Activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3) is a stress-inducible gene and encodes a member of the ATF/CREB family of transcription factors. However, the physiological significance of ATF3 induction by stress signals is not clear. In this report, we describe several lines of evidence supporting a role of ATF3 in stress-induced -cell apoptosis. First, ATF3 is induced in  cells by signals relevant to -cell destruction: proinflammatory cytokines, nitric oxide, and high concentrations of glucose and palmitate. Second, induction of ATF3 is mediated in part by the NF-B and Jun N-terminal kinase/stress-activated protein kinase signaling pathways, two stress-induced pathways implicated in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Third, transgenic mice expressing ATF3 in  cells develop abnormal islets and defects secondary to -cell deficiency. Fourth, ATF3 knockout islets are partially protected from cytokine-or nitric oxide-induced apoptosis. Fifth, ATF3 is expressed in the islets of patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, and in the islets of nonobese diabetic mice that have developed insulitis or diabetes. Taken together, our results suggest ATF3 to be a novel regulator of stress-induced -cell apoptosis.It is widely accepted that autoimmunity is the main cause of type 1 but not type 2 diabetes. Despite this difference, -cell death plays an important role in the pathophysiological progression of both diseases (15,43,45). On one hand, proinflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1 , tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-␣], and gamma interferon [IFN-␥]) destroy  cells in the islets of Langerhans, leading to the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes (11,14,15,42); on the other hand, elevated glucose and free fatty acids (FFAs)-common metabolic abnormalities in type 2 diabetes-induce -cell death, contributing to the progression of the disease (13,32,35,53,62). Emerging evidence indicates that activation of the NF-B and Jun N-terminal kinase/stress-activated protein kinase (JNK/ SAPK) signaling pathways is a key event leading to cell death, when  cells are exposed to these signals: proinflammatory cytokines, elevated glucose, and elevated FFAs (12,15,16,43,49). Furthermore, activation of these pathways has been demonstrated to impair insulin signaling (1,17,18,36) and play a role in type 2 diabetes (63,71). Therefore, these stress-activated signaling pathways constitute a common molecular mechanism in the pathophysiological progression of type 1 and type 2 diabetes.Thus far, inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase (iNOS), whose expression leads to NO production, is one of the best known target genes for these pathways (14-16, 42, 54). Several lines of evidence indicate that iNOS plays an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetes. (i) iNOS is induced in the islets by cytokines (16) and is expressed in the islets of diabetes prone BB rats (33) and nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice (55,58). (ii) Transgenic mice expressing iNOS in  cells develop -cell destruction and diabetes (60). (iii)  cells lacking functional iNOS are partially protected ...
A20 is a stress response gene in endothelial cells (ECs). A20 serves a dual cytoprotective function, protecting from tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-mediated apoptosis and inhibiting inflammation via blockade of the transcription factor nuclear factor-B (NF-B). In this study, we evaluated the molecular basis of the cytoprotective function of A20 in EC cultures and questioned whether its protective effect extends beyond TNF to other apoptotic and necrotic stimuli. Our data demonstrate that A20 targets the TNF apoptotic pathway by inhibiting proteolytic cleavage of apical caspases 8 and 2, executioner caspases 3 and 6, Bid cleavage, and release of cytochrome c, thus preserving mitochondrion integrity. A20 also protects from Fas/CD95 and significantly blunts natural killer cell-mediated EC apoptosis by inhibiting caspase 8 activation. In addition to protecting ECs from apoptotic stimuli, A20 safeguards ECs from complement-mediated necrosis. These data demonstrate, for the first time, that the cytoprotective effect of A20 in ECs is not limited to TNF-triggered apoptosis. Rather, A20 affords broad EC protective functions by effectively shutting down cell death pathways initiated by inflammatory and immune offenders. IntroductionA20 is a zinc finger protein originally identified as a tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-responsive gene in endothelial cells (ECs). 1 A20 is expressed in multiple cell types in response to a variety of stimuli that activate the transcription factor nuclear factor-B (NF-B), including interleukin 1 (IL-1), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), H 2 O 2 , and CD40 ligand. [2][3][4][5][6][7] We and others have demonstrated that A20, initially described as an antiapoptotic gene, is also a potent inhibitor of the transcription factor NF-B. 7-9 A20-null mice fail to terminate TNF-induced NF-B activation, develop severe inflammation and cachexia, and die prematurely, indicating the importance of A20 in the hierarchy of anti-inflammatory defense processes. 6,10 Elucidating the molecular basis and binding partner(s) that determine the inhibitory effect of A20 upon NF-B activation is the focus of ongoing research. 8 A20 has been shown to interact with components of the NF-B signaling cascade upstream of inhibitor of NF-B (IB), including TNF receptor-associated factors (TRAFs) 11,12 TRAF-1, TRAF-2, and TRAF-6; A20 binding inhibitors of NF-B; and the signalosome IB kinase-␥ (IKK␥)/NF-B essential modulator (NEMO) unit. [13][14][15] Further work is required to test the relevance of these interactions in blocking NF-B activation in response to stimuli other than TNF. 16 In contrast to its so far universal inhibitory effect on NF-B activation, the antiapoptotic activity of A20 remains controversial and appears to be specific to cell type and stimulus. Overexpression of A20 protects human breast carcinoma MCF-7 cells, murine fibrosarcoma WEHI 164, and murine embryonic NIH3T3, but not Hela and lung epithelial A459 cells from TNF-mediated apoptosis. 9,[17][18][19] In cultures derived from prima...
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