The engulfment receptor Draper is required for autophagy during cell death

Autophagy is a process to degrade and recycle cytoplasmic contents. Autophagy is required for survival in response to starvation, but has also been associated with cell death. How autophagy functions during cell survival in some contexts and cell death in others is unknown. Drosophila larval salivary glands undergo programmed cell death requiring autophagy genes, and are cleared in the absence of known phagocytosis. Recently, we demonstrated that Draper (Drpr), the Drosophila homolog of C. elegans engulfment receptor CED-1, is required for autophagy induction

during cell death, but not during cell survival. drpr mutants fail to clear salivary glands. drpr knockdown in salivary glands prevents the induction of autophagy, and Atg1 misexpression in drpr null mutants suppresses salivary gland persistence. Surprisingly, drpr knockdown cell-autonomously prevents autophagy induction in dying salivary gland cells, but not in larval fat body cells following starvation. This is the first engulfment factor shown to function in cellular self-clearance, and the first report of a cell-death-specific autophagy regulator.     

The engulfment receptor Draper is required for autophagy during cell death

Autophagy is a process to degrade and recycle cytoplasmic contents. Autophagy is required for survival in response to starvation, but has also been associated with cell death. How autophagy functions during cell survival in some contexts and cell death in others is unknown. Drosophila larval salivary glands undergo programmed cell death requiring autophagy genes, and are cleared in the absence of known phagocytosis. Recently, we demonstrated that Draper (Drpr), the Drosophila homolog of C. elegans engulfment receptor CED-1, is required for autophagy induction during cell death, but not during cell survival. drpr mutants fail to clear salivary glands. drpr knockdown in salivary glands prevents the induction of autophagy, and Atg1 misexpression in drpr null mutants suppresses salivary gland persistence. Surprisingly, drpr knockdown cell-autonomously prevents autophagy induction in dying salivary gland cells, but not in larval fat body cells following starvation. This is the first engulfment factor shown to function in cellular self-clearance, and the first report of a cell-death-specific autophagy regulator.Key words: autophagy, Draper, programmed cell death, engulfment, developmentProgrammed cell death is required for animal development and tissue homeostasis. Improper cell death leads to pathologies including autoimmunity and cancer. Several morphological forms of cell death occur during animal development, including apoptosis and autophagic cell death. Autophagic cell death is characterized by the presence of autophagosomes in dying cells that are not known to be engulfed by phagocytes. Autophagic cell death is observed during several types of mammalian developmental cell death, including regression of the corpus luteum and involution of mammary and prostate glands.During macroautophagy (autophagy), cytoplasmic components are sequestered by autophagosomes and delivered to the lysosome for degradation. Autophagy is a cellular response to stress required for survival in response to starvation. Whereas autophagy has been associated with cell death, it is unknown how autophagy is distinguished during cell death and cell survival. Autophagy is induced in Drosophila in response to starvation in the fat body where it promotes cell survival, while autophagy is induced by the steroid hormone ecdysone in salivary glands where it promotes cell death. This allows studies of autophagy in different cell types and in response to different stimuli.Drosophila larval salivary glands die with autophagic cell death morphology and autophagy is required for their degradation. Expression of the caspase inhibitor p35 enhances salivary gland persistence in Atg mutants, suggesting that caspases and autophagy function in parallel during salivary gland degradation. Either activation of caspases or Atg1 misexpression is sufficient to induce ectopic salivary gland clearance. We queried genome-wide microarray data from purified dying salivary glands and noted the induction of engulfment genes, those required for a phagocyte to consume and degrade a dying cell. We also noted few detectable changes in engulfment genes in Drosophila larvae during starvation.We found that Drpr, the Drosophila orthologue of C. elegans engulfment receptor CED-1, is enriched in dying salivary glands, and drpr null mutants have persistent salivary glands. Interestingly, whereas knockdown of drpr in phagocytic blood cells fails to influence salivary gland clearance, expression of drpr-RNAi in salivary glands prevents gland clearance. Drosophila drpr is alternatively spliced to produce three isoforms. We found that drpr-I-specific knockdown prevents salivary gland degradation and Drpr-I expression in salivary glands of drpr null mutants rescues salivary gland persistence. Therefore, drpr is autonomously required for salivary gland clearance. However, how Drpr is induced or activated during hormone-regulated cell death remains to be determined.drpr knockdown fails to influence caspase activation, and caspase inhibitor p35 expression in drpr null mutants enhances salivary gland persistence, suggesting that Drpr functions downstream or parallel to caspases in dying salivary glands. Interestingly, we found that drpr knockdown in salivary glands prevents the formation of GFP-LC3 puncta. Further, Atg1 misexpression in salivary glands of drpr null mutants suppresses salivary gland persistence. drpr is therefore required for autophagy induction in salivary glands, and Atg1 functions downstream of Drpr in this tissue. We found that several other engulfment genes are required for salivary gland degradation. However, the Drpr signaling mechanism leading to autophagy induction in salivary glands remains to be elucidated.We tested whether drpr is a general regulator of autophagy. The Drosophila fat body is a nutrient storage and mobilization organ akin to the mammalian liver, and is a well-established model to study starvation-induced autophagy. We found that drpr-RNAi expression in fat body clone cells fails to prevent GFP-Atg8 puncta formation in response to starvation. Similarly, drpr null fat body clone cells form Cherry-Atg8 puncta after starvation. Strikingly, drpr-RNAi expression in salivary gland clone cells inhibits the formation of GFP-Atg8 puncta. Therefore, drpr is cell-autonomously required for autophagy induction in dying salivary gland cells, but not for autophagy induction in fat body cells after starvation. These findings suggest that distinct signaling mechanisms regulate autophagy in response to nutrient deprivation compared to steroid hormone induction. Little is known about what distinguishes autophagy function in cell survival versus death. It is possible that varying levels of autophagy are induced during specific cell contexts and that high levels of autophagy could overwhelm a cell—leading to cell death. Autophagic degradation of specific cargo, such as cell death inhibitors, could also contribute to cell death.Given recent interest in manipulation of autophagy for therapies, it is possible that factors such as Drpr could be used as biomarkers to distinguish autophagy leading to cell death versus cell survival. While it is generally accepted that augmentation of protein clearance by autophagy during neurodegeneration would be beneficial, the role of autophagy in tumor progression is less clear. For example, monoallelic loss of the human Atg6 homolog beclin 1 is prevalent in human cancers, suggesting that autophagy is a tumorsuppressive mechanism. Thus, autophagy enhancers have been proposed for cancer prevention. However, autophagy occurs in tumor cells as a survival mechanism, and autophagy inhibitors have been proposed for anti-cancer therapies. Understanding how autophagy is regulated in different contexts is critical for appropriate therapeutic strategies.     

