Fas and perforin pathways as major mechanisms of T cell-mediated cytotoxicity

Science. 1994 Jul 22;265(5171):528-30. doi: 10.1126/science.7518614.

Abstract

Two molecular mechanisms of T cell-mediated cytotoxicity, one perforin-based, the other Fas-based, have been demonstrated. To determine the extent of their contribution to T cell-mediated cytotoxicity, a range of effector cells from normal control or perforin-deficient mice were tested against a panel of target cells with various levels of Fas expression. All cytotoxicity observed was due to either of these mechanisms, and no third mechanism was detected. Thus, the perforin- and Fas-based mechanisms may account for all T cell-mediated cytotoxicity in short-term in vitro assays.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Antigens, Surface / immunology*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Concanavalin A / pharmacology
  • Cytotoxicity, Immunologic*
  • Ionomycin / pharmacology
  • Leukemia L1210
  • Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed
  • Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus / immunology
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / immunology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C3H
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Mutant Strains
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Perforin
  • Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / immunology*
  • Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / pharmacology
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • fas Receptor

Substances

  • Antigens, Surface
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins
  • fas Receptor
  • Concanavalin A
  • Perforin
  • Ionomycin
  • Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate