the death domain of the Fas receptor. The analysis of the dynamic properties reveals no evidence of contiguous stretches of polypeptide chain with increased internal motion, except at the extreme chain termini. A pattern of increased rates of amide proton solvent exchange in the alpha3 helix correlates with a higher degree of solvent exposure for this secondary structure element. The properties of the FADD-DD structure are discussed with respect to previously reported mutagenesis data and emerging models for FasL-induced FADD recruitment to Fas and caspase-8 activation.

Strater J, Moller P
Expression and function of death receptors and their natural ligands in the intestine.
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2000; 915: 162-70
Display abstract
The tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) family is a still-growing group of homologous transmembrane proteins, some of which bear an intracellular "death domain" and are able to directly mediate apoptosis. Apoptosis is induced upon trimerization of the receptors by their natural ligands' constituting the complementary TNF family. The best-characterized apoptosis-mediating TNFR family member is CD95 (APO-1/Fas). CD95 is functionally expressed on the basolateral surface of colonic epithelial cells regardless of their position along the crypt axis. The biological significance of this CD95 expression in the gut, however, is still under discussion. Although it is unlikely that the CD95/CD95L system is involved in the physiologic regeneration of the intestinal epithelium, this system may play an important role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases. In contrast to the normal epithelium, colon carcinoma cell lines are mostly resistant to CD95-induced apoptosis. The detection of CD95L expression in colon carcinoma cell lines has led to the concept of carcinomas as "immunoprivileged sites," where invading immune cells are killed by CD95L-expressing tumor cells. A more recently described member of the TNF family is TRAIL, which is also able to induce apoptosis. As yet, four TRAIL receptors have been cloned, two of which (TRAIL-R1 and 2) bear a death domain and mediate apoptosis, whereas two others (TRAIL-R3 and 4) lack (functional) death domains and are supposed to act as decoy receptors. Because many tumor cell lines in vitro are sensitive to TRAIL-induced apoptosis while their normal counterparts are not, TRAIL is currently under discussion as a possible anticancer therapeutic agent.

Chan KF, Siegel MR, Lenardo JM
Signaling by the TNF receptor superfamily and T cell homeostasis.
Immunity. 2000; 13: 419-22

Telliez JB et al.
Mutational analysis and NMR studies of the death domain of the tumor necrosis factor receptor-1.
J Mol Biol. 2000; 300: 1323-33
Display abstract
Tumor necrosis factor receptor-1 (TNFR-1) death domain (DD) is the intracellular functional domain responsible for the receptor signaling activities. To understand the transduction mechanism of TNFR-1 signaling we performed structural and functional analysis of the TNFR-DD. The secondary structure of the TNFR-DD shows that it consists of six anti-parallel alpha-helices. The determination of the topological fold and an extensive mutagenesis analysis revealed that there are two opposite faces that are involved in self-association and interaction with the TRADD death domain. Interestingly, the same critical residues in TNFR-DD are involved in both interactions. There is a good correlation between the binding activities of the mutant proteins and their cytotoxic activities. These results provide important insight into the molecular interactions mediating TNFR-DD self-association and subsequent recruitment of TRADD in the signaling activity of TNFR-1.

Cha SS et al.
Crystal structure of TRAIL-DR5 complex identifies a critical role of the unique frame insertion in conferring recognition specificity.
J Biol Chem. 2000; 275: 31171-7
Display abstract
TRAIL is a cytokine that induces apoptosis in a wide variety of tumor cells but rarely in normal cells. It contains an extraordinarily elongated loop because of an unique insertion of 12-16 amino acids compared with the other members of tumor necrosis factor family. Biological implication of the frame insertion has not been clarified. We have determined the crystal structure of TRAIL in a complex with the extracellular domain of death receptor DR5 at 2.2 A resolution. The structure reveals extensive contacts between the elongated loop and DR5 in an interaction mode that would not be allowed without the frame insertion. These interactions are missing in the structures of the complex determined by others recently. This observation, along with structure-inspired deletion analysis, identifies the critical role of the frame insertion as a molecular strategy conferring specificity upon the recognition of cognate receptors. The structure also suggests that a built-in flexibility of the tumor necrosis factor receptor family members is likely to play a general and important role in the binding and recognition of tumor necrosis factor family members.

Tsao DH et al.
Solution structure of N-TRADD and characterization of the interaction of N-TRADD and C-TRAF2, a key step in the TNFR1 signaling pathway.
Mol Cell. 2000; 5: 1051-7
Display abstract
TRADD is a multifunctional signaling adaptor protein that is recruited to TNFR1 upon ligand binding. The C-terminal of TRADD comprises the "death domain" that is responsible for association of TNFR1 and other death domain-containing proteins such as FADD and RIP. The N-terminal domain (N-TRADD) promotes the recruitment of TRAF2 to TNFR1 by binding to the C-terminal of TRAF2, leading to the activation of JNK/AP1 and NF-kappa B. The solution structure of N-TRADD was determined, revealing a novel protein fold. A combination of NMR, BIAcore, and mutagenesis experiments was used to help identify the site of interaction of N-TRADD with C-TRAF2, providing a framework for future attempts to selectively inhibit the TNF signaling pathways.

Inoue Ji et al.
Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor (TRAF) family: adapter proteins that mediate cytokine signaling.
Exp Cell Res. 2000; 254: 14-24

Kimura K, Gelmann EP
Tumor necrosis factor-alpha and Fas activate complementary Fas-associated death domain-dependent pathways that enhance apoptosis induced by gamma-irradiation.
J Biol Chem. 2000; 275: 8610-7
Display abstract
Activation of either tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 or Fas induces a low level of programmed cell death in LNCaP human prostate cancer cells. We have shown that LNCaP cells are entirely resistant to gamma-radiation-induced apoptosis, but can be sensitized to irradiation by TNF-alpha. Fas activation also sensitized LNCaP cells to irradiation, causing nearly 40% cell death 72 h after irradiation. Caspase-8 was cleaved and activated after exposure to tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha. However, after exposure to anti-Fas antibody caspase-8 cleavage occurred only between the 26-kDa N-terminal prodomain and the 28-kDa C-terminal region that contains the protease components. Although anti-Fas antibody plus irradiation induced apoptosis that could be blocked by the pancaspase inhibitor zVAD, there was no measurable caspase-8 activity after exposure to anti-Fas antibody. The effector caspases-6 and -7, and to a lesser extent caspase-3, were activated by TNF-alpha, but not by anti-Fas antibody. Anti-Fas antibody, like TNF-alpha also activated serine proteases that contributed to cell death. Exposure of LNCaP cells simultaneously to TNF-alpha and anti-Fas antibody CH-11 resulted in marked enhancement of apoptosis that occurred very rapidly and was still further augmented by irradiation. Rapid apoptosis that ensued from combined treatment with TNF-alpha, anti-Fas antibody, and irradiation was completely blocked either by zVAD or expression of dominant negative Fas-associated death domain. Our data shows that there are qualitative differences in caspase activation resulting from either TNF receptor 1 or Fas. Simultaneous activation of these receptors was synergistic and caused rapid epithelial cell apoptosis mediated by the caspase cascade.

Yu KY, Kwon B, Ni J, Zhai Y, Ebner R, Kwon BS
A newly identified member of tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily (TR6) suppresses LIGHT-mediated apoptosis.
J Biol Chem. 1999; 274: 13733-6
Display abstract
TR6 (decoy receptor 3 (DcR3)) is a new member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) family. TR6 mRNA is expressed in lung tissues and colon adenocarcinoma, SW480. In addition, the expression of TR6 mRNA was shown in the endothelial cell line and induced by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate/ionomycin in Jurkat T leukemia cells. The open reading frame of TR6 encodes 300 amino acids with a 29-residue signal sequence but no transmembrane region. Using histidine-tagged recombinant TR6, we screened soluble forms of TNF-ligand proteins with immunoprecipitation. Here, we demonstrate that TR6 specifically binds two cellular ligands, LIGHT (herpes virus entry mediator (HVEM)-L) and Fas ligand (FasL/CD95L). These bindings were confirmed with HEK 293 EBNA cells transfected with LIGHT cDNA by flow cytometry. TR6 inhibited LIGHT-induced cytotoxicity in HT29 cells. It has been shown that LIGHT triggers apoptosis of various tumor cells including HT29 cells that express both lymphotoxin beta receptor (LTbetaR) and HVEM/TR2 receptors. Our data suggest that TR6 inhibits the interactions of LIGHT with HVEM/TR2 and LTbetaR, thereby suppressing LIGHT- mediated HT29 cell death. Thus, TR6 may play a regulatory role for suppressing in FasL- and LIGHT-mediated cell death.

Somia NV, Schmitt MJ, Vetter DE, Van Antwerp D, Heinemann SF, Verma IM
LFG: an anti-apoptotic gene that provides protection from Fas-mediated cell death.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1999; 96: 12667-72
Display abstract
Programmed cell death regulates a number of biological phenomena, and the apoptotic signal must itself be tightly controlled to avoid inappropriate cell death. We established a genetic screen to search for molecules that inhibit the apoptotic signal from the Fas receptor. Here we report the isolation of a gene, LFG, that protects cells uniquely from Fas but not from the mechanistically related tumor necrosis factor alpha death signal. LFG is widely distributed, but remarkably is highly expressed in the hippocampus. LFG can bind to the Fas receptor, but does not regulate Fas expression or interfere with binding of an agonist antibody. Furthermore LFG does not inhibit binding of FADD to Fas.

Chan SL et al.
F1Aalpha, a death receptor-binding protein homologous to the Caenorhabditis elegans sex-determining protein, FEM-1, is a caspase substrate that mediates apoptosis.
J Biol Chem. 1999; 274: 32461-8
Display abstract
Apoptosis is an evolutionarily conserved process that is critical for tissue homeostasis and development including sex determination in essentially all multicellular organisms. Here, we report the cloning of an ankyrin repeat-containing protein, termed F1Aalpha, in a yeast two-hybrid screen using the cytoplasmic domain of Fas (CD95/APO-1) as bait. Amino acid sequence analysis indicates that F1Aalpha has extensive homology to the sex-determining protein FEM-1 of the Caenorhabditis elegans, which is required for the development of all aspects of the male phenotype. F1Aalpha associates with the cytoplasmic domains of Fas and tumor necrosis factor receptor 1, two prototype members of the "death receptor" family. The F1Aalpha protein also oligomerizes. Overexpression of F1Aalpha induces apoptosis in mammalian cells, and co-expression of Bcl-XL or the dominant negative mutants of either FADD or caspase-9 blocks this effect. Deletion analysis revealed the center region of F1Aalpha, including a cluster of five ankyrin repeats to be necessary and sufficient for maximum apoptotic activity, and the N-terminal region appears to regulate negatively this activity. Furthermore, F1Aalpha is cleaved by a caspase-3-like protease at Asp(342), and the cleavage-resistant mutant is unable to induce apoptosis upon overexpression. F1Aalpha is therefore a member of a growing family of death receptor-associated proteins that mediates apoptosis.

Sun C et al.
NMR structure and mutagenesis of the inhibitor-of-apoptosis protein XIAP.
Nature. 1999; 401: 818-22
Display abstract
The inhibitor-of-apoptosis (IAP) family of proteins, originally identified in baculoviruses, regulate programmed cell death in a variety of organisms. IAPs inhibit specific enzymes (caspases) in the death cascade and contain one to three modules of a common 70-amino-acid motif called the BIR domain. Here we describe the nuclear magnetic resonance structure of a region encompassing the second BIR domain (BIR2) of a human IAP family member, XIAP (also called hILP or MIHA). The structure of the BIR domain consists of a three-stranded antiparallel beta-sheet and four alpha-helices and resembles a classical zinc finger. Unexpectedly, conserved amino acids within the linker region between the BIR1 and BIR2 domains were found to be critical for inhibiting caspase-3. The absence or presence of these residues may explain the differences in caspase inhibition observed for different truncated and full-length IAPs. Our data further indicate that these residues may bind to the active site and that the BIR domain may interact with an adjacent site on the enzyme.