Mechanisms of programmed cell death in the midgut and salivary glands from Bradysia hygida (Diptera: Sciaridae) during pupal–adult metamorphosis

Programmed cell death is involved with the degeneration/remodeling of larval tissues and organs during holometabolous development. The midgut is a model to study the types of programmed cell death associated with metamorphosis because its structure while degenerating is a substrate for the formation of the adult organ. Another model is the salivary glands from dipteran because their elimination involves different cell death modes. This study aimed to investigate the models of programmed cell death operating during midgut replacement and salivary gland histolysis in Bradysia hygida. We carried out experiments of real‐time observations, morphological analysis, glycogen detection, filamentous‐actin localization, and nuclear acridine orange staining. Our findings allow us to establish that an intact actin cytoskeleton is required for midgut replacement in B. hygida and nuclear condensation and acridine orange staining precede the death of the larval cells. Salivary glands in histolysis present cytoplasmic blebbing, nuclear retraction, and acridine orange staining. This process can be partially reproduced in vitro. We propose that the larval midgut death involves autophagic and apoptotic features and apoptosis is a mechanism involved with salivary gland histolysis.     

Autophagy and apoptosis coordinate physiological cell death in larval salivary glands of Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Larval salivary glands of bees provide a good model for the study of hormone-induced programmed cell death in Hymenoptera because they have a well-defined secretory cycle with a peak of secretory activity phase, prior to cocoon spinning, and a degenerative phase, after the cocoon spinning. Our findings demonstrate that there is a relationship between apoptosis and autophagy during physiological cell death in these larval salivary glands, that adds evidence to the hypothesis of overlap in the regulation pathways of both types of programmed cell death. Features of autophagy include cytoplasm vacuolation, acid phosphatase activity, presence of autophagic vacuoles and multi-lamellar structures, as well as a delay in the collapse of many nuclei. Features of apoptosis include bleb formation in the cytoplasm and nuclei, with release of parts of the cytoplasm into the lumen, chromatin compaction, and DNA and nucleolar fragmentation. We propose a model for programmed cell death in larval salivary glands of Apis mellifera where autophagy and apoptosis function cooperatively for a more efficient degeneration of the gland secretory cells.     

