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- Title
Expression of Fas-associated death domain-like interleukin-1β-converting enzyme (FLICE) inhibitory protein (FLIP) in human articular chondrocytes: possible contribution to the resistance to Fas-mediated death of in vitro cultured human articular chondrocytes
- Authors
Masuko-Hongo, Kayo; Sakata, Masahiro; Yuan, Guo-Hua; Onuma, Hiroyuki; Nakamura, Hiroshi; Aoki, Haruhito; Kato, Tomohiro; Nishioka, Kusuki
- Abstract
Although chondrocyte apoptosis has been noted in arthritic joints, the mechanism is not clear. To investigate whether Fas-mediated apoptosis has a role in this process, the presence of Fas mRNA and expression of cell surface Fas protein in monolayer-cultured human articular chondrocytes was analyzed. Fas mRNA was found in all chondrocyte samples analyzed; moreover, the majority of cells in chondrocyte populations expressed cell-surface Fas (12–90%, average 49%). Nevertheless, treatment with an agonistic anti-Fas antibody did not induce significant apoptosis in these chondrocytes in vitro. However, it was also found that chondrocytes express Fas-associated death domain-like interleukin-1β-converting enzyme-inhibitory protein (FLIP), a molecule which blocks Fas-mediated apoptosis. Correspondingly, activation of caspase-8 was minimal in these cultured chondrocytes. In conclusion, although human articular chondrocytes do express cell-surface Fas, this receptor did not fully mediate death-inducing signals in vitro. This resistance to Fas may be partly due to the constitutive expression of FLIP.
- Subjects
APOPTOSIS; MESSENGER RNA; CELL membranes; INTERLEUKIN-1; ENZYMES; MONOKINES
- Publication
Rheumatology International, 2001, Vol 21, Issue 3, p112
- ISSN
0172-8172
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s00296-001-0144-0