Ilag LL et al.
Selection of a peptide ligand to the p75 neurotrophin receptor death domain and determination of its binding sites by NMR.
Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1999; 255: 104-9
Display abstract
The p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75(NTR)) contains a conserved death domain module similar to that of the cytotoxic receptors Fas and TNFR-1. Here, we describe the selection of peptide ligands from a combinatorial library using a variation of the selectively-infective phage (SIP) method directed to the death domain of p75(NTR). The binding sites on the death domain of p75(NTR) were identified for a 15 amino acid residue peptide by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The selected peptides may be useful for probing the function of the p75(NTR) death domain and aid in defining its downstream signalling mechanism.

Suzuki A, Tsutomi Y, Shimizu M, Matsuzawa A
Another cell death induction system: TNF-alpha acts as a ligand for Fas in vaginal cells.
Cell Death Differ. 1999; 6: 638-43
Display abstract
The death receptor Fas transduces apoptotic death signaling upon stimulation with the Fas ligand. We previously reported that Fas contributes to vaginal cell death observed during the estrus cycle and after estrogen deprivation, using the functional Fas-lacking lpr and lprcg mutant mouse. In the present study, we investigated whether the Fas ligand also plays a dominant role in vaginal cell death using the functional Fas ligand-lacking gld mutant mouse. Our results demonstrated that vaginal cells of gld mice do not show any abnormalities, suggesting the possible presence of another ligand for Fas. Through our investigation, we demonstrated TNF-alpha as a ligand for vaginal Fas. Here, we propose that TNF-alpha acts for the ligand for Fas in vaginal cells, suggesting a new cell death induction system.

Degli-Esposti M
To die or not to die--the quest of the TRAIL receptors.
J Leukoc Biol. 1999; 65: 535-42
Display abstract
The last 18 months have witnessed the characterization of several new members of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor family. Among these are five receptors for the cytotoxic ligand TRAIL (TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand). Two of these receptors, TRAIL-R1 and TRAIL-R2, contain classical cytoplasmic death domains and are able to transduce an apoptotic signal. The others lack functional death domains and are not able to promote cell death. Indeed, one of the receptors for TRAIL, osteoprotegerin (OPG) is a soluble protein whose activities so far have been shown to be inhibition of osteoclastogenesis and increased bone density in vivo. The existence of multiple receptors for TRAIL suggests an unexpected complexity to TRAIL-mediated biological functions.

Donati A, Bellik L, Picchi MP, Bonechi C
Complexity at the molecular level. A dynamic view of biomolecules obtained by NMR.
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1999; 879: 235-40

Ringel B et al.
Apoptotic molecules in pancreatic carcinoma cell lines.
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1999; 880: 175-8

Bajorath J
Identification of the ligand binding site in Fas (CD95) and analysis of Fas-ligand interactions.
Proteins. 1999; 35: 475-82
Display abstract
Fas (CD95), a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily, and its ligand (FasL), a tumor necrosis factor-like protein, are intensely studied because their interaction on the cell surface is critical for the induction of programmed cell death (apoptosis) and the regulation of immune responses. The structure and specificity of the extracellular binding domains of Fas and its ligand were studied, in different laboratories, by combining molecular modeling, mutagenesis, and a variety of binding and functional experiments. Residues critical for the receptor-ligand interaction were identified and, in the absence of experimentally determined structures, binding sites and details of the Fas-ligand interactions were predicted. These studies provide an instructive example for the close combination of prediction and experiment and illustrate how insights into the structure and binding characteristics of Fas and its ligand were gradually refined. Discussed methodological aspects are representative of structure-function studies on extracellular domains of other single-path transmembrane proteins.

Cha SS et al.
2.8 A resolution crystal structure of human TRAIL, a cytokine with selective antitumor activity.
Immunity. 1999; 11: 253-61
Display abstract
TRAIL is a newly identified cytokine belonging to the large tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family. TRAIL is a novel molecule inducing apoptosis in a wide variety of tumor cells but not in normal cells. To help in elucidating its biological roles and designing mutants with improved therapeutic potential, we have determined the crystal structure of human TRAIL. The structure reveals that a unique frame insertion of 12-16 amino acids adopts a salient loop structure penetrating into the receptor-binding site. The loop drastically alters the common receptor-binding surface of the TNF family most likely for the specific recognition of cognate partners. A structure-based mutagenesis study demonstrates a critical role of the insertion loop in the cytotoxic activity of TRAIL.

Park YC, Burkitt V, Villa AR, Tong L, Wu H
Structural basis for self-association and receptor recognition of human TRAF2.
Nature. 1999; 398: 533-8
Display abstract
Tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-receptor-associated factors (TRAFs) form a family of cytoplasmic adapter proteins that mediate signal transduction from many members of the TNF-receptor superfamily and the interleukin-1 receptor. They are important in the regulation of cell survival and cell death. The carboxy-terminal region of TRAFs (the TRAF domain) is required for self-association and interaction with receptors. The domain contains a predicted coiled-coil region that is followed by a highly conserved TRAF-C domain. Here we report the crystal structure of the TRAF domain of human TRAF2, both alone and in complex with a peptide from TNF receptor-2 (TNF-R2). The structures reveal a trimeric self-association of the TRAF domain, which we confirm by studies in solution. The TRAF-C domain forms a new, eight-stranded antiparallel beta-sandwich structure. The TNF-R2 peptide binds to a conserved shallow surface depression on one TRAF-C domain and does not contact the other protomers of the trimer. The nature of the interaction indicates that an SXXE motif may be a TRAF2-binding consensus sequence. The trimeric structure of the TRAF domain provides an avidity-based explanation for the dependence of TRAF recruitment on the oligomerization of the receptors by their trimeric extracellular ligands.

Magnusson C, Vaux DL
Signalling by CD95 and TNF receptors: not only life and death.
Immunol Cell Biol. 1999; 77: 41-6
Display abstract
Members of the TNF family of receptors play important roles in normal physiology and in defence. The recent rapid progress in the understanding of the mechanisms of apoptosis has been accompanied by assumptions that TNF family receptors such as CD95(Fas/APO-1) only have a role in regulating cell survival. While regulation of cell death is one important function of TNF family receptors, they are capable of activating signal transduction pathways that have many other effects. The present review will focus on signalling of some TNF family receptors in the immune system, not only for apoptosis, but also for survival or activation.

Liou ML, Liou HC
The ubiquitin-homology protein, DAP-1, associates with tumor necrosis factor receptor (p60) death domain and induces apoptosis.
J Biol Chem. 1999; 274: 10145-53
Display abstract
The tumor necrosis factor receptor, p60 (TNF-R1), transduces death signals via the association of its cytoplasmic domain with several intracellular proteins. By screening a mammalian cDNA library using the yeast two-hybrid cloning technique, we isolated a ubiquitin-homology protein, DAP-1, which specifically interacts with the cytoplasmic death domain of TNF-R1. Sequence analysis reveals that DAP-1 shares striking sequence homology with the yeast SMT3 protein that is essential for the maintenance of chromosome integrity during mitosis (Meluh, P. B., and Koshland, D. (1995) Mol. Biol. Cell 6, 793-807). DAP-1 is nearly identical to PIC1, a protein that interacts with the PML tumor suppressor implicated in acute promyelocytic leukemia (Boddy, M. N., Howe, K., Etkin, L. D., Solomon, E., and Freemont, P. S. (1996) Oncogene 13, 971-982), and the sentrin protein, which associates with the Fas death receptor (Okura, T., Gong, L., Kamitani, T., Wada, T., Okura, I., Wei, C. F., Chang, H. M., and Yeh, E. T. (1996) J. Immunol. 157, 4277-4281). The in vivo interaction between DAP-1 and TNF-R1 was further confirmed in mammalian cells. In transient transfection assays, overexpression of DAP-1 suppresses NF-kappaB/Rel activity in 293T cells, a human kidney embryonic carcinoma cell line. Overexpression of either DAP-1 or sentrin causes apoptosis of TNF-sensitive L929 fibroblast cell line, as well as TNF-resistant osteosarcoma cell line, U2OS. Furthermore, the dominant negative Fas-associated death domain protein (FADD) protein blocks the cell death induced by either DAP-1 or FADD. Collectively, these observations highly suggest a role for DAP-1 in mediating TNF-induced cell death signaling pathways, presumably through the recruitment of FADD death effector.

Estelles A, Charlton CA, Blau HM
The phosphoprotein protein PEA-15 inhibits Fas- but increases TNF-R1-mediated caspase-8 activity and apoptosis.
Dev Biol. 1999; 216: 16-28
Display abstract
We have characterized a phosphoprotein protein with a death effector domain that has a novel bifunctional role in programmed cell death. The 15-kDa phosphoprotein enriched in astrocytes (PEA-15) inhibits Fas-mediated apoptosis and increases tumor necrosis factor receptor-1 (TNF-R1)-mediated apoptosis in the same cell type in a ligand-dependent manner. Phosphorylation appears to play a role in its differential effects, since point mutations at one or both phosphorylation consensus sites within PEA-15 destroy its effect on Fas-mediated, but not TNF-R1-mediated, apoptosis. Furthermore, the differential effect is evident at the level of caspase-8 activity which is inhibited via Fas activation, but increased via TNF-R1 activation upon PEA-15 expression. These results show that PEA-15 provides a potential mechanism during development for distinguishing between diverse extracellular death-inducing signals that culminate either in apoptosis or in survival.

Condorelli G et al.
PED/PEA-15: an anti-apoptotic molecule that regulates FAS/TNFR1-induced apoptosis.
Oncogene. 1999; 18: 4409-15
Display abstract
PED/PEA-15 is a recently cloned 15 kDa protein possessing a death effector domain (DED). In MCF-7 and HeLa cells, a fivefold overexpression of PED/PEA-15 blocked FasL and TNFalpha apoptotic effects. This effect of PED overexpression was blocked by inhibition of PKC activity. In MCF-7 and HeLa cell lysates, PED/PEA-15 co-precipitated with both FADD and FLICE. PED/PEA-15-FLICE association was inhibited by overexpression of the wild-type but not of a DED-deletion mutant of FADD. Simultaneous overexpression of PED/PEA-15 with FADD and FLICE inhibited FADD-FLICE co-precipitation by threefold. Based on cleavage of the FLICE substrate PARP, this inhibitory effect was paralleled by a threefold decline in FLICE activation in response to TNF-alpha. TNFalpha, in turn, reduces PED association with the endogenous FADD and FLICE of the cells. Thus, PED/PEA-15 is an endogenous protein inhibiting FAS and TNFR1-mediated apoptosis. At least in part, this function may involve displacement of FADD-FLICE binding through the death effector domain of PED/PEA-15.

Gurney AL et al.
Identification of a new member of the tumor necrosis factor family and its receptor, a human ortholog of mouse GITR.
Curr Biol. 1999; 9: 215-8
Display abstract
The tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and TNF receptor (TNFR) gene superfamilies regulate diverse biological functions, including cell proliferation, differentiation, and survival [1] [2] [3]. We have identified a new TNF-related ligand, designated human GITR ligand (hGITRL), and its human receptor (hGITR), an ortholog of the recently discovered murine glucocorticoid-induced TNFR-related (mGITR) protein [4]. The hGITRL gene mapped to chromosome 1q23, near the gene for the TNF homolog Fas/CD95 ligand [5]. The hGITR gene mapped to chromosome 1p36, near a cluster of five genes encoding TNFR homologs [1] [6]. We found hGITRL mRNA in several peripheral tissues, and detected hGITRL protein on cultured vascular endothelial cells. The levels of hGITR mRNA in tissues were generally low; in peripheral blood T cells, however, antigen-receptor stimulation led to a substantial induction of hGITR transcripts. Cotransfection of hGITRL and hGITR in embryonic kidney 293 cells activated the anti-apoptotic transcription factor NF-kappaB, via a pathway that appeared to involve TNFR-associated factor 2 (TRAF2) [7] and NF-kappaB-inducing kinase (NIK) [8]. Cotransfection of hGITRL and hGITR in Jurkat T leukemia cells inhibited antigen-receptor-induced cell death. Thus, hGITRL and hGITR may modulate T lymphocyte survival in peripheral tissues.

Tschopp J, Martinon F, Hofmann K
Apoptosis: Silencing the death receptors.
Curr Biol. 1999; 9: 3814-3814
Display abstract
Spontaneous signaling from death-domain-containing receptors can result in inappropriate cell death. An inhibitory protein has recently been identified, called silencer of death domains (SODD), that binds to the death domain of tumor necrosis factor receptor 1, thereby negatively regulating downstream signaling.

