Biomaterial Database

Inhibition of Fas (CD95) expression and Fas-mediated apoptosis by oncogenic Ras. 1998

R G Fenton, and J A Hixon, and P W Wright, and A D Brooks, and T J Sayers

Department of Experimental Transplantation and Immunology, Division of Clinical Sciences, National Cancer Institute-Frederick Cancer Research and Development Center, Maryland 21702, USA.

The ras oncogene plays an important role in the multistep progression to cancer by activation of signal transduction pathways that contribute to aberrant growth regulation. Although many of these effects are cell autonomous, the ras oncogene also regulates the expression of genes that alter host/tumor interactions. We now extend the mechanisms through which ras promotes tumor survival by demonstrating that oncogenic Ras inhibits expression of the fas gene and renders Ras-transformed cells resistant to Fas-induced apoptosis. A panel of Ras-transformed clones exhibited a marked inhibition in fas mRNA and Fas cell surface expression as compared with untransformed parental cell lines. Fas expression was induced by culture in the presence of IFN-gamma + tumor necrosis factor alpha; however, the maximal level attained in Ras transformants was approximately 10-fold below the level of untransformed cells. Whereas untransformed cells were sensitive to apoptotic death induced by cross-linking surface Fas (especially after cytokine treatment), Ras-transformed cells were very resistant to Fas-induced death even under the most stringent assay conditions. To demonstrate that this resistance was mediated by oncogenic Ras and not secondary genetic events, pools of Ras-transformed cells were generated using a highly efficient retroviral transduction technique. Transformed pools were assayed 6 days after infection and demonstrated a marked decrease in fas gene expression and Fas-mediated apoptosis. Oncogenic Ras did not promote general resistance to apoptosis, because ectopic expression of a fas cDNA in Ras-transformed cells restored sensitivity to Fas-induced apoptosis. These data indicate that oncogenic Ras inhibits basal levels of expression of the fas gene, and although cytokine signal transduction pathways are functional in these cells, the level of surface Fas expression remains below the threshold required for induction of apoptosis. These data identify a mechanism by which Ras-transformed cells may escape from host-mediated immune destruction.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008809	Mice, Inbred C3H	An inbred strain of mouse that is used as a general purpose strain in a wide variety of RESEARCH areas including CANCER; INFECTIOUS DISEASES; sensorineural, and cardiovascular biology research.	Mice, C3H,Mouse, C3H,Mouse, Inbred C3H,C3H Mice,C3H Mice, Inbred,C3H Mouse,C3H Mouse, Inbred,Inbred C3H Mice,Inbred C3H Mouse
D011905	Genes, ras	Family of retrovirus-associated DNA sequences (ras) originally isolated from Harvey (H-ras, Ha-ras, rasH) and Kirsten (K-ras, Ki-ras, rasK) murine sarcoma viruses. Ras genes are widely conserved among animal species and sequences corresponding to both H-ras and K-ras genes have been detected in human, avian, murine, and non-vertebrate genomes. The closely related N-ras gene has been detected in human neuroblastoma and sarcoma cell lines. All genes of the family have a similar exon-intron structure and each encodes a p21 protein.	Ha-ras Genes,Ki-ras Genes,N-ras Genes,c-Ha-ras Genes,c-Ki-ras Genes,c-N-ras Genes,ras Genes,v-Ha-ras Genes,v-Ki-ras Genes,H-ras Genes,H-ras Oncogenes,Ha-ras Oncogenes,K-ras Genes,K-ras Oncogenes,Ki-ras Oncogenes,N-ras Oncogenes,c-H-ras Genes,c-H-ras Proto-Oncogenes,c-Ha-ras Proto-Oncogenes,c-K-ras Genes,c-K-ras Proto-Oncogenes,c-Ki-ras Proto-Oncogenes,c-N-ras Proto-Oncogenes,ras Oncogene,v-H-ras Genes,v-H-ras Oncogenes,v-Ha-ras Oncogenes,v-K-ras Genes,v-K-ras Oncogenes,v-Ki-ras Oncogenes,Gene, Ha-ras,Gene, Ki-ras,Gene, v-Ha-ras,Gene, v-Ki-ras,Genes, Ha-ras,Genes, Ki-ras,Genes, N-ras,Genes, v-Ha-ras,Genes, v-Ki-ras,H ras Genes,H ras Oncogenes,H-ras Gene,H-ras Oncogene,Ha ras Genes,Ha ras Oncogenes,Ha-ras Gene,Ha-ras Oncogene,K ras Genes,K ras Oncogenes,K-ras Gene,K-ras Oncogene,Ki ras Genes,Ki ras Oncogenes,Ki-ras Gene,Ki-ras Oncogene,N ras Genes,N ras Oncogenes,N-ras Gene,N-ras Oncogene,c H ras Genes,c H ras Proto Oncogenes,c Ha ras Genes,c Ha ras Proto Oncogenes,c K ras Genes,c K ras Proto Oncogenes,c Ki ras Genes,c Ki ras Proto Oncogenes,c N ras Genes,c N ras Proto Oncogenes,c-H-ras Gene,c-H-ras Proto-Oncogene,c-Ha-ras Gene,c-Ha-ras Proto-Oncogene,c-K-ras Gene,c-K-ras Proto-Oncogene,c-Ki-ras Gene,c-Ki-ras Proto-Oncogene,c-N-ras Gene,c-N-ras Proto-Oncogene,ras Gene,ras Oncogenes,v H ras Genes,v H ras Oncogenes,v Ha ras Genes,v Ha ras Oncogenes,v K ras Genes,v K ras Oncogenes,v Ki ras Genes,v Ki ras Oncogenes,v-H-ras Gene,v-H-ras Oncogene,v-Ha-ras Gene,v-Ha-ras Oncogene,v-K-ras Gene,v-K-ras Oncogene,v-Ki-ras Gene,v-Ki-ras Oncogene