Vacuole dynamics in the salivary glands of Drosophila melanogaster during prepupal development

A central function of the Drosophila salivary glands (SGs), historically known for their polytene chromosomes, is to produce and then release during pupariation the secretory glue used to affix a newly formed puparium to a substrate. This essential event in the life history of Drosophila is regulated by the steroid hormone ecdysone in the late‐larval period. Ecdysone triggers a cascade of sequential gene activation that leads to glue secretion and initiates the developmentally‐regulated programmed cell death (PCD) of the larval salivary glands, which culminates 16 h after puparium formation (APF). We demonstrate here that, even after the larval salivary glands have completed what is perceived to be one of their major biological functions – glue secretion during pupariation – they remain dynamic and physiologically active up until the execution phase of PCD. We have used specific metabolic inhibitors and genetic tools, including mutations or transgenes for shi, Rab5, Rab11, vha55, vha68‐2, vha36‐1, syx1A, syx4, and Vps35 to characterize the dramatic series of cellular changes occurring in the SG cells between pupariation and 7–8 h APF. Early in the prepupal period, they are remarkably active in endocytosis, forming acidic vacuoles. Midway through the prepupal period, there is abundant late endosomal trafficking and vacuole growth, which is followed later by vacuole neutralization and disappearance via membrane consolidation. This work provides new insights into the function of Drosophila SGs during the early‐ to mid‐prepupal period.     

Cell differentiation during the ontogeny of larval salivary glands of the fly, Telmatoscopus albipunctatus

Using the larvae, pharate pupa, and pharate adults of the moth fly, Telmatoscopus albipunctatus, histological and ultrastructural features of the salivary glands were investigated. The gland lumen contains a milky secretion from the first instar. This secretion continues to ccur at all subsequent developmental stages; with the onset of the pharate pupal stage, however, the secretion becomes transparent and rather viscous. Histochemical tests revealed that it is mainly proteinaceous. Glands from the same developmental stage may respond differently to PAS-reaction.Various cell organelles were compared at consecutive stages of larval development and of secretory activity of the salivary glands. In first and second instar larvae autophagic vacuoles are virtually absent in the salivary gland cells. They were occasionally found in the third instar, when they appear to be engaged in the process of organelle turnover. Histolysis of the larval glands is initiated towards the close of the fourth instar when the number of autophagic vacuoles starts to increase. Simultaneously, the cytoplasm, previously full of ribosomes and endoplasmic reticulum, starts losing these structures. At the beginning of the pharate adult stage, the cytoplasm becomes practically devoid of all structures other than those engaged in autophagy.Polyteny of the chromosomes during ontogeny of the larval salivary glands is also discussed.     

Real-time observation of autophagic programmed cell death of<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Drosophila</Emphasis> salivary glands in vitro

Autophagy, a form of programmed cell death (PCD) that is morphologically distinguished from apoptosis, is thought to be as prevalent as apoptosis, at least during development. In insect metamorphosis, the steroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (ecdysone) activates autophagic PCD to eliminate larval structures that are no longer needed. However, in comparison with apoptosis, there are not many studies on the regulation mechanisms of autophagy. To provide a useful model for studying autophagic PCD, I established an in vitro culture system that enables real-time observation of the autophagic cell destruction of Drosophila salivary glands. The new system revealed that de novo gene expression was still required for the destruction of salivary glands dissected from phanerocephalic pupae. This indicates the usefulness of the system for exploring genes that participate in the last processes of autophagic PCD.Edited by N. Satoh     

Autophagy and Apoptosis Coordinate Physiological Cell Death in Larval Salivary Glands of Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Larval salivary glands of bees provide a good model for the study of hormone-induced programmed cell death in Hymenoptera because they have a well-defined secretory cycle with a peak of secretory activity phase, prior to cocoon spinning, and a degenerative phase, after the cocoon spinning. Our findings demonstrate that there is a relationship between apoptosis and autophagy during physiological cell death in these larval salivary glands, that adds evidence to the hypothesis of overlap in the regulation pathways of both types of programmed cell death. Features of authophagy include cytoplasm vacuolation, acid phosphatase activity, presence of autophagic vacuoles and multi-lamellar structures, as well as a delay in the collapse of many nuclei. Features of apoptosis include bleb formation in the cytoplasm and nuclei, with release of parts of the cytoplasm into the lumen, chromatin compaction, and DNA and nucleolar fragmentation. We propose a model for programmed cell death in larval salivary glands of Apis mellifera where autophagy and apoptosis function cooperatively for a more efficient degeneration of the gland secretory cells.

Addendum to:

Programmed Cell Death in the Larval Salivary Glands of Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

E.C.M. Silva-Zacarin, G.A. Tomaino, M.R. Brochetto-Braga, S.R. Taboga, R.L.M. Silva de Moraes

J Biosci 2007; 32:309-28     

The post-embryonic changes in Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides Lep. (Hym. Apoidea). II. Development of the salivary glands system

The paper deals with the development of the salivary gland system in Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides, which begins in the prepupal stage. The silk glands degenerate by autolysis at the end of the larval stage. Degeneration is characterized by cytoplasmic vacuolization and pycnosis of the nuclei of the secretory cells. The glandular secretory portion of degenerated silk glands separates from the excretory ducts. The salivary glands develop from the duct of the larval silk glands. The thoracic salivary glands develop from the ducts of the secretory tubules and the head salivary glands from the terminal excretory duct. The mandibular glands appear in the prepupa as invaginations of mandibular segments, and their differentiation to attain the adult configuration occurs during pupation. The hypopharyngeal glands have their origin from evaginations of the ventral anterior portion of the pharynx. A long tubule first appears with walls formed by more than one cellular layer. Then some cells separate from the lumen of the duct, staying attached to it by a cuticular channel in part intracellular. The initial duct constitutes the axial duct, in which the channel of the secretory cells opens. During the development of salivary and mandibular glands, they recapitulate primitive stages of the phylogeny of the bees. During the development of salivary glands system, mitosis accounts for only part of the growth. Most of the growth occurs by increase in size of cells rather than by cell division. In brown-eyed and pigmented pupae six days before emergence, the salivary gland system is completely developed, although not yet functioning.     

An in vitro analysis of ecdysteroid-elicited cell death in the prothoracic gland of Manduca sexta

The prothoracic glands of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta, secrete the precursor of the insect molting hormone and normally undergo programmed cell death (PCD) during pupal-adult metamorphosis, between days 5 and 6 after pupation. This phenomenon can be elicited prematurely in vitro by the addition of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) to the gland cultures. To induce nuclear condensation in vitro in the glands from day-1 pupae, the effective dose range of 20E is 0.7-7 micrograms/ml and the minimum exposure period is 24 h. Prothoracic glands from different stages of pupal-adult development express different responsiveness to exogenous ecdysteroids. By utilizing terminal deoxynucleotidyl-transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end-labeling (TUNEL) and the apoptotic DNA laddering method together with transmission electron microscopy, it has been demonstrated that the ecdysteroid-induced cell death of the prothoracic glands occurs via not only apoptosis but also autophagy, i.e., the induced dying cells show both severe nuclear fragmentation and autophagic vacuole formation, characteristics typical of apoptotic and autophagic cell death. The composite data indicate that ecdysteroids regulate directly both apoptotic and autophagic mechanisms of PCD of the prothoracic glands.     

Induction of minisatellite mutations in the mouse germline by low-dose chronic exposure to gamma-radiation and fission neutrons

Germline mutation induction at mouse minisatellite loci by paternal low-dose (0.125-1 Gy) exposure to chronic (1.66 x 10(-4) Gy min(-1)) low-linear energy transfer (low-LET) gamma-irradiation and high-LET fission neutrons (0.003 Gy min(-1)) was studied at pre-meiotic stages of spermatogenesis. Both types of radiation produced linear dose-response curves for mutation of the paternal allele. In contrast to previous results using higher doses, the pattern of induction of minisatellite mutation after chronic gamma-irradiation was similar to acute (0.5 Gy min(-1)) exposure to X-rays, indicating that the elevated mutation rate was independent of the ability of the cell to repair damage induced immediately or over a period of up to 100 h. Chronic exposure to fission neutrons was more effective than acute or chronic low-LET exposure (relative biological effectiveness, RBE=3.36). The data also provide strong support for the previous conclusion that increases in minisatellite mutation rate are not caused by radiation-induced DNA damage at minisatellite loci themselves, but rather from damage induced by ionising radiation elsewhere in the genome/cell.     