Solary E, Micheau O, Dimanche-Boitrel MT, Martin F
[The Fas/Fas-ligand system: implications in the antitumor immune response and in the activity of cytotoxic agents]
Bull Cancer. 1998; 85: 685-94
Display abstract
Interaction of Fas-ligand (Fas-L) with the extracytoplasmic domain of the Fas receptor can induce Fas trimerization and activation of the apoptotic cell death process. Several molecular pathways that lead to apoptosis and some of their regulatory mechanisms have been identified. Fas-related membrane receptors that contain a death domain in their intracytoplasmic domain have been identified. They constitute a death receptor family (DR1 to DR5) whose first member is the TNFR1 receptor for TNF alpha. The Fas/Fas-L system plays a role in the cytotoxic activity of immune cells and the regulation of immune response amplitude. This system could be involved in the immune response to tumor cells and the cytotoxic activity of drugs and radiations. The expression of Fas-L on the plasma membrane of numerous tumor cells allow them, in vitro, to kill Fas-expressing immune cells. This observations has suggested that tumor cells used Fas-L to induce a specific immune tolerance. However, in vivo, Fas-L expression rather induces tumor cell rejection. The quantity of Fas-L expressed on tumor cells could determine whether tumor cells are tolerated or rejected. Cytotoxic drugs and radiations modulate Fas and Fas-L expression on tumor cells. The role of Fas/Fas-L interactions in the cytotoxicity of these agents remains poorly defined. It has been clearly shown, however, that low doses of cytotoxic drugs increase Fas expression on tumor cells, thereby improving their elimination by immune cells. Drug-induced modulation of Fas expression could provide new therapeutic strategies combining chemotherapy with immunotherapy.

Pan G, Ni J, Yu G, Wei YF, Dixit VM
TRUNDD, a new member of the TRAIL receptor family that antagonizes TRAIL signalling.
FEBS Lett. 1998; 424: 41-5
Display abstract
TRAIL/Apo-2L induces rapid apoptosis of a variety of tumor cell lines. A family of tumor necrosis factor receptor-related molecules have been identified as receptors for TRAIL. Herein, we report the identification of another member of the TRAIL receptor family, TRUNDD (TRAIL receptor with a truncated death domain). The TRUNDD transcript was detected in multiple human tissues. TRUNDD is highly homologous to all known TRAIL receptors and has an extracellular TRAIL-binding domain but lacks a functional intracellular death domain and does not induce apoptosis. Consistent with an inhibitory role, ectopic expression of TRUNDD attenuated TRAIL-induced apoptosis in mammalian cells.

Burke TA, McFerran NV, Walker B, Halliday MI
Biotinylation of TNF for use in receptor studies.
Biochem Soc Trans. 1998; 26: 40-40

Ashkenazi A, Dixit VM
Death receptors: signaling and modulation.
Science. 1998; 281: 1305-8
Display abstract
Apoptosis is a cell suicide mechanism that enables metazoans to control cell number in tissues and to eliminate individual cells that threaten the animal's survival. Certain cells have unique sensors, termed death receptors, on their surface. Death receptors detect the presence of extracellular death signals and, in response, they rapidly ignite the cell's intrinsic apoptosis machinery.

Marsters SA, Sheridan JP, Pitti RM, Brush J, Goddard A, Ashkenazi A
Identification of a ligand for the death-domain-containing receptor Apo3.
Curr Biol. 1998; 8: 525-8
Display abstract
The tumor necrosis factor (TNF) cytokine family regulates development and function of the immune system [1]. TNF is expressed primarily by activated lymphocytes and macrophages and induces gene transcription or apoptosis in target cells [2,3]. We have identified a novel relative of TNF that binds to the recently discovered, death-domain-containing receptor called Apo3 [4] (also known as DR3, WSL-1, TRAMP or LARD [5-9]). The Apo3 ligand (Apo3L) is a 249 amino-acid, type II transmembrane protein. The extracellular sequence of Apo3L shows highest identity to that of TNF. We detected Apo3L mRNA in many human tissues and mapped its encoding gene to chromosome 17p13, near the p53 tumor-suppressor gene. Soluble Apo3L induced apoptosis and nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) activation in human cell lines. Caspase inhibitors blocked apoptosis induction by Apo3L, as did a dominant-negative mutant of the cell death adaptor protein Fas-associated death domain protein (FADD/MORT1), which is critical for apoptosis induction by TNF [3]. Dominant-negative mutants of several factors that play a key role in NF-kappaB induction by TNF [10] inhibited NF-kappaB activation by Apo3L. Thus, Apo3L has overlapping signaling functions with TNF, but displays a much wider tissue distribution.

Starling GC, Kiener PA, Aruffo A, Bajorath J
Analysis of the ligand binding site in Fas (CD95) by site-directed mutagenesis and comparison with TNFR and CD40.
Biochemistry. 1998; 37: 3723-6
Display abstract
Fas and its ligand (FasL) are members of the tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) superfamilies, respectively. Fas-FasL interactions trigger controlled cell death (apoptosis) in the immune system and thus play a key role in the regulation of immune responses. Structural details of the Fas-Fas ligand interaction are currently unknown. Previously, six Fas residues were identified by mutagenesis as important for ligand binding. We have now extended our mutagenesis analysis and identified additional residues which contribute to the Fas-FasL interaction. Candidate and control residues were selected based on a molecular model of the Fas extracellular region. Although residues in all three extracellular domains were identified to contribute to binding, the Fas-FasL interaction is centered on the second TNFR-like domain. Important residues were compared to critical positions in TNFR and CD40, another member of the TNFR family.

Singh A, Ni J, Aggarwal BB
Death domain receptors and their role in cell demise.
J Interferon Cytokine Res. 1998; 18: 439-50
Display abstract
Apoptotic signals are transduced by five death domain-containing receptors--TNFR1, Fas, DR3, DR4, and DR5--by binding to their ligands. The intracellular portion of all these receptors contains a region, approximately 80 amino acids long, referred to as the "death domain" (DD). On activation by its ligand, the DD recruits various proteins that mediate cell death. These proteins, in turn, recruit other proteins via their DDs or death effector domains (DED). The actual destruction of the cell, however, is accomplished by serial activation of a family of proteases referred to as caspases. Cell death is, in part, regulated by transmembrane decoy receptors that contain either none of or only part of the DD. This article briefly reviews what is known about the receptors and other proteins involved in apoptosis. In addition, because numerous proteins that mediate apoptosis have been discovered independently and simultaneously and thus are known by many different names, a comprehensive cross-referenced list of these proteins is provided.

Eberstadt M et al.
NMR structure and mutagenesis of the FADD (Mort1) death-effector domain.
Nature. 1998; 392: 941-5
Display abstract
When activated, membrane-bound receptors for Fas and tumour-necrosis factor initiate programmed cell death by recruiting the death domain of the adaptor protein FADD to the membrane. FADD then activates caspase 8 (also known as FLICE or MACH) through an interaction between the death-effector domains of FADD and caspase 8. This ultimately leads to the apoptotic response. Death-effector domains and homologous protein modules known as caspase-recruitment domains have been found in several proteins and are important regulators of caspase (FLICE) activity and of apoptosis. Here we describe the solution structure of a soluble, biologically active mutant of the FADD death-effector domain. The structure consists of six antiparallel, amphipathic alpha-helices and resembles the overall fold of the death domains of Fas and p75. Despite this structural similarity, mutations that inhibit protein-protein interactions involving the Fas death domain have no effect when introduced into the FADD death-effector domain. Instead, a hydrophobic region of the FADD death-effector domain that is not present in the death domains is vital for binding to FLICE and for apoptotic activity.

Orlinick JR, Chao MV
TNF-related ligands and their receptors.
Cell Signal. 1998; 10: 543-51
Display abstract
Multicellular organisms have the challenging task of coordinating the activities of many distinct cell types. This coordination is accomplished largely by cell-associated and soluble signalling molecules that act locally or distantly to alter target-cell physiology. The tumour necrosis factor family of cytokines are type II transmembrane proteins that are important regulators of homeostasis and have been implicated as mediators of disease. These molecules serve as ligands for a family of cell-surface receptors termed the tumour necrosis factor/nerve growth factor (TNF/NGF) receptor family. The receptors are type I transmembrane proteins capable of mediating a wide range of responses in vitro and in vivo. Signal transduction is mediated by several newly discovered cytoplasmic proteins that couple these receptors to downstream signalling events. The elucidation and use of spontaneously occurring mutants in TNF-related ligands and receptors in addition to gene-targeting experiments have begun to clarify the diverse biological effects mediated by this superfamily of cytokines.

Pitti RM et al.
Genomic amplification of a decoy receptor for Fas ligand in lung and colon cancer.
Nature. 1998; 396: 699-703
Display abstract
Fas ligand (FasL) is produced by activated T cells and natural killer cells and it induces apoptosis (programmed cell death) in target cells through the death receptor Fas/Apol/CD95. One important role of FasL and Fas is to mediate immune-cytotoxic killing of cells that are potentially harmful to the organism, such as virus-infected or tumour cells. Here we report the discovery of a soluble decoy receptor, termed decoy receptor 3 (DcR3), that binds to FasL and inhibits FasL-induced apoptosis. The DcR3 gene was amplified in about half of 35 primary lung and colon tumours studied, and DcR3 messenger RNA was expressed in malignant tissue. Thus, certain tumours may escape FasL-dependent immune-cytotoxic attack by expressing a decoy receptor that blocks FasL.

Ekiel I, Banville D, Shen SH, Slon-Usakiewicz JJ, Koshy A, Gehring K
Main-chain signal assignment for the PDZ2 domain from human protein tyrosine phosphatase hPTP1E and its complex with a C-terminal peptide from the Fas receptor.
J Biomol NMR. 1998; 12: 455-6

Fadeel B, Lindberg J, Achour A, Chiodi F
A three-dimensional model of the Fas/APO-1 molecule: cross-reactivity of anti-Fas antibodies explained by structural mimicry of antigenic sites.
Int Immunol. 1998; 10: 131-40
Display abstract
Fas/APO-1 is a member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)/nerve growth factor receptor family. This cell surface protein, when associated with the Fas/APO-1 ligand or specific mAb, elicits an apoptotic response in susceptible cells via an oligomerization of its intracellular domains, termed the'death domains'. We have previously mapped the epitopes of a panel of Fas/APO-1-reactive mAb to a series of linear portions of the Fas/APO-1 molecule. In order to gain a greater understanding of the mode of interaction of these antibodies with the Fas/APO-1 antigen, we constructed a homology-based model of the extracellular portion of the molecule, based on the crystallographic coordinates of the TNF type I receptor. The model clearly demonstrates that the antibodies do not identically mimic the endogenous ligand to achieve their effect, but probably act in an analogous manner by recruiting Fas/APO-1 molecules into clusters which may lead to oligomerization of 'death domains'. Moreover, the apparent cross-reactivity observed for the monoclonal anti-Fas antibodies between different linear regions of the Fas/APO-1 molecule was found to be due, most likely, to the structural mimicry of these epitopes. Reduction of the Fas/APO-1-derived cross-reactive peptides by dithiothreitol completely abrogated their antigenic reactivity with the anti-Fas mAb CH-11, thus indicating that the establishment of intrapeptide disulfide bonds is critical for antigenic reactivity.

Schulze-Osthoff K, Ferrari D, Los M, Wesselborg S, Peter ME
Apoptosis signaling by death receptors.
Eur J Biochem. 1998; 254: 439-59
Display abstract
Death receptors have been recently identified as a subgroup of the TNF-receptor superfamily with a predominant function in induction of apoptosis. The receptors are characterized by an intracellular region, called the death domain, which is required for the transmission of the cytotoxic signal. Currently, five different such death receptors are known including tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor-1, CD95 (Fas/APO-1), TNF-receptor-related apoptosis-mediated protein (TRAMP) and TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) receptor-1 and -2. The signaling pathways by which these receptors induce apoptosis are rather similar. Ligand binding induces receptor oligomerization, followed by the recruitment of an adaptor protein to the death domain through homophilic interaction. The adaptor protein then binds a proximal caspase, thereby connecting receptor signaling to the apoptotic effector machinery. In addition, further pathways have been linked to death receptor-mediated apoptosis, such as sphingomyelinases, JNK kinases and oxidative stress. These pro-apoptotic signals are counteracted by several mechanisms which inhibit apoptosis at different levels. This review summarizes the current and rapidly expanding knowledge about the biological functions of death receptors and the mechanisms to trigger or to counteract cell death.

