Regulation of APO-2 ligand/trail expression in NK cells-involvement in NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity. |
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| Authors: | A C Johnsen J Haux B Steinkjer U Nonstad K Egeberg A Sundan A Ashkenazi T Espevik |
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| Affiliation: | Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. Ann-Charlotte.Johnsen@medisin.ntnu.no |
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| Abstract: | Apo-2L is a new member of the tumour necrosis factor (TNF) family shown to induce apoptosis in a number of tumour cell lines. Apo-2L mRNA is expressed by numerous human tissues. Here we report that Apo-2L is expressed and utilized by human Natural Killer (NK) cells. NK cells were shown to express surface Apo-2L in response to interleukin 2 (IL-2) activation, and this response was restricted to the CD3(-)population of the NK cells. Apo-2L mRNA and intracellular Apo-2L were present in both CD3(-)and CD3(+)NK cells; however, increased expression in response to IL-2 was only observed in CD3(-)CD56(+)cells. Also, IL-2-activated NK cells were shown to utilize membrane-bound Apo-2L in mediating lysis of Jurkat cells. Furthermore, Apo-2L-induced apoptosis of Jurkat cells was more rapid than FasL-induced apoptosis, indicating an important and distinct role for Apo-2L in apoptotic cell destruction. In conclusion, we report that NK cells express Apo-2L and that IL-2 activated CD3(-)NK cells utilize the Apo-2L pathway in mediating target cell lysis. |
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