ZÖRNIG , Martin

Activation of the so-called death receptors, e.g., CD95/Fas/Apo-1, is a potent stimulus to trigger apoptosis. Overexpression of the C-terminal FADD deletion mutant FADD-DN blocks death receptor-induced apoptosis, but despite this antiapoptotic activity, lck FADD-DN transgenic mice do not develop lymphomas. To analyze whether functional...

Fas ligand (FasL), a member of the TNF protein family, potently induces cell death by activating its matching receptor Fas. Fas-mediated killing plays a critical role in naturally and pathologically occurring cell death, including development and homeostasis of the immune system. In addition to its receptor-interacting and cell death-inducing...

CD95 is the quintessential death receptor and, when it is bound by ligand, cells undergo apoptosis. Recent evidence suggests, however, that CD95 mediates not only apoptosis but also diverse nonapoptotic functions depending on the tissue and the conditions.

Fas Ligand (FasL) not only induces apoptosis in Fas receptor-bearing target cells, it is also able to transmit signals into the FasL-expressing cell via its intracellular domain (ICD). Recently, we described a Notch-like proteolytic processing of FasL that leads to the release of the FasL intracellular domain (ICD) into the cytoplasm and...