Cytoskeletal F-actin patterns in whole-mounted larval and adult salivary glands of the fleshfly, Sarcophaga bullata.

The patterns of filamentous actin were analysed in different larval, pupal and adult stages in the salivary glands of the fleshfly Sarcophaga bullata. Using the rhodamine labelled phalloidin staining method in combination with detergent extraction specific actin filament distribution was detected. The salivary glands which are histolysed during the process of metamorphosis show distinct cellular morphology and actin filament patterns in larvae and adults. The large third instar larval salivary gland cells contain a well developed apicolateral microvillar zone. In third instar larvae this microvillar zone invaginates and expands in the basal part of the lateral membranes. Larval salivary gland cells also contain numerous parallel basal actin bundles. The larval glands are histolysed during metamorphosis and adult glands are formed out of the imaginal cell group. At the onset of metamorphosis these basal actin bundles form a network of crossing bundles. The filamentous actin patterns of the proximal part of adult gland cells is confined to the apicolateral microvillar membranes. The cells in the distal, tubular part of the adult salivary glands show intense staining of their folded lateral membranes.     

Precise temporal regulation of roughest is required for correct salivary gland autophagic cell death in Drosophila

The Drosophila roughest (rst) locus encodes an immunoglobulin superfamily transmembrane glycoprotein implicated in a variety of embryonic and postembryonic developmental processes. Here we demonstrate a previously unnoticed role for this gene in the autophagic elimination of larval salivary glands during early pupal stages by showing that overexpression of the Rst protein ectodomain in early pupa leads to persistence of salivary glands up to at least 12 hours after head eversion, although with variable penetrance. The same phenotype is observed in individuals carrying the dominant regulatory allele rst^D, but not in loss of function alleles. Analysis of persistent glands at the ultrastructural level showed that programmed cell death starts at the right time but is arrested at an early stage of the process. Finally we describe the expression pattern and intracellular distribution of Rst in wild type and rst^D mutants, showing that its downregulation in salivary glands at the beginning of pupal stage is an important factor in the correct implementation of the autophagic program of this tissue in space and time. genesis 47:492–504, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Exposure to power frequency magnetic fields suppresses X-ray-induced apoptosis transiently in Ku80-deficient xrs5 cells

In an attempt to determine whether exposure to extremely low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic fields can affect cells, Ku80-deficient cells (xrs5) and Ku80-proficient cells (CHO-K1) were exposed to ELF electromagnetic fields. Cell survival, and the levels of the apoptosis-related genes p21, p53, phospho-p53 (Ser(15)), caspase-3 and the anti-apoptosis gene bcl-2 were determined in xrs5 and CHO-K1 cells following exposure to ELF electromagnetic fields and X-rays. It was found that exposure of xrs5 and CHO-K1 cells to 60 Hz ELF electromagnetic fields had no effect on cell survival, cell cycle distribution and protein expression. Exposure of xrs5 cells to 60 Hz ELF electromagnetic fields for 5 h after irradiation significantly inhibited G(1) cell cycle arrest induced by X-rays (1 Gy) and resulted in elevated bcl-2 expression. A significant decrease in the induction of p53, phospho-p53, caspase-3 and p21 proteins was observed in xrs5 cells when irradiation by X-rays (8 Gy) was followed by exposure to 5 mT ELF magnetic fields. Exposure of xrs5 cells to the ELF electromagnetic fields for 10 h following irradiation significantly decreased X-ray-induced apoptosis from about 1.7% to 0.7%. However, this effect was not found in CHO-K1 cells within 24 h of irradiation by X-rays alone and by X-rays combined with ELF electromagnetic fields. Exposure of xrs5 cells to 60 Hz ELF electromagnetic fields following irradiation can affect cell cycle distribution and transiently suppress apoptosis by decreasing the levels of caspase-3, p21, p53 and phospho-p53 and by increasing bcl-2 expression.     

