Essential role of caspase-3 in apoptosis of mouse beta-cells transfected with human Fas.

Several recent studies have indicated that the Fas-Fas ligand system may be critical for pancreatic beta-cell destruction in type 1 diabetes. Although the fundamental roles of caspases in the mammalian apoptotic machinery have been elucidated, it is not known which caspase or caspases play a major role in Fas-mediated apoptosis of beta-cells. In this study, we transfected human Fas cDNA into a mouse beta-cell line (betaTC1) and established a beta-cell clone expressing human Fas. This clone, designated hFas/betaTC1, underwent apoptosis when exposed to anti-Fas, showing hallmarks of apoptosis (chromatin condensation, nucleolar disintegration, internucleosomal DNA fragmentation, and annexin V staining), indicating that the mouse beta-cell line has the intact machinery of Fas-mediated apoptosis. The cross-linking of Fas by anti-Fas resulted in the elevation of caspase-3-like, but not caspase-1-like, protease activity 2-12 h after the addition of the anti-Fas. A caspase-3 inhibitor, Z-Asp-Glu-Val-Asp-fluoromethyl ketone, attenuated the Fas-mediated beta-cell apoptosis, while a caspase-1 inhibitor, acetyl-Tyr-Val-Ala-Asp-chloromethylketone, failed to suppress the apoptosis. Thus the Fas-induced death signal apparently bypassed caspase-1 in the cells. Furthermore, an antisense caspase-3 construct blocked caspase-3 activation and substantially suppressed Fas-triggered apoptosis of hFas/betaTC1 cells. These observations suggest the essential role of caspase-3 in Fas-mediated apoptosis of the beta-cell line.