AIMS To confirm the recent data obtained in mice, showing that the Fas ligand (FasL) is involved in the phenomenon of "immune privilege" (the apparent defect of the immune system in specific anatomical sites) and to extend this finding to humans. METHODS The expression of FasL was analysed in a panel of histologically normal human tissues by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and...

Increased expression of Fas receptor by haemopoietic progenitors in aplastic anaemia (AA) suggests that excessive apoptosis contributes to multilineage bone marrow (BM) failure. To investigate the role of Fas ligand (FasL) in triggering progenitor cell death, we examined FasL levels in T lymphocytes of patients with severe untreated AA (n = 8). Expression of FasL on the surface of CD3+ cells wa...

Increased expression of Fas by hematopoietic progenitors in aplastic anemia (AA) suggests that Fas/Fas ligand (FasL) system plays a key role in the formation of severe pancytopenia. To further confirm the above hypothesis, T cells from 8 patients with AA were systematically studied for their FasL's distribution pattern, releasing manner and proapoptotic activity, compared with normal resting T ...

BACKGROUND The Fas ligand/Fas receptor (FasL/Fas) system is an important mediator of apoptosis in the immune system where the juxtaposition of cells expressing the cell-surface ligand induces the apoptotic pathway in Fas-expressing lymphocytes. The FasL/Fas system has also been shown to be involved in apoptosis in epithelial tissues, including the involuting rodent prostate. FasL can be shed th...

Fas ligand (FasL) produced by activated T cells mediates autocrine-induced apoptosis to limit T cell expansion. To investigate the regulation of FasL activity, Jurkat cells were stably transfected with a 2.3-kb fragment of human FasL promoter that controlled the expression of a GFP reporter gene. Two populations of Jurkat cells with different levels of GFP expression were obtained. One populati...

Cell number is regulated by maintaining a balance between cell proliferation and cell death through apoptosis. Key regulators of this balance include the oncogene product c-Myc, which promotes either entry into the cell cycle or apoptosis [1]. Although the mechanism of c-Myc-induced apoptosis remains unclear, it is susceptible to regulation by survival factors [2,3] and can proceed through the ...

The Fas/Fas ligand (FasL) apoptotic pathway has been shown to be involved in bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis. We examined the hypothesis that myofibroblasts from fibrotic lungs possess a cytotoxic phenotype that causes apoptosis of epithelial cells via the Fas/FasL pathway. We show in vivo epithelial cell apoptosis and associated upregulation of Fas and apoptotic Fas pathway genes in epithelial...

OBJECTIVE The binding of FasL (CD95L) to its receptor, Fas (CD95), induces apoptosis. Studies have shown that in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), T lymphocytes are resistant to FasL-induced apoptosis in vivo but are susceptible to FasL-induced apoptosis in vitro. Dysfunction in this mechanism may be an important contributor to the pathophysiology of RA. Thus, the present study was under...

Pemphigus is a rare and debilitating autoimmune blistering disease due to keratinocyte cell-cell detachment (acantholysis). Treatments focus on immune suppression but are often associated with severe side effects, slow onset of action frequent clinical relapses; therefore, innovative non-immunosuppressive therapies needed provide rapid, safer long-lasting responses. Patients’ autoantibodies (PV...

Fas ligand (FasL) on cytotoxic lymphocytes is important for mediating apoptosis of activated lymphocytes and other target cells. We have reported that NK cell functions, such as proliferation, cell death, and killing activity, are subject to regulation by cellular redox status. Here, we report that expression of FasL protein and mRNA in activated NK cells is also regulated by redox. Ligation of...