CD95 apoptosis resistance in certain cells can be overcome by noncanonical activation of caspase-8

Cell Death Differ. 2005 Jan;12(1):25-37. doi: 10.1038/sj.cdd.4401509.

Abstract

CD95 apoptosis resistance of tumor cells is often acquired through mutations in the death domain (DD) of one of the CD95 alleles. Furthermore, Type I cancer cells are resistant to induction of apoptosis by soluble CD95 ligand (CD95L), which does not induce efficient formation of the death-inducing signaling complex (DISC). Here, we report that tumor cells expressing a CD95 allele that lacks a functional DD, splenocytes from heterozygous lpr(cg) mice, which express one mutated CD95 allele, and Type I tumor cells stimulated with soluble CD95L can all die through CD95 when protein synthesis or nuclear factor kappa B is inhibited. This noncanonical form of CD95-mediated apoptosis is dependent on the enzymatic activity of procaspase-8 but does not involve fully processed active caspase-8 subunits. Our data suggest that it is possible to overcome the CD95 apoptosis resistance of many tumor cells that do not efficiently form a DISC through noncanonical activation of the caspase-8 proenzyme.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Alleles
  • Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Apoptosis / physiology*
  • Caspase 8
  • Caspase Inhibitors
  • Caspases / metabolism*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Cycloheximide / pharmacology
  • Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Dactinomycin / pharmacology
  • Death Domain Receptor Signaling Adaptor Proteins
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm
  • Enzyme Activation
  • Fas Ligand Protein
  • Humans
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / pharmacology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C3H
  • Mitochondria / drug effects
  • Mitochondria / metabolism
  • Mutation
  • NF-kappa B / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Oligopeptides / pharmacology
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / metabolism
  • fas Receptor / genetics
  • fas Receptor / physiology*

Substances

  • Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Caspase Inhibitors
  • Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors
  • Death Domain Receptor Signaling Adaptor Proteins
  • FASLG protein, human
  • Fas Ligand Protein
  • Fasl protein, mouse
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • NF-kappa B
  • Oligopeptides
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor
  • benzyloxycarbonyl-isoleucyl-glutamyl-threonyl-aspartic acid fluoromethyl ketone
  • benzyloxycarbonylvalyl-alanyl-aspartyl fluoromethyl ketone
  • fas Receptor
  • Dactinomycin
  • Cycloheximide
  • CASP8 protein, human
  • Casp8 protein, mouse
  • Caspase 8
  • Caspases