Interferon-gamma-dependent stimulation of Fas antigen in SV40-transformed human keratinocytes: modulation of the apoptotic process by protein kinase C.

Fas antigen is a cell membrane protein that has been suggested to mediate apoptosis. Using SV40-transformed human keratinocytes, we investigated the Fas-antigen-dependent apoptotic process. The expression of Fas antigen mRNA was markedly induced by interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) treatment (500 U/ml). After IFN-gamma treatment in the presence of anti-Fas monoclonal antibody, apoptosis was induced, as detected by the formation of nucleosome-sized fragments of DNA and morphologically by apoptotic cells with round homogeneous nuclear beads detected by acridine orange staining. The apoptotic SV40-transformed keratinocytes were analyzed quantitatively by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using antihistone and peroxidase-conjugated anti-DNA antibodies to detect cell death. The IFN-gamma- and anti-Fas antibody-dependent apoptotis was observed by 3 h, and the maximal response was observed by 12 h. The induction of apoptosis was significantly augmented by treatment with 10 ng/ml 12-o-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA). TPA alone had no effect on either Fas antigen expression or on the apoptotic process. Other protein kinase C activators (1-oleoyl-2-acetylglycerol and mezerein) also stimulated IFN-gamma-dependent apoptosis, whereas 4-o-methyl phorbol myristate acetate, a very weak protein kinase C activator, had only a slight effect. The TPA-induced augmentation of apoptosis was inhibited by the protein kinase C inhibitor, 1-(5-isoquinoline-sulfonyl)-2-methyl piperazine dihydrochloride (H-7). However, H-7 inhibited only the TPA-induced augmentation of apoptosis; the basal IFN-gamma- and anti-Fas-dependent apoptosis remained in the presence of H-7. Northern blot analysis revealed that c-jun mRNA was induced by IFN-gamma plus anti-Fas antibody treatment as well as by TPA treatment; the addition of IFN-gamma alone to the incubation medium had no effect on the expression of c-jun mRNA. These results indicate that IFN-gamma induces a Fas-antigen-dependent apoptotic process in SV40-transformed keratinocytes and that TPA augments the process through the activation of protein kinase C.