Pan G et al.
Identification and functional characterization of DR6, a novel death domain-containing TNF receptor.
FEBS Lett. 1998; 431: 351-6
Display abstract
Tumor nectosis factor (TNF) receptors are key players in inflammation and immune regulation. A new member of this family, termed death receptor-6 (DR6), has been identified. Like other death receptors, DR6 is a type I transmembrane receptor, possesses four extracellular cysteine-rich motifs and a cytoplasmic death domain. DR6 is expressed in most human tissues and abundant transcript was detected in heart, brain, placenta, pancreas, thymus, lymph node and several non-lymphoid cancer cell lines. DR6 interacts with TRADD, which has previously been shown to associate with TNFR1. Furthermore, ectopic expression of DR6 in mammalian cells induces apoptosis and activation of both NF-kappaB and JNK.

Naismith JH, Sprang SR
Modularity in the TNF-receptor family.
Trends Biochem Sci. 1998; 23: 74-9
Display abstract
Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) receptor family members regulate processes that range from cell proliferation to programmed cell death. The extracellular, ligand-binding domains of these proteins consist of small, cysteine-rich subdomains, first observed in the three-dimensional structures of the type I TNF receptor. A structure-based alignment of TNFR family members indicates that the extracellular domains are constructed primarily of two small polypeptide modules. These modules play distinctive structural roles in the architecture of the domains. Analogues of at least one of these modules can be found in the domains of other receptors and extracellular proteins. Variations in their sequence and order of assembly are expected to account for differences in shape, flexibility and ligand specificity.

Gura T
How TRAIL kills cancer cells, but not normal cells.
Science. 1997; 277: 768-768

Schneider P, Bodmer JL, Thome M, Hofmann K, Holler N, Tschopp J
Characterization of two receptors for TRAIL.
FEBS Lett. 1997; 416: 329-34
Display abstract
Two receptors for TRAIL, designated TRAIL-R2 and TRAIL-R3, have been identified. Both are members of the tumor necrosis factor receptor family. TRAIL-R2 is structurally similar to the death-domain-containing receptor TRAIL-R1 (DR-4), and is capable of inducing apoptosis. In contrast, TRAIL-R3 does not promote cell death. TRAIL-R3 is highly glycosylated and is membrane bound via a putative phosphatidylinositol anchor. The extended structure of TRAIL-R3 is due to the presence of multiple threonine-, alanine-, proline- and glutamine-rich repeats (TAPE repeats). TRAIL-R2 shows a broad tissue distribution, whereas the expression of TRAIL-R3 is restricted to peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) and skeletal muscle. All three TRAIL receptors bind TRAIL with similar affinity, suggesting a complex regulation of TRAIL-mediated signals.

Vincenz C, Dixit VM
Fas-associated death domain protein interleukin-1beta-converting enzyme 2 (FLICE2), an ICE/Ced-3 homologue, is proximally involved in CD95- and p55-mediated death signaling.
J Biol Chem. 1997; 272: 6578-83
Display abstract
The pivotal discovery that Fas-associated death domain protein (FADD) interleukin-1beta-converting enzyme (FLICE)/MACH was recruited to the CD95 signaling complex by virtue of its ability to bind the adapter molecule FADD established that this protease has a role in initiating the death pathway (Boldin, M. P., Goncharov, T. M. , Goltsev, Y. V., and Wallach, D. (1996) Cell 85, 803-815; Muzio, M., Chinnaiyan, A. M., Kischkel, K. C., O'Rourke, K., Shevchenko, A., Ni, J., Scaffidi, C., Bretz, J. D., Zhang, M., Gentz, R., Mann, M., Krammer, P. H., Peter, M. E., and Dixit, V. M. (1996) Cell 85, 817-827). In this report, we describe the cloning and characterization of a new member of the caspase family, a homologue of FLICE/MACH, and Mch4. Since the overall architecture and function of this molecule is similar to that of FLICE, it has been designated FLICE2. Importantly, the carboxyl-terminal half of the small catalytic subunit that includes amino acids predicted to be involved in substrate binding is distinct. We show that the pro-domain of FLICE2 encodes a functional death effector domain that binds to the corresponding domain in the adapter molecule FADD. Consistent with this finding, FLICE2 is recruited to both the CD95 and p55 tumor necrosis factor receptor signaling complexes in a FADD-dependent manner. A functional role for FLICE2 is suggested by the finding that an active site mutant of FLICE2 inhibits CD95 and tumor necrosis factor receptor-mediated apoptosis. FLICE2 is therefore involved in CD95 and p55 signal transduction.

MacFarlane M, Ahmad M, Srinivasula SM, Fernandes-Alnemri T, Cohen GM, Alnemri ES
Identification and molecular cloning of two novel receptors for the cytotoxic ligand TRAIL.
J Biol Chem. 1997; 272: 25417-20
Display abstract
A human receptor for the cytotoxic ligand TRAIL (TRAIL receptor-1, designated DR4) was identified recently as a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor family. In this report we describe the identification of two additional human TRAIL receptors, TRAIL receptor-2 and TRAIL receptor-3, that belong to the tumor necrosis factor receptor family. Interestingly, TRAIL receptor-2 but not TRAIL receptor-3 contains a cytoplasmic "death domain" necessary for induction of apoptosis and is hence designated death receptor-5 (DR5). Like DR4, DR5 engages the apoptotic pathway independent of the adaptor molecule FADD/MORT1. Because of its lack of a death domain, TRAIL receptor-3 is not capable of inducing apoptosis. However, by competing for TRAIL, it is capable of inhibiting TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Thus, TRAIL receptor-3 may function as an antagonistic decoy receptor to attenuate the cytotoxic effect of TRAIL in most tissues that are TRAIL+, DR4+, and DR5+.

Ellgaard L, Holtet TL, Nielsen PR, Etzerodt M, Gliemann J, Thogersen HC
Dissection of the domain architecture of the alpha2macroglobulin-receptor-associated protein.
Eur J Biochem. 1997; 244: 544-51
Display abstract
The alpha2macroglobulin-receptor-associated protein (RAP) binds to the alpha2macroglobulin receptor/low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (alpha2MR/LRP), a multi-functional cell surface receptor known to bind and internalize several macromolecular ligands. RAP has been shown to inhibit binding of all known alpha2MR/LRP ligands. Mutational studies have implicated distinct parts of RAP as specifically involved in inhibition of binding of a multitude of ligands. In the present paper we provide experimental evidence allowing assignment of elements of triplicate internal sequence similarity in RAP, noted previously [Warshawsky, I., Bu, G. & Schwartz, A. L. (1995) Sites within the 39-kDa protein important for regulating ligand binding to the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein, Biochemistry 34, 3404-3415], to three structural domains, 1, 2 and 3, comprising residues 18-112, 113-218 and 219-323 of RAP, respectively. Structural analysis by 1H-NMR spectroscopy shows that domains 1 and 2 as separate domains have similar secondary structures, consisting almost exclusively of alpha-helices, whereas domain 3 as a separate domain appears only to be marginally stable. Ligand competition titration of recombinant RAP domains 1, 2 and 3 and double domains 1+2 and 2+3 against 125I-RAP and 125I-alpha2M* (methylamine-activated alpha2M) for binding to alpha2MR/LRP demonstrated (a) that functional integrity in single domains is largely preserved, and (b) that important determinants for the inhibition of test ligands reside in the C-terminal regions of domains 1 and 3.

Shu HB, Halpin DR, Goeddel DV
Casper is a FADD- and caspase-related inducer of apoptosis.
Immunity. 1997; 6: 751-63
Display abstract
Caspases are cysteine proteases that play a central role in apoptosis. Caspase-8 may be the first enzyme of the proteolytic cascade activated by the Fas ligand and tumor necrosis factor (TNF). Caspase-8 is recruited to Fas and TNF receptor-1 (TNF-R1) through interaction of its prodomain with the death effector domain (DED) of the receptor-associating FADD. Here we describe a novel 55 kDa protein, Casper, that has sequence similarity to caspase-8 throughout its length. However, Casper is not a caspase since it lacks several conserved amino acids found in all caspases. Casper interacts with FADD, caspase-8, caspase-3, TRAF1, and TRAF2 through distinct domains. When overexpressed in mammalian cells, Casper potently induces apoptosis. A C-terminal deletion mutant of Casper inhibits TNF- and Fas-induced cell death, suggesting that Casper is involved in these apoptotic pathways.

Depraetere V, Golstein P
Fas and other cell death signaling pathways.
Semin Immunol. 1997; 9: 93-107
Display abstract
The Fas system ensures, within the immune system, one of the two main pathways of T-cell mediated cytotoxicity, and, importantly, at least part of the downregulation of immune responses. Recently, Fas has been increasingly implicated in other functions, such as protection of immune privileged tissues and disposal of cells undergoing genomic alterations. The Fas system can be viewed as a cell death signal, linking extracellular information to the cell death execution stage. In this review, the Fas pathway will be described, compared to the other known T-cell mediated cytotoxicity mechanism, and then more generally to other cell death signals. The general features of cell death signaling will be emphasized as well as the peculiarities of the Fas system.

Duan H, Dixit VM
RAIDD is a new 'death' adaptor molecule.
Nature. 1997; 385: 86-9
Display abstract
The effector arm of the cell-death pathway is composed of cysteine proteases belonging to the ICE/CED-3 family. In metazoan cells these exist as inactive polypeptide precursors (zymogens), each composed of a prodomain, which is cleaved to activate the protease, and a large and small catalytic subunit. The coupling of these 'death' proteases to signalling pathways is probably mediated by adaptor molecules that contain protein-protein interaction motifs such as the death domain. Here we describe such an adaptor molecule, RAIDD, which has an unusual bipartite architecture comprising a carboxy-terminal death domain that binds to the homologous domain in RIP, a serine/threonine kinase component of the death pathway. The amino-terminal domain is surprisingly homologous with the sequence of the prodomain of two ICE/CED-3 family members, human ICH-1 (ref. 5) and Caenorhabditis elegans CED-3 (ref. 6). This similar region mediates the binding of RAIDD to ICH-1 and CED-3, serving as a direct link to the death proteases, indicating that the prodomain may, through homophilic interactions, determine the specificity of binding of ICE/CED-3 zymogens to regulatory adaptor molecules. Finally, alternations in the sequence of the N-terminal domain that are equivalent to inactivating mutations in the C. elegans ced-3 gene prevent homophilic binding, highlighting the potentially primordial nature of this interaction.

Bajorath J, Aruffo A
Prediction of the three-dimensional structure of the human Fas receptor by comparative molecular modeling.
J Comput Aided Mol Des. 1997; 11: 3-8
Display abstract
The Fas antigen, a cell surface receptor belonging to the tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) superfamily, triggers programmed cell death (apoptosis) in the immune system. The three-dimensional structure of Fas and molecular details of the interaction between Fas and its ligand are currently unknown. A three-dimensional model of the Fas extracellular region was generated by comparative modeling. Inverse folding analysis suggested good sequence-structure compatibility of the model and thus reasonable accuracy. The model was analyzed in the light of information provided by studies on TNFR and CD40, another member of the TNFR family, and the Fas ligand binding site was predicted.

Golstein P
Cell death: TRAIL and its receptors.
Curr Biol. 1997; 7: 7503-7503
Display abstract
A cell-death signaling system has been described recently that involves the ligand TRAIL and corresponding TRAIL-specific cell-surface receptors. These include two receptors able to transduce a death signal and, as a previously unsuspected control mechanism, two other receptors able to prevent this transduction.

Sheridan JP et al.
Control of TRAIL-induced apoptosis by a family of signaling and decoy receptors.
Science. 1997; 277: 818-21
Display abstract
TRAIL (also called Apo2L) belongs to the tumor necrosis factor family, activates rapid apoptosis in tumor cells, and binds to the death-signaling receptor DR4. Two additional TRAIL receptors were identified. The receptor designated death receptor 5 (DR5) contained a cytoplasmic death domain and induced apoptosis much like DR4. The receptor designated decoy receptor 1 (DcR1) displayed properties of a glycophospholipid-anchored cell surface protein. DcR1 acted as a decoy receptor that inhibited TRAIL signaling. Thus, a cell surface mechanism exists for the regulation of cellular responsiveness to pro-apoptotic stimuli.