D005786	Gene Expression Regulation	Any of the processes by which nuclear, cytoplasmic, or intercellular factors influence the differential control (induction or repression) of gene action at the level of transcription or translation.	Gene Action Regulation,Regulation of Gene Expression,Expression Regulation, Gene,Regulation, Gene Action,Regulation, Gene Expression
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012333	RNA, Messenger	RNA sequences that serve as templates for protein synthesis. Bacterial mRNAs are generally primary transcripts in that they do not require post-transcriptional processing. Eukaryotic mRNA is synthesized in the nucleus and must be exported to the cytoplasm for translation. Most eukaryotic mRNAs have a sequence of polyadenylic acid at the 3' end, referred to as the poly(A) tail. The function of this tail is not known for certain, but it may play a role in the export of mature mRNA from the nucleus as well as in helping stabilize some mRNA molecules by retarding their degradation in the cytoplasm.	Messenger RNA,Messenger RNA, Polyadenylated,Poly(A) Tail,Poly(A)+ RNA,Poly(A)+ mRNA,RNA, Messenger, Polyadenylated,RNA, Polyadenylated,mRNA,mRNA, Non-Polyadenylated,mRNA, Polyadenylated,Non-Polyadenylated mRNA,Poly(A) RNA,Polyadenylated mRNA,Non Polyadenylated mRNA,Polyadenylated Messenger RNA,Polyadenylated RNA,RNA, Polyadenylated Messenger,mRNA, Non Polyadenylated
D012680	Sensitivity and Specificity	Binary classification measures to assess test results. Sensitivity or recall rate is the proportion of true positives. Specificity is the probability of correctly determining the absence of a condition. (From Last, Dictionary of Epidemiology, 2d ed)	Specificity,Sensitivity,Specificity and Sensitivity
D014170	Transformation, Genetic	Change brought about to an organisms genetic composition by unidirectional transfer (TRANSFECTION; TRANSDUCTION, GENETIC; CONJUGATION, GENETIC, etc.) and incorporation of foreign DNA into prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells by recombination of part or all of that DNA into the cell's genome.	Genetic Transformation,Genetic Transformations,Transformations, Genetic
D015398	Signal Transduction	The intracellular transfer of information (biological activation/inhibition) through a signal pathway. In each signal transduction system, an activation/inhibition signal from a biologically active molecule (hormone, neurotransmitter) is mediated via the coupling of a receptor/enzyme to a second messenger system or to an ion channel. Signal transduction plays an important role in activating cellular functions, cell differentiation, and cell proliferation. Examples of signal transduction systems are the GAMMA-AMINOBUTYRIC ACID-postsynaptic receptor-calcium ion channel system, the receptor-mediated T-cell activation pathway, and the receptor-mediated activation of phospholipases. Those coupled to membrane depolarization or intracellular release of calcium include the receptor-mediated activation of cytotoxic functions in granulocytes and the synaptic potentiation of protein kinase activation. Some signal transduction pathways may be part of larger signal transduction pathways; for example, protein kinase activation is part of the platelet activation signal pathway.	Cell Signaling,Receptor-Mediated Signal Transduction,Signal Pathways,Receptor Mediated Signal Transduction,Signal Transduction Pathways,Signal Transduction Systems,Pathway, Signal,Pathway, Signal Transduction,Pathways, Signal,Pathways, Signal Transduction,Receptor-Mediated Signal Transductions,Signal Pathway,Signal Transduction Pathway,Signal Transduction System,Signal Transduction, Receptor-Mediated,Signal Transductions,Signal Transductions, Receptor-Mediated,System, Signal Transduction,Systems, Signal Transduction,Transduction, Signal,Transductions, Signal
D015854	Up-Regulation	A positive regulatory effect on physiological processes at the molecular, cellular, or systemic level. At the molecular level, the major regulatory sites include membrane receptors, genes (GENE EXPRESSION REGULATION), mRNAs (RNA, MESSENGER), and proteins.	Receptor Up-Regulation,Upregulation,Up-Regulation (Physiology),Up Regulation