Autophagy functions in programmed cell death

Autophagic cell death is a prominent morphological form of cell death that occurs in diverse animals. Autophagosomes are abundant during autophagic cell death, yet the functional role of autophagy in cell death has been enigmatic. We find that autophagy and the Atg genes are required for autophagic cell death of Drosophila salivary glands. Although caspases are present in dying salivary glands, autophagy is required for complete cell degradation. Further, induction of high levels of autophagy results in caspase-independent autophagic cell death. Our results provide the first in vivo evidence that autophagy and the Atg genes are required for autophagic cell death and confirm that autophagic cell death is a physiological death program that occurs during development.

Addendum to: Berry DL, Baehrecke EH. Growth arrest and autophagy are required for programmed salivary gland cell degradation in Drosophila. Cell 2007; 131:1137-48.     

The morphogenesis of spermathecae and spermathecal glands in Drosophila melanogaster

Sperm storage in female insects is important for reproductive success and sperm competition. In Drosophila melanogaster females, sperm viability during storage is dependent upon secretions produced by spermathecae and parovaria. Class III dermal glands are present in both structures. Spermathecal glands are initially comprised of a three-cell unit that is refined to a single secretory cell in the adult. It encapsulates an end-apparatus joining to a cuticular duct passing secretions to the spermathecal lumen. We have examined spermatheca morphogenesis using DIC and fluorescence microscopy. In agreement with a recent study, cell division ceases by 36 h after puparium formation (APF). Immunostaining of the plasma membrane at this stage demonstrates that gland cells wrap around the developing end-apparatus and each other. By 48–60 h APF, the secretory cell exhibits characteristic adult morphology of an enlarged nucleus and extracellular reservoir. A novel finding is the presence of an extracellular reservoir in the basal support cell that is continuous with the secretory cell reservoir. Some indication of early spermathecal gland formation is evident in the division of enlarged cells lying adjacent to the spermathecal lumen at 18 h APF and in cellular processes that bind clusters of cells between 24 and 30 h APF.     

Adaptive response to chromosome damage in cultured human lymphocytes primed with low doses of X-rays

Human lymphocytes exposed to 0.02 Gy of X-rays in the G1 but not the G0 phase became less susceptible to the induction of chromosome aberrations of the chromosome type by subsequent exposure to 3 Gy of X-rays. The induction of chromatid-type aberrations was not affected by the pretreatment with the priming dose. The expression of this adaptive-type response was transitory, being maximum at 5 h, and disappeared at 9 h after the initial low-dose exposure. Cell-cycle analysis excluded the possibility of a spurious consequence of differential cell-cycle progression.     

Protection from radiation-induced apoptosis by the radioprotector amifostine (WR-2721) is radiation dose dependent

The radioprotective agent amifostine is a free radical scavenger that can protect cells from the damaging effects of ionising radiation when administered prior to radiation exposure. However, amifostine has also been shown to protect cells from chromosomal mutations when administered after radiation exposure. As apoptosis is a common mechanism by which cells with mutations are removed from the cell population, we investigated whether amifostine stimulates apoptosis when administered after radiation exposure. We chose to study a relatively low dose which is the maximum radiation dose for radiation emergency workers (0.25 Gy) and a high dose relevant to radiotherapy exposures (6 Gy). Mice were administered 400 mg/kg amifostine 30 min before, or 3 h after, whole-body irradiation with 0.25 or 6 Gy X-rays and apoptosis was analysed 3 or 7 h later in spleen and bone marrow. We observed a significant increase in radiation-induced apoptosis in the spleen of mice when amifostine was administered before or after 0.25 Gy X-rays. In contrast, when a high dose of radiation was used (6 Gy), amifostine caused a reduction in radiation-induced apoptosis 3 h post-irradiation in spleen and bone marrow similar to previously published studies. This is the first study to investigate the effect of amifostine on radiation-induced apoptosis at a relatively low radiation dose and the first to demonstrate that while amifostine can reduce apoptosis from high doses of radiation, it does not mediate the same effect in response to low-dose exposures. These results suggest that there may be a dose threshold at which amifostine protects from radiation-induced apoptosis and highlight the importance of examining a range of radiation doses and timepoints.