RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Human islets of Langerhans express Fas ligand and undergo apoptosis in response to interleukin-1beta and Fas ligation.
JF Diabetes
JO Diabetes
FD American Diabetes Association
SP 727
OP 732
DO 10.2337/diabetes.47.5.727
VO 47
IS 5
A1 Loweth, A C
A1 Williams, G T
A1 James, R F
A1 Scarpello, J H
A1 Morgan, N G
YR 1998
UL http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/47/5/727.abstract
AB IDDM results from a progressive loss of pancreatic beta-cells that, in humans, may be triggered by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Recently, attention has been focused on the hypothesis that the loss of beta-cells is initiated by inappropriate induction of apoptosis. We now demonstrate that human islets of Langerhans undergo apoptosis upon exposure to interleukin-1beta. The cytokine also sharply increases the number of cells that enter apoptosis on treatment with a stimulatory anti-Fas antibody. Western blotting and immunocytochemistry clearly show for the first time that human pancreatic beta-cells normally express Fas ligand. The results suggest that human islet cells are primed to undergo apoptosis by interleukin-1beta and that this involves the close association between cell-surface Fas and its ligand.