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Fas/Apo-1 is a member of the TNF receptor superfamily that signals apoptotic cell death in susceptible target cells. Fas or Fas ligand (FasL)-deficient mice are relatively resistant to the induction of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, implying the involvement of Fas/FasL in this disease process. We have examined the regulation and function of Fas expression in glial cells (astrocytes and microglia). Fas