Nagata S
Apoptosis by death factor.
Cell. 1997; 88: 355-65

Zhang X, Boyar W, Galakatos N, Gonnella NC
Solution structure of a unique C5a semi-synthetic antagonist: implications in receptor binding.
Protein Sci. 1997; 6: 65-72
Display abstract
The tertiary structure of a unique C5a receptor antagonist was determined by two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy. The core domain of this 8-kDa antagonist exists as an antiparallel helical bundle, similar to recombinant human (rh)-C5a. However, unlike C5a, the antagonist's C terminus was found to be conformationally restricted along a groove between helices one and four in the core domain. This conformational restriction situates C-terminal D-Arg 75 in a wedge between core residues Arg 46 and His 15. Correlation of the antagonist's tertiary structure with point mutation analysis revealed the formation of a positively charged contiguous contact surface comprised of D-Arg 75, Arg 46, Lys 49, and His 15. The significance of this surface in generating antagonist properties implies a single binding site with the C5a receptor and provides a structural template for drug design.

Screaton GR, Mongkolsapaya J, Xu XN, Cowper AE, McMichael AJ, Bell JI
TRICK2, a new alternatively spliced receptor that transduces the cytotoxic signal from TRAIL.
Curr Biol. 1997; 7: 693-6
Display abstract
A subset of the tumour necrosis factor (TNF) receptor family contain a conserved intracellular motif, the death domain. Engagement of these receptors by their respective ligands initiates a signalling cascade that rapidly leads to cell death by apoptosis. We have cloned a new member of this family, TRICK2, the TRAIL (TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand) receptor inducer of cell killing 2. TRICK2 is expressed in a number of cell types, and to particularly high levels in lymphocytes and spleen. Two isoforms of the TRICK2 mRNA are generated by alternative pre-mRNA splicing and differ by a 29 amino-acid extension to the extracellular domain. Overexpression of TRICK2 rapidly induced apoptosis in 293T cells; this induction was dependent upon the presence of the death domain of TRICK2. Using a soluble molecule containing the TRICK2 extracellular domain, we demonstrated that TRICK2, like DR4 [1], is a receptor for TRAIL/APO-2L [2,3] and could inhibit TRAIL-induced killing of lymphocyte lines, such as the Jurkat T-cell line. TRAIL is upregulated upon lymphocyte activation, as is the intensively studied ligand for Fas, FasL [4]. TRAIL and its receptors might therefore provide another system for the regulation of lymphocyte selection and proliferation, as well as providing an additional weapon in the armoury of cytotoxic lymphocytes.

Hu S, Vincenz C, Ni J, Gentz R, Dixit VM
I-FLICE, a novel inhibitor of tumor necrosis factor receptor-1- and CD-95-induced apoptosis.
J Biol Chem. 1997; 272: 17255-7
Display abstract
The pivotal discovery that the death proteases caspase 8 (FLICE) and caspase 10 (Mch4/FLICE2) are recruited to the CD-95 and tumor necrosis factor receptor-1 signaling complexes suggested a mechanism used by these cytotoxic receptors to initiate apoptosis. In this report, we describe the cloning and characterization of I-FLICE, a novel inhibitor of tumor necrosis factor receptor-1- and CD-95-induced apoptosis. The overall architecture of I-FLICE is strikingly similar to that of FLICE and Mch4/FLICE2. However, I-FLICE lacks both a catalytic active site and residues that form the substrate binding pocket, in keeping with its dominant negative inhibitory function. I-FLICE is the first example of a catalytically inert caspase that can inhibit apoptosis.

Hu S, Vincenz C, Buller M, Dixit VM
A novel family of viral death effector domain-containing molecules that inhibit both CD-95- and tumor necrosis factor receptor-1-induced apoptosis.
J Biol Chem. 1997; 272: 9621-4
Display abstract
Molluscum contagiosum virus proteins MC159 and MC160 and the equine herpesvirus 2 protein E8 share substantial homology to the death effector domain present in the adaptor molecule Fas-associated death domain protein (FADD) and the initiating death protease FADD-like interleukin-1beta-converting enzyme (FLICE) (caspase-8). FADD and FLICE participate in generating the death signal from both tumor necrosis factor receptor-1 (TNFR-1) and the CD-95 receptor. The flow of death signals from TNFR-1 occurs through the adaptor molecule tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated death domain protein (TRADD) to FADD to FLICE, whereas for CD-95 the receptor directly communicates with FADD and then FLICE. MC159 and E8 inhibited both TNFR-1- and CD-95-induced apoptosis as well as killing mediated by overexpression of the downstream adaptors TRADD and FADD. Neither viral molecule, however, inhibited FLICE-induced killing, consistent with an inhibitory action upstream of the active death protease. These data suggest the existence of a novel strategy employed by viruses to attenuate host immune killing mechanisms. Given that bovine herpesvirus 4 protein E1.1 and Kaposi's sarcoma associated-herpesvirus protein K13 also possess significant homology to the viral inhibitory molecules MC159, MC160, and E8, it may be that this class of proteins is used ubiquitously by viruses to evade host defense.

Yuan J
Transducing signals of life and death.
Curr Opin Cell Biol. 1997; 9: 247-51
Display abstract
The molecules that form signaling complexes with the cytoplasmic domains of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptors (TNF-Rs) and CD95 have been identified recently. The death-signaling pathways induced by TNF-R1 and CD95 involve a group of death domain containing proteins, including caspase-8, a member of the interleukin-1beta-converting enzyme family. TNF-R1 and TNF-R2 also interact with the members of both the TNF-R associated factor family and the inhibitor of apoptosis protein family; these interactions lead to cell survival.

Screaton GR et al.
LARD: a new lymphoid-specific death domain containing receptor regulated by alternative pre-mRNA splicing.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1997; 94: 4615-9
Display abstract
Fas and TNF-R1 are cysteine-rich cell surface receptors related to the low-affinity nerve growth factor receptor family. Engagement of these receptors by their respective ligands, FasL and tumor necrosis factor, leads to apoptosis that is signaled through a conserved intracellular portion of the receptor termed the "death domain." We have cloned a new member of this family, lymphocyte-associated receptor of death (LARD), which leads to spontaneous apoptosis when expressed in 293T cells. The expression of LARD is more tightly regulated than that of either Fas or TNF-R1 as it is found predominantly on lymphocytes (T and B cells) but not on macrophages or a number of transformed lymphocyte cell lines. Alternative pre-mRNA splicing generates at least 11 distinct isoforms of LARD. The full-length isoform, LARD-1, extends to include the transmembrane and death domains, whereas the other isoforms encode potentially secreted molecules. Naive B and T cells express very little LARD-1 but express combinations of the other isoforms. Upon T cell activation, a programmed change in alternative splicing occurs so that the full-length, membrane-bound LARD-1 predominates. This may have implications for the control of lymphocyte proliferation following activation.

Bertin J et al.
Death effector domain-containing herpesvirus and poxvirus proteins inhibit both Fas- and TNFR1-induced apoptosis.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1997; 94: 1172-6
Display abstract
To identify novel antiapoptotic proteins encoded by DNA viruses, we searched viral genomes for proteins that might interfere with Fas and TNFR1 apoptotic signaling pathways. We report here that equine herpesvirus type 2 E8 protein and molluscum contagiosum virus MC159 protein both show sequence similarity to the death effector domains (DEDs) of the Fas/TNFR1 signaling components FADD and caspase-8. Yeast two-hybrid analysis revealed that E8 protein interacted with the caspase-8 prodomain whereas MC159 protein interacted with FADD. Furthermore, expression of either E8 protein or MC159 protein protected cells from Fas- and TNFR1-induced apoptosis indicating that certain herpesviruses and poxviruses use DED-mediated interactions to interfere with apoptotic signaling pathways. These findings identify a novel control point exploited by viruses to regulate Fas- and TNFR1-mediated apoptosis.

Walczak H et al.
TRAIL-R2: a novel apoptosis-mediating receptor for TRAIL.
EMBO J. 1997; 16: 5386-97
Display abstract
TRAIL is a member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family of cytokines and induces apoptosis in a wide variety of cells. Based on homology searching of a private database, a receptor for TRAIL (DR4 or TRAIL-R1) was recently identified. Here we report the identification of a distinct receptor for TRAIL, TRAIL-R2, by ligand-based affinity purification and subsequent molecular cloning. TRAIL-R2 was purified independently as the only receptor for TRAIL detectable on the surface of two different human cell lines that undergo apoptosis upon stimulation with TRAIL. TRAIL-R2 contains two extracellular cysteine-rich repeats, typical for TNF receptor (TNFR) family members, and a cytoplasmic death domain. TRAIL binds to recombinant cell-surface-expressed TRAIL-R2, and TRAIL-induced apoptosis is inhibited by a TRAIL-R2-Fc fusion protein. TRAIL-R2 mRNA is widely expressed and the gene encoding TRAIL-R2 is located on human chromosome 8p22-21. Like TRAIL-R1, TRAIL-R2 engages a caspase-dependent apoptotic pathway but, in contrast to TRAIL-R1, TRAIL-R2 mediates apoptosis via the intracellular adaptor molecule FADD/MORT1. The existence of two distinct receptors for the same ligand suggests an unexpected complexity to TRAIL biology, reminiscent of dual receptors for TNF, the canonical member of this family.

Li H, Yu L, Guo Y
[Fas system in the study of neoplasms]
Zhonghua Wai Ke Za Zhi. 1997; 35: 59-62

Becker K, Schneider P, Hofmann K, Mattmann C, Tschopp J
Interaction of Fas(Apo-1/CD95) with proteins implicated in the ubiquitination pathway.
FEBS Lett. 1997; 412: 102-6
Display abstract
Fas(Apo-1/CD95), a receptor belonging to the tumor necrosis factor receptor family, induces apoptosis when triggered by Fas ligand. Upon its activation, the cytoplasmic domain of Fas binds several proteins which transmit the death signal. We used the yeast two-hybrid screen to isolate Fas-associated proteins. Here we report that the ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme UBC9 binds to Fas at the interface between the death domain and the membrane-proximal region of Fas. This interaction is also seen in vivo. UBC9 transiently expressed in HeLa cells bound to the co-expressed cytoplasmic segment of Fas. FAF1, a Fas-associated protein that potentiates apoptosis (Chu et al. (1996) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 92, 11894-11898), was found to contain sequences similar to ubiquitin. These results suggest that proteins related to the ubiquitination pathway may modulate the Fas signaling pathway.

Ahmad M et al.
CRADD, a novel human apoptotic adaptor molecule for caspase-2, and FasL/tumor necrosis factor receptor-interacting protein RIP.
Cancer Res. 1997; 57: 615-9
Display abstract
FADD/MORT1 is a death domain (DD)-containing adaptor/signaling molecule that interacts with the intracellular DD of FAS/APO-I (CD95) and tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 and the prodomain of caspase-8 (Mch5/MACH/FLICE). FADD engagement of caspase-8 presumably activates this caspase and leads to apoptosis. Another DD-containing adaptor/signaling molecule, CRADD, was identified and was shown to induce apoptosis. CRADD has a dual-domain structure similar to that of FADD. It has an NH2-terminal caspase homology domain that interacts with caspase-2 and a COOH-terminal DD that interacts with RIP. CRADD is constitutively expressed in many tissues and thus could play a role in regulating apoptosis in mammalian cells.

Goltsev YV, Kovalenko AV, Arnold E, Varfolomeev EE, Brodianskii VM, Wallach D
CASH, a novel caspase homologue with death effector domains.
J Biol Chem. 1997; 272: 19641-4
Display abstract
CASP-8 and CASP-10, members of a cysteine protease family that participates in apoptosis, interact with MORT1/FADD, an adapter protein in the CD120a (p55 tumor necrosis factor receptor), and CD95 (Fas/Apo-1) death-inducing signaling pathways, through a shared N-terminal sequence motif, the death effector domain. We report cloning of two splice variants of a novel protein, CASH, that contain two N-terminal death effector domains and can bind through them to each other, to MORT1/FADD, to CASP-8, and to CASP-10. The unique C-terminal part of the longer variant shows marked sequence homology to the caspase protease region yet lacks several of the conserved caspase active site residues, suggesting that it is devoid of cysteine protease activity. Overexpression of the short CASH splice variant strongly inhibited cytotoxicity induction by CD120a and CD95. Expression of the longer variant, while inhibiting cytotoxicity in HeLa cells, had a marked cytocidal effect in 293 cells that could be shown to involve its protease homology region. The findings suggest that CASH acts as an attenuator and/or initiator in CD95 and CD120a signaling for cell death.

