Down‐modulation of CD4 antigen during programmed cell death in U937 cells

FEBS Letters

Malorni, Walter¹  Rivabene, Roberto¹  Donelli, Gianfranco¹  Iosi, Francesca¹  Teresa Santini, Maria¹  Paradisi, Silvia¹ 

[1] Department of Ultrastructures, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Roma, Italy

关键词: Down-modulation;    CD4;    Apoptosis;   

DOI  :  10.1016/0014-5793(93)80832-F

学科分类：生物化学/生物物理

来源: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

【 摘 要 】

It has been hypothesized that programmed cell death (PCD), an active cell suicide process occurring in place of necrosis, can be associated with the pathogenesis of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The entry of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) into competent cells is mediated by the CD4 molecule present on the surface of certain lymphocyte subpopulations as well as on some cultured cell lines, e.g. U937 myelomonocytic cells. The present paper focuses on some specific aspects of PCD induced by the cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF). The results obtained indicate that the exposure of U937 cells to cycloheximide facilitates TNF-mediated PCD via a short term cell death program and modifies the expression of CD4 surface molecules. This change in surface antigen expression, manifested by internalization of the CD4 molecule, occurs in cells in which apoptosis has been triggered, but not in cells undergoing necrosis. These results indicate that the progression of cell death could be associated with specific alterations of certain surface molecules and could have a role in the entry of HIV into cells.

【 授权许可】

Unknown