Rapid induction of Fas antigen mRNA expression in vivo by cycloheximide

The effect of administration into rats of cycloheximide on the expression of genes, such as tissue transglutaminase, testosterone-repressed prostate message-2, Fas antigen, bcl-2, DNase I, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, which were believed to be involved in the mechanism of apoptosis, was studied. While the effect of cycloheximide on the expression of genes other than Fas antigen was modest, only the expression of Fas antigen was elevated rapidly in most of the organs examined. A possible direct effect of cycloheximide on cells per se to induce Fas antigen mRNA expression was demonstrated by the tissue culture study using L929 fibroblast cells, although the magnitude of the induction detected in vitro was small compared with that in vivo. This induction of Fas antigen mRNA by cycloheximide is a first report on the modulation of Fas antigen mRNA expression in vivo.