Essential role for caspase-8 in Toll-like receptors and NFkappaB signaling

J Biol Chem. 2007 Mar 9;282(10):7416-23. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M606721200. Epub 2007 Jan 9.

Abstract

In addition to its pro-apoptotic function in the death receptor pathway, roles for caspase-8 in mediating T-cell proliferation, maintaining lymphocyte homeostasis, and suppressing immunodeficiency have become evident. Humans with a germline point mutation of CASPASE-8 have multiple defects in T cells, B cells, and NK cells, most notably attenuated activation and immunodeficiency. By generating mice with B-cell-specific inactivation of caspase-8 (bcasp8(-/-)), we show that caspase-8 is dispensable for B-cell development, but its loss in B cells results in attenuated antibody production upon in vivo viral infection. We also report an important role for caspase-8 in maintaining B-cell survival following stimulation of the Toll-like receptor (TLR)2, -3, and -4. In response to TLR4 stimulation, caspase-8 is recruited to a complex containing IKKalphabeta, and its loss resulted in delayed NFkappaB nuclear translocation and impaired NFkappaB transcriptional activity. Our study supports dual roles for caspase-8 in apoptotic and nonapoptotic functions and demonstrates its requirement for TLR signaling and in the regulation of NFkappaB function.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Caspase 8 / physiology*
  • Lipopolysaccharides / pharmacology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • NF-kappa B / physiology*
  • Phosphorylation
  • Rhabdoviridae Infections / immunology
  • Signal Transduction / physiology*
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4 / physiology*
  • Vesicular stomatitis Indiana virus
  • fas Receptor / physiology

Substances

  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • NF-kappa B
  • Tlr4 protein, mouse
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4
  • fas Receptor
  • Caspase 8