Thome M et al.
Viral FLICE-inhibitory proteins (FLIPs) prevent apoptosis induced by death receptors.
Nature. 1997; 386: 517-21
Display abstract
Viruses have evolved many distinct strategies to avoid the host's apoptotic response. Here we describe a new family of viral inhibitors (v-FLIPs) which interfere with apoptosis signalled through death receptors and which are present in several gamma-herpesviruses (including Kaposi's-sarcoma-associated human herpesvirus-8), as well as in the tumorigenic human molluscipoxvirus. v-FLIPs contain two death-effector domains which interact with the adaptor protein FADD, and this inhibits the recruitment and activation of the protease FLICE by the CD95 death receptor. Cells expressing v-FLIPs are protected against apoptosis induced by CD95 or by the related death receptors TRAMP and TRAIL-R. The herpesvirus saimiri FLIP is detected late during the lytic viral replication cycle, at a time when host cells are partially protected from CD95-ligand-mediated apoptosis. Protection of virus-infected cells against death-receptor-induced apoptosis may lead to higher virus production and contribute to the persistence and oncogenicity of several FLIP-encoding viruses.

Marsters SA et al.
A novel receptor for Apo2L/TRAIL contains a truncated death domain.
Curr Biol. 1997; 7: 1003-6
Display abstract
Apo2 ligand (Apo2L [1], also called TRAIL for tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand [2]) belongs to the TNF family and activates apoptosis in tumor cells. Three closely related receptors bind Apo2L: DR4 and DR5, which contain cytoplasmic death domains and signal apoptosis, and DcR1, a decoy receptor that lacks a cytoplasmic tail and inhibits Apo2L function [3-5]. By cross-hybridization with DcR1, we have identified a fourth Apo2L receptor, which contains a cytoplasmic region with a truncated death domain. We subsequently named this protein decoy receptor 2 (DcR2). The DcR2 gene mapped to human chromosome 8p21, as did the genes encoding DR4, DR5 and DcR1. A single DcR2 mRNA transcript showed a unique expression pattern in human tissues and was particularly abundant in fetal liver and adult testis. Upon overexpression, DcR2 did not activate apoptosis or nuclear factor-kappaB; however, it substantially reduced cellular sensitivity to Apo2L-induced apoptosis. These results suggest that DcR2 functions as an inhibitory Apo2L receptor.

Bodmer JL et al.
TRAMP, a novel apoptosis-mediating receptor with sequence homology to tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 and Fas(Apo-1/CD95).
Immunity. 1997; 6: 79-88
Display abstract
A novel member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor family, designated TRAMP, has been identified. The structural organization of the 393 amino acid long human TRAMP is most homologous to TNF receptor 1. TRAMP is abundantly expressed on thymocytes and lymphocytes. Its extracellular domain is composed of four cysteine-rich domains, and the cytoplasmic region contains a death domain known to signal apoptosis. Overexpression of TRAMP leads to two major responses, NF-kappaB activation and apoptosis. TRAMP-induced cell death is inhibited by an inhibitor of ICE-like proteases, but not by Bcl-2. In addition, TRAMP does not appear to interact with any of the known apoptosis-inducing ligands of the TNF family.

Noguchi K et al.
Chromosome 22 complements apoptosis in Fas-and TNF-resistant mutant UK110 cells.
Oncogene. 1996; 13: 39-46
Display abstract
Fas and p55 tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) transfer an apoptosis signal when they are crosstinked with their ligands or agonistic antibodies. However, the signal transduction mechanism of apoptosis via Fas and p55 TNFR has not yet been elucidated. We previously described a recessive mutant UK110 from the human monocytic leukemia U937 cell line, that showed resistance against Fas- and p55 TNFR-mediated apoptosis. By cytogenetic analysis and microcell-fusion method, we demonstrate here that introduction of chromosome 22 can specifically restore the sensitivity to Fas- and TNF-mediated apoptosis in UK110 cells. Moreover, introduction of chromosome 22 into UK110 can complement the processing of interleukin-1 beta converting enzyme (ICE)-like proteases, such as CPP32/Yama/Apopain and ICH-1L, after treatment with anti-Fas and anti-p55 TNFR antibodies. These results suggest that the product of a gene located on chromosome 22 participates in the Fas-and p55 TNFR-mediated apoptosis at a point upstream of ICE-like proteases.

Hess S, Engelmann H
A novel function of CD40: induction of cell death in transformed cells.
J Exp Med. 1996; 183: 159-67
Display abstract
CD40 is known as an important T-B cell interaction molecule which rescues B lymphocytes from undergoing apoptosis. Like other receptors of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor gene family, CD40 is expressed on cells of different tissue origins including some transformed cells. In contrast to its well-studied effects on B cells, the biological functions of CD40 in non-immune cells remain largely unknown. Here we show that CD40 ligation induces apoptotic cell death in transformed cells of mesenchymal and epithelial origin. This CD40-mediated cell death seems to use a preformed signaling pathway since it occurs even when protein synthesis is blocked. Notably, the CD40 cytoplasmic domain shares a structural homology with the recently defined "death domains" of the 55-kD TNF receptor (p55TNFR) and Fas. Despite these structural similarities, differences are seen in the way phorbol myristate acetate, interleukin 1, TNF, and various metabolic inhibitors influence the cellular responsiveness to CD40, p55TNFR, and Fas-mediated killing. Our study indicates that CD40 induces cell death by a distinct mechanism.

Marsters SA et al.
Apo-3, a new member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor family, contains a death domain and activates apoptosis and NF-kappa B.
Curr Biol. 1996; 6: 1669-76
Display abstract
BACKGROUND: Two receptors that contain the so-called "death domain' have been described to date: tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1) and Fas/Apo-1 (CD95); both belong to the TNFR gene family. The death domain of TNFR1 mediates the activation of programmed cell death (apoptosis) and of the transcription factor NF-kappa B, whereas the death domain of CD95 only appears to activate apoptosis. RESULTS: We have identified an additional member of the TNFR family, which we have named Apo-3. Apo-3 is a transmembrane protein of approximately 47 kDa that has similarity of members of the TNFR family in its extracellular, cysteine-rich domains. In addition, Apo-3 resembles TNFR1 and CD95 in that it contains a cytoplasmic death domain. The Apo-3 gene mapped to human chromosome 1p36.3, and Apo-3 mRNA was detected in several human tissues, including spleen, thymus, peripheral blood lymphocytes, small intestine and colon. Ectopic expression of Apo-3 in HEK293 or HeLa cells induced marked apoptosis. CrmA, a poxvirus inhibitor of Ced-3-like proteases which blocks death signaling by TNFR1 and CD95, inhibited Apo-3-induced apoptosis. Ectopic expression of Apo-3 also induced the activation of NF-kappa B. Apo-3 did not specifically bind to the Apo-2 ligand, suggesting the existence of a distinct ligand for Apo-3. CONCLUSIONS: These results identify Apo-3 as a third member of the TNFR family that activates apoptosis, and suggest that Apo-3, TNFR1 and CD95 engage a common apoptotic cell-death machinery. Apo-3 resembles TNFR1 because it can stimulate NF-kappa B activity and regulate apoptosis. Apo-3 mRNA is expressed in various tissues, consistent with the possibility that this receptor may regulate multiple signaling functions.

Varfolomeev EE, Boldin MP, Goncharov TM, Wallach D
A potential mechanism of "cross-talk" between the p55 tumor necrosis factor receptor and Fas/APO1: proteins binding to the death domains of the two receptors also bind to each other.
J Exp Med. 1996; 183: 1271-5
Display abstract
The p55 tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor and Fas/APO1 induce cell death via distinct regions in their intracellular domains. Three cytoplasmic proteins that bind to these receptor regions have been identified recently. One, MORT1 (also called FADD), binds to Fas/APO1 but not to p55-R; another, TRADD, binds to the p55 TNF receptor but not to Fas/APO1; and the third, RIP, binds weakly to both receptors. The regions within these proteins that are involved in binding to the receptors and the receptor regions to which they bind share a common sequence motif, that of the "death domain." This study shows that the death domain motifs in MORT1, TRADD, and RIP bind effectively to each other, a mode of binding that may allow "cross-talk" between the functional expression of the p55 TNF receptor and Fas/APO1.

Okura T et al.
Protection against Fas/APO-1- and tumor necrosis factor-mediated cell death by a novel protein, sentrin.
J Immunol. 1996; 157: 4277-81
Display abstract
Fas/APO-1 and TNF receptor 1 share a common signaling motif in their cytoplasmic tail called the "death domain." Using the death domain as bait in the yeast two-hybrid system, several death domain-containing proteins that participate in cell death signaling have been identified. Here we report the isolation of a novel protein, sentrin, which interacts with Fas/APO-1 and TNF receptor 1 but not with FADD/MORT1 or CD40. Two-hybrid interaction assays reveal that sentrin associates only with the signal-competent forms of Fas/APO-1 or TNF receptor 1 death domains. Sentrin is a novel protein of 101 amino acids with homology to ubiquitin, Nedd8, and a Saccharomyces cerevisiae protein, Smt3. When overexpressed, sentrin provides protection against both anti-Fas/APO-1 and TNF-induced cell death.

Orlinick JR, Chao MV
Interactions of cellular polypeptides with the cytoplasmic domain of the mouse Fas antigen.
J Biol Chem. 1996; 271: 8627-32
Display abstract
The mouse Fas/APO-1 antigen represents a 45-kilodalton transmembrane receptor that initiates apoptosis by a poorly defined signaling mechanism. The cytoplasmic domain of Fas does not display any known enzymatic activities but is capable of interacting with a number of proteins that were identified recently using the yeast interactive cloning method. To investigate direct biochemical interactions from cellular lysates prepared from Fas-responsive cells, a series of recombinant glutathione S-transferase-mouse Fas fusion proteins representing different regions of the mouse Fas cytoplasmic domain was used. Polypeptides of 25, 50, and 70 kilodaltons were found to associate with the Fas intracellular domain, and this binding was stable in the presence of 1 M NaCl. These interactions were also detected using a mouse Fas fusion protein containing an Ile to Asn mutation, which is responsible for a lymphoproliferative disorder in certain strains of mice (lprcg). Furthermore, the binding of cellular proteins to Fas could be blocked upon incubation with a polyclonal antibody directed against the cytoplasmic domain of Fas. The strong association of cellular proteins with the cytoplasmic region implies that constitutive interactions may exist to regulate apoptotic signaling through the Fas antigen.

Bucher P, Karplus K, Moeri N, Hofmann K
A flexible motif search technique based on generalized profiles.
Comput Chem. 1996; 20: 3-23
Display abstract
A flexible motif search technique is presented which has two major components: (1) a generalized profile syntax serving as a motif definition language; and (2) a motif search method specifically adapted to the problem of finding multiple instances of a motif in the same sequence. The new profile structure, which is the core of the generalized profile syntax, combines the functions of a variety of motif descriptors implemented in other methods, including regular expression-like patterns, weight matrices, previously used profiles, and certain types of hidden Markov models (HMMs). The relationship between generalized profiles and other biomolecular motif descriptors is analyzed in detail, with special attention to HMMs. Generalized profiles are shown to be equivalent to a particular class of HMMs, and conversion procedures in both directions are given. The conversion procedures provide an interpretation for local alignment in the framework of stochastic models, allowing for clear, simple significance tests. A mathematical statement of the motif search problem defines the new method exactly without linking it to a specific algorithmic solution. Part of the definition includes a new definition of disjointness of alignments.

