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Human lung carcinomas express Fas ligand
G A Niehans1, T Brunner, S P Frizelle
1Department of Pathology, Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the University of Minnesota Medical School 55417, USA.
Cancer Research
|March 15, 1997
Summary
Human lung carcinoma cells express Fas ligand (FasL), a molecule that can induce T cell death. This suggests FasL may help tumors evade immune detection and grow.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Immunology
Background:
- Neoplasms must evade host immune responses to grow.
- Fas ligand (FasL) can induce T cell apoptosis and contributes to immune privilege.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate FasL expression in human lung carcinoma.
- To determine if lung carcinoma cells can induce T cell death via FasL.
Main Methods:
- Immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry to detect FasL protein.
- RT-PCR and DNA sequencing to confirm FasL mRNA.
- Co-culture experiments with Jurkat T cells and FasL inhibitors.
Main Results:
- All tested lung carcinoma cell lines (16/16) expressed FasL protein.
- Most resected lung tumors (23/28) stained positive for FasL.
- Lung carcinoma cells induced apoptosis in Jurkat T cells, an effect blocked by FasFc.
Conclusions:
- Lung carcinoma cells express functional FasL.
- FasL expression is a potential mechanism for lung cancer immune evasion through peripheral deletion of tumor-reactive T cells.