Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Original Paper
  • Published:

TNF-α activates at least two apoptotic signaling cascades

Abstract

Apoptosis, the process whereby cells activate an intrinsic death program, can be induced in HeLa cells by TNF-α treatment. The aims of the present study were (i) to examine the precise role and the origin of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in the TNF-α-induced programmed cell death, (ii) to characterize and order the morphological and mitochondrial changes associated with this process and (iii) to link these events with the activation of caspases. Analyses were performed on TNF-α-treated cells in the presence of an anti-oxidant, or of a general caspase inhibitor. To assess the role of mitochondria in the cell death signal transduction, these studies were also realized on HeLa-variant cell lines lacking functional mitochondrial respiratory chain. We show that at least two separate signaling cascades, both mediated by Z-VAD-sensitive caspase(s), contribute to the TNF-α-induced apoptosis of HeLa cells. One signaling pathway involves an early mitochondria-dependent ROS production, the other being ROS-independent.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Fraisse, Cd., Rincheval, V., Risler, Y. et al. TNF-α activates at least two apoptotic signaling cascades. Oncogene 17, 1639–1651 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.onc.1202094

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.onc.1202094

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links