Lee SY, Park CG, Choi Y
T cell receptor-dependent cell death of T cell hybridomas mediated by the CD30 cytoplasmic domain in association with tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factors.
J Exp Med. 1996; 183: 669-74
Display abstract
CD30 is a member of the tumor necrosis factor superfamily and a surface marker for Hodgkin's disease. Normal activated T cells and several virally transformed T or B cell lines also show CD30 expression. The interaction of CD30 with its ligand induces cell death or proliferation, depending on the cell type. In this report we characterize the signals mediated by the intracellular domain of CD30 and show that, in combination with signal(s) transduced by the T cell receptor, the multimerization of CD30 cytoplasmic domain induces Fas(CD95)-independent cell death in T cell hybridomas. Deletion analysis shows that the COOH-terminal 66 amino acids of CD30 are required to induce cell death. Using the yeast two-hybrid system, we have identified that the same region of CD30 interacts with tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor (TRAF)1 and TRAF2. These results indicate that TRAF1 and/or TRAF2 play an important role in cell death in addition to their previously identified roles in cell proliferation.

Enari M, Hug H, Hayakawa M, Ito F, Nishimura Y, Nagata S
Different apoptotic pathways mediated by Fas and the tumor-necrosis-factor receptor. Cytosolic phospholipase A2 is not involved in Fas-mediated apoptosis.
Eur J Biochem. 1996; 236: 533-8
Display abstract
Fas is a cell-surface receptor that belongs to the tumor-necrosis factor (TNF)/nerve growth factor receptor family. Fas can transduce an apoptotic signal through the death domain in the cytoplasmic region, which has similarity with the corresponding region of the TNF type-I receptor. Here, we expressed human Fas in mouse L929 cells or its subline (C12), which express extremely low levels of cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2). L929 cells were sensitive to the cytotoxic activity of TNF, while C12 cells were resistant. Cross-linking of human Fas with anti-(human Fas antibody) Ig killed both L929 transformants and C12 transformants expressing human Fas. Various inhibitors of the arachidonate metabolism significantly inhibited the TNF-induced cytotoxicity in L929 cells, but they did not have any effect on Fas-mediated apoptosis. These results indicated that cPLA2 is required for TNF-induced apoptosis, whereas it is dispensable for Fas-mediated apoptosis, and suggested that the TNF receptor and Fas use different signaling pathways for apoptosis.

Kitson J et al.
A death-domain-containing receptor that mediates apoptosis.
Nature. 1996; 384: 372-5
Display abstract
The cell-killing effects of the cytokines TNF-alpha and FasL are mediated by the distinct cell-surface receptors TNFR1, TNFR2 and Fas (also known as CD95/APO-1), which are all members of a receptor superfamily that is important for regulating cell survival. The cytoplasmic regions of TNFR1 and Fas contain a conserved 'death' domain which is an essential component of the signal pathway that triggers apoptosis and activation of the transcription factor NF-kappaB (refs 5,6). Here we report the isolation of a 54K receptor that is a new member of the TNFR superfamily, using the death domain of TNFR1 in a yeast two-hybrid system. This protein, WSL-1, is most similar to TNFR1 itself, particularly in the death-domain region. The gene wsl-1 is capable of inducing apoptosis when transfected into 3T3 and 293 cells, and can also activate NF-kappaB in 293 cells. Like TNFR1, WSL-1 will homodimerize in yeast. WSL-1 also interacts specifically with the TNFR1-associated molecule TRADD. The tissue distribution is very restricted and significantly different from that of Fas and TNFR1.

Cascino I, Papoff G, De Maria R, Testi R, Ruberti G
Fas/Apo-1 (CD95) receptor lacking the intracytoplasmic signaling domain protects tumor cells from Fas-mediated apoptosis.
J Immunol. 1996; 156: 13-7
Display abstract
FAS/Apo-1 (CD95) is an apoptosis-signaling cell surface receptor belonging to the TNF receptor family. Tumor cells resistant to Fas-mediated apoptosis have been described, but to date, the mechanisms responsible for this resistance are not well understood. We found that a series of apoptosis-resistant clones from human HUT78 lymphoma cells express a splicing variant coding for a truncated Fas molecule that lacks the intracellular death-signaling domain. The mutation responsible for the FasExo8Del expression was identified as a deletion-insertion in the intron 7/exon 8 region of the Fas gene. Moreover this mutation affects the phenotype in a dominant negative fashion, i.e., even in the presence of the normal receptor.

Ware CF, VanArsdale S, VanArsdale TL
Apoptosis mediated by the TNF-related cytokine and receptor families.
J Cell Biochem. 1996; 60: 47-55
Display abstract
T lymphocytes use several specialized mechanisms to induce apoptotic cell death. The tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related family of membrane-anchored and secreted ligands represent a major mechanism regulating cell death and cell survival. These ligands also coordinate differentiation of tissue to defend against intracellular pathogens and regulate development of lymphoid tissue. Cellular responses are initiated by a corresponding family of specific receptors that includes two distinct TNFR (TNFR60 and TNFR80), Fas (CD95), CD40, p75NTF, and the recently identified lymphotoxin beta-receptor (LT beta R), among others. The MHC-encoded cytokines, TNF and LT alpha, form homomeric trimers, whereas LT beta assembles into heterotrimers with LT alpha, creating multimeric ligands with distinct receptor specificities. The signal transduction cascade is initiated by transmembrane aggregation (clustering) of receptor cytoplasmic domains induced by binding to their multivalent ligands. The TRAF family of Zn RING/finger proteins bind to TNFR80; CD40 and LT beta R are involved in induction NF kappa B and cell survival. TNFR60 and Fas interact with several distinct cytosolic proteins sharing the "death domain" homology region. TNF binding to TNFR60 activates a serine protein kinase activity and phosphoproteins are recruited to the receptor forming a multicomponent signaling complex. Thus, TNFRs use diverse sets of signaling molecules to initiate and regulate cell death and survival pathways.

Chen P, Lee P, Otto L, Abrams J
Apoptotic activity of REAPER is distinct from signaling by the tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 death domain.
J Biol Chem. 1996; 271: 25735-7
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REAPER (RPR) is a 65-amino acid protein that is critical activator of programmed cell death in Drosophila. On the basis of sequence alignment data, it was recently proposed that RPR might represent an ancestral molecule from which the death domain in a number of proteins may have evolved. We tested this idea by examining the activity of mutations in RPR that parallel inactivation mutations of the tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 death domain. The RPR mutants retained potent apoptotic function, suggesting that cell death activity mediated by RPR is distinct from signaling by the tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 death domain.

Takeda Y, Gon S, Takei H, Sendo F
[TNF/TNFR gene and apoptosis]
Nippon Rinsho. 1996; 54: 1888-94
Display abstract
Intracellular signal transduction pathways induced by in the reaction of TNF and TNF receptors has been clarified through finding of various TNF receptor associated intracytoplasmic molecules. The possible role of these signal transduction pathways for apoptosis induced by TNF is discussed.

Yoo J, Stone RT, Beattie CW
Cloning and characterization of the bovine Fas.
DNA Cell Biol. 1996; 15: 227-34
Display abstract
Fas (APO-1, CD95), a member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor superfamily, is a cell membrane protein that mediates programmed cell death (apoptosis). In an effort to characterize the possible role of Fas-mediated apoptosis in some important physiological processes in livestock, bovine Fas (bFas) cDNA was isolated and its nucleotide sequence determined. The predicted amino acid sequence encodes a 323-amino-acid protein that contains a leader peptide, a transmembrane domain, and three domains of cysteine-rich motif within the extracellular region. At the amino acid level, bFas is 57% and 50% identical to human (hFas) and mouse (mFas), respectively. Its expression is abundant in peripheral blood lymphocytes, lung, spleen, thymus, and ovary, but minimal in heart, liver, and brain. A polyclonal anti-bFas serum raised against the carboxy-terminal half of cysteine-rich motif I recognized a single 46-kD protein in bovine MDBK cells by Western blot analysis. To investigate the apoptotic activity of bFas, MDBK and bFas-transfected L929 cells were exposed to a monoclonal anti-hFas IgM. Unlike other cell culture systems, the antibody failed to trigger cell death in MDBK and bFas transfected L929 cells.

Owen-Schaub LB, Angelo LS, Radinsky R, Ware CF, Gesner TG, Bartos DP
Soluble Fas/APO-1 in tumor cells: a potential regulator of apoptosis?
Cancer Lett. 1995; 94: 1-8
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Fas/APO-1, a member of the NGF/TNF receptor superfamily expressed on the cell-surface of normal and malignant cells, is known to induce cell death by apoptosis. In the present study, we have investigated Fas/APO-1 gene defects in a human osteosarcoma cell line resistant to the apoptosis-inducing effects of anti-Fas. cDNA cloning and sequencing revealed that these cells contained both 'authentic' and mutant Fas/APO-1 containing a 63 base pair in-frame deletion spanning the transmembrane domain, designated DFas/APO-1. Direct evidence for the existence of a soluble Fas/APO-1 protein was obtained by immunoprecipitation and Western blotting. Taken together with prior studies demonstrating a role for Fas/APO-1 and Fas ligand, respectively, in tumor target cell killing by cytotoxic T-lymphocytes, production of soluble Fas/APO-1 might have significant implications in malignant disease pathogenesis.

Boldin MP, Mett IL, Wallach D
A protein related to a proteasomal subunit binds to the intracellular domain of the p55 TNF receptor upstream to its 'death domain'.
FEBS Lett. 1995; 367: 39-44
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A novel protein that binds specifically to the intracellular domain of the p55 tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor was cloned by two-hybrid screening of a HeLa cell cDNA library. Data bank searches revealed high sequence similarity of the protein (55.11) to yeast, nematode and plant proteins, whose functions are yet unknown. Significant similarity was also found between 55.11 and SEN3, the yeast equivalent of the p112 subunit of the 26S proteasome. Deletion analysis showed that the protein binds to the p55 receptor upstream to the region involved in induction of cell death.

Kim CH, Song YH, Park K, Oh Y, Lee TH
Induction of cell death by myristylated death domain of p55 TNF receptor is not abolished by Iprcg-like point mutation in death domain.
J Inflamm. 1995; 45: 312-22
Display abstract
We transiently expressed the intracellular domains of p55 TNF receptor (TNFR1) as either a cytosolic- or a membrane-associated form and examined their effects on the endogenous receptor-mediated gene expression as well as on cell viability. We found that gene expression as measured by luciferase activity under NF-kappa B-controlling elements was blocked by all forms of the intracellular domain of TNFR1. The blockade of reporter gene expression was due to the cell death induced by the intracellular domain of TNFR1 per se. The killing mechanism of the intracellular domain peptides appeared to be apoptotic. Interestingly, myristylated form of the intracellular domain, consisting of mainly death domain showed the most potent cell-killing activity. Moreover, this myristylated death domain could still induce cell death even if lprcg-like point mutation (Leu351 to Ala), which has been reported to abrogate TNF-induced cytotoxicity, was introduced. This result suggests that the myristylated death domain activates an additional death signaling pathway which is not involved in TNF-induced cell death.

Gruss HJ, Dower SK
The TNF ligand superfamily and its relevance for human diseases.
Cytokines Mol Ther. 1995; 1: 75-105
Display abstract
The tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor superfamily comprises 10 different members of type I integral membrane glycoproteins with characteristic limited sequence homology for the extracellular cysteine-rich repeats. A parallel existing TNF ligand superfamily has been discovered by cloning of ligands for all of the TNF receptor superfamily members. These molecules are type II membrane glycoproteins, with the exception of LT-alpha, which is the only secreted protein of the family. TNF and CD95L also exist in biologically active shed soluble form. The TNF ligand superfamily presently contains nine different proteins. In addition, the NGFR p75 binds to a second family of proteins. These NGF-like dimeric soluble molecules are basic neurotrophic factors, and the five members are not related to the TNF superfamily ligands. The TNF-like ligands share some common biological activities, but other activities appear to be shared only by some ligands or are unique. The diverse biological effects mediated through the interaction of the members of the TNF receptor and ligand superfamilies have provided information on the regulation of cellular activation, including the involvement of T-cell-dependent immune responses as well as associations with human diseases.

Boldin MP, Varfolomeev EE, Pancer Z, Mett IL, Camonis JH, Wallach D
A novel protein that interacts with the death domain of Fas/APO1 contains a sequence motif related to the death domain.
J Biol Chem. 1995; 270: 7795-8
Display abstract
Signaling for cell death by Fas/APO1 occurs via a distinct region in its intracellular domain. This region contains a conserved sequence motif, the death domain motif, that is also found in the intracellular domains of the p55 tumor necrosis factor receptor and the low affinity nerve growth factor receptor, as well as in the regulatory domain of the ankyrins. A novel protein that specifically binds to the death domain of Fas/APO1 but not to Fas/APO1 molecules with a loss of function point mutation occurring in lprcg mice was cloned by a two-hybrid screen of a HeLa cells' cDNA library. The cloned protein itself contains a death domain motif, and this region binds to the death domain of Fas/APO1, while the region upstream to the death domain prompts self-association of the protein. Induced expression of the protein results in ligand-independent triggering of cytotoxicity, suggesting that it is involved in cell death induction by Fas/APO1.

Fadeel B, Thorpe J, Chiodi F
Mapping of the linear site on the Fas/APO-1 molecule targeted by the prototypic anti-Fas mAb.
Int Immunol. 1995; 7: 1967-75
Display abstract
Fas/APO-1 is a member of the nerve growth factor/tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family of receptors and has been shown to mediate apoptotic cell death upon binding of specific mAb. We report here that the prototypic anti-human Fas mAb (clone CH-11) induces apoptosis by binding to a linear epitope present on the extracellular domain of the Fas/APO-1 protein. Synthetic peptides corresponding to this epitope blocked the apoptotic effect of the antibody in a susceptible Jurkat T cell line. Based upon the similarity between the Fas/APO-1 protein and the recently crystallized soluble TNF receptor type I, we generated a molecular model of Fas/APO-1, Our computer modeling indicates that the antibody binding region forms a hairpin loop on the surface of the Fas/ APO-1 protein. These findings further our understanding of the Fas/APO-1-mediated apoptotic signal and may provide a useful tool in future investigations of programmed cell death.

Golstein P, Marguet D, Depraetere V
Homology between reaper and the cell death domains of Fas and TNFR1.
Cell. 1995; 81: 185-6

Chapman BS
A region of the 75 kDa neurotrophin receptor homologous to the death domains of TNFR-I and Fas.
FEBS Lett. 1995; 374: 216-20
Display abstract
Members of the NTR/TNFR family mediate apoptosis in many tissues, yet sequence homology has not been detected in their intracellular domains except for a 'death domain' in TNFR-I and Fas. Here, a region of the 75 kDa neurotrophin receptor (NTR) has been aligned with this apoptosis-inducing motif. Peptides at the carboxyl terminus of each domain potentially form amphiphilic helices, one of which (in NTR) resembles mastoparan, a G-protein activating peptide. Molecular models of three death-region peptides suggest that observed sequence similarities reflect a common structure, perhaps capable of undergoing an induced coil to helix transition.

Aggarwal BB, Singh S, LaPushin R, Totpal K
Fas antigen signals proliferation of normal human diploid fibroblast and its mechanism is different from tumor necrosis factor receptor.
FEBS Lett. 1995; 364: 5-8
Display abstract
Recent cloning of the cDNA for Fas/Apo-1 and its ligand has revealed that they belong to the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor and TNF family, respectively, and play an important role in apoptosis (programmed cell death). Like TNF, antibodies against the Fas antigen (anti-Fas) have been shown to be cytotoxic to Fas-expressing cells. Whether Fas, like TNF receptor, also mediates proliferation of normal human diploid fibroblasts (HDF), is not known. In this study, we show that HDF expresses Fas antigen and the engagement of this antigen signals proliferation of these cells in a dose-dependent manner. Unlike TNF receptor, however, Fas-mediated proliferation of HDF could not be blocked by orthovanadate, a tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor. The difference in the signaling was further evident from our observation that TNF induced the expression of interleukin-6 but anti-Fas did not. Overall, our results demonstrate for the first time that besides cell killing, Fas also mediates proliferation of HDF and that its mechanism is different from that of TNF receptor.

Stanger BZ, Leder P, Lee TH, Kim E, Seed B
RIP: a novel protein containing a death domain that interacts with Fas/APO-1 (CD95) in yeast and causes cell death.
Cell. 1995; 81: 513-23
Display abstract
Ligation of the extracellular domain of the cell surface receptor Fas/APO-1 (CD95) elicits a characteristic programmed death response in susceptible cells. Using a genetic selection based on protein-protein interaction in yeast, we have identified two gene products that associate with the intracellular domain of Fas: Fas itself, and a novel 74 kDa protein we have named RIP, for receptor interacting protein. RIP also interacts weakly with the p55 tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR1) intracellular domain, but not with a mutant version of Fas corresponding to the murine lprcg mutation. RIP contains an N-terminal region with homology to protein kinases and a C-terminal region containing a cytoplasmic motif (death domain) present in the Fas and TNFR1 intracellular domains. Transient overexpression of RIP causes transfected cells to undergo the morphological changes characteristic of apoptosis. Taken together, these properties indicate that RIP is a novel form of apoptosis-inducing protein.

Cleveland JL, Ihle JN
Contenders in FasL/TNF death signaling.
Cell. 1995; 81: 479-82

Wong GH, Goeddel DV
Fas antigen and p55 TNF receptor signal apoptosis through distinct pathways.
J Immunol. 1994; 152: 1751-5
Display abstract
The Fas Ag and the p55 TNF receptor (TNF-R1) are related molecules that can signal apoptosis. Some tumor cell lines are selectively killed by Fas activation and others by TNF-R1 activation even though both receptors are often co-expressed. TNF-R1-mediated cytotoxicity can be selectively inhibited under conditions in which Fas-mediated cell death is not affected. Activation of both receptors results in synergistic signaling of apoptosis. These results indicate that different biochemical pathways are activated by Fas and TNF-R1. Combination treatment with agonists of Fas and TNF-R1 may have therapeutic potential.

Schulze-Osthoff K, Krammer PH, Droge W
Divergent signalling via APO-1/Fas and the TNF receptor, two homologous molecules involved in physiological cell death.
EMBO J. 1994; 13: 4587-96
Display abstract
Tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNF-R) and APO-1/Fas (CD95) are members of the tumor necrosis factor/nerve growth factor receptor superfamily involved in various forms of physiological cell death. Due to the structural homology between these receptors and their ligands, it has been suggested that APO-1/Fas and TNF-R kill cells by similar mechanisms. Here, we compared the killing pathways mediated by each receptor molecule in TNF-sensitive L929 cells stably transfected with APO-1/Fas cDNA. Morphological analysis revealed that TNF-induced cell death resembles necrosis, while APO-1/Fas-mediated cell killing shows an apoptotic pattern, evident by the appearance of membrane blebbing, nuclear condensation and non-random DNA degradation. Studies with inhibitors of several intracellular pathways further demonstrate that the mechanisms of TNF- and APO-1/Fas-mediated cell killing are substantially different. TNF cytotoxicity is mediated by reactive oxygen intermediates generated during mitochondrial respiration. However, these mediators are not involved in APO-1/Fas-mediated cell death as neither mitochondrial inhibitors nor antioxidants exert a protecting effect. Moreover, several inhibitors of calcium metabolism, ADP ribosylation and phospholipase action suppress TNF cytotoxicity, but not APO-1/Fas-mediated apoptosis. Additional differences between the two molecules were observed at the transcriptional level. Whereas transcription factor NF-kappa B was readily activated by TNF, activation was not induced by triggering APO-1/Fas. These data suggest that the two molecules, though structurally related, utilize distinct signal transduction pathways, even in a single cell type. Hence, cells may undergo different programs of cell death depending on the activating stimulus.

Grell M, Krammer PH, Scheurich P
Segregation of APO-1/Fas antigen- and tumor necrosis factor receptor-mediated apoptosis.
Eur J Immunol. 1994; 24: 2563-6
Display abstract
The cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and the APO-1/Fas ligand represent typical inducers of apoptosis, i.e. programmed cell death. A limited sequence homology between the TNF receptor TR60 (p55) and the APO-1/Fas (CD95) antigen in their intracellular domains suggests overlapping signaling pathways. The TNF-sensitive cell line KYM-1, which expresses high numbers of both TNF receptors and the APO-1/Fas antigen, is highly sensitive towards triggering of apoptosis by each of the TNF receptors, but resistant to APO-1/Fas stimulation. The opposite response pattern was obtained using the B lymphoid line SKW 6.4, which also co-expresses all three cell surface molecules. Furthermore, no co-modulation of APO-1/Fas by down-regulation of cell surface expressed TR60 and/or TR80 receptors, and vice versa, was found. These data argue against a physical interaction of TNF receptors with APO-1/Fas and, in addition, demonstrate cell specific control of induction of apoptosis and usage of distinct signaling pathways by these receptor molecules.

Muller T, Dieckmann T, Sebald W, Oschkinat H
Aspects of receptor binding and signalling of interleukin-4 investigated by site-directed mutagenesis and NMR spectroscopy.
J Mol Biol. 1994; 237: 423-36
Display abstract
Cytokines are hormones that carry information from cell to cell. This information is read from their surface upon binding to transmembrane receptors and by the subsequent initiation of receptor oligomerization. An influence on this process through mutagenesis on the hormone surface is highly desirable for medical reasons. However, an understanding of hormone-receptor interactions requires insight into the structural changes introduced by the mutations. In this line structural studies on human IL-4 and the medically important IL-4 antagonists Y124D and Y124G are presented. The site around Y124 is an important epitope responsible for the ability of IL-4 to cause a signal in the target cells. It is shown that the local main-chain structure around residue 124 in the variants remains unchanged. A strategy is presented here which allows the study of these types of proteins and their variants by NMR which does not require carbon labelled samples.

Tartaglia LA, Ayres TM, Wong GH, Goeddel DV
A novel domain within the 55 kd TNF receptor signals cell death.
Cell. 1993; 74: 845-53
Display abstract
Deletion mutagenesis of the intracellular region of the 55 kd TNF receptor (TNF-R1) identified an approximately 80 amino acid domain near the C-terminus responsible for signaling cytotoxicity. This domain shows weak homology with the intracellular domain of Fas antigen, a transmembrane polypeptide that can also initiate a signal for cytotoxicity. Alanine-scanning mutagenesis of TNF-R1 confirmed that many of the amino acids conserved with Fas antigen are critical for the cytotoxic signal. This region of TNF-R1-Fas homology is therefore likely to define a novel domain (death domain) that signals programmed cell death. Mutations within the death domain of TNF-R1 also disrupted its ability to signal anti-viral activity and nitric oxide (NO) synthase induction. In addition, large deletions in the membrane-proximal half of the intracellular domain did not block signaling of cytotoxicity or anti-viral activity but did block induction of NO synthase.

Oehm A et al.
Purification and molecular cloning of the APO-1 cell surface antigen, a member of the tumor necrosis factor/nerve growth factor receptor superfamily. Sequence identity with the Fas antigen.
J Biol Chem. 1992; 267: 10709-15
Display abstract
The APO-1 antigen as defined by the mouse monoclonal antibody anti-APO-1 was previously found to be expressed on the cell surface of activated human T and B lymphocytes and a variety of malignant human lymphoid cell lines. Cross-linking of the APO-1 antigen by anti-APO-1 induced programmed cell death, apoptosis, of APO-1 positive cells. To characterize the APO-1 cell surface molecule and to better understand its role in induction of apoptosis, the APO-1 protein was purified to homogeneity from membranes of SKW6.4 B lymphoblastoid cells by solubilization with sodium deoxycholate, affinity chromatography with anti-APO-1 antibody, and reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography. Each purification step was followed by an APO-1-specific solid phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using the monoclonal antibody anti-APO-1. In sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the APO-1 antigen was found to be a membrane glycoprotein of 48-kDa. Endoproteinase-cleaved peptides of the APO-1 protein were subjected to amino acid sequencing, and corresponding oligonucleotides were used to identify a full-length APO-1 cDNA clone from an SKW6.4 cDNA library. The deduced amino acid sequence of APO-1 showed sequence identity with the Fas antigen, a cysteine-rich transmembrane protein of 335 amino acids with significant similarity to the members of the tumor necrosis factor/nerve growth factor receptor superfamily. The APO-1 antigen was expressed upon transfection of APO-1 cDNA into BL60-P7 Burkitt's lymphoma cells and conferred sensitivity towards anti-APO-1-induced apoptosis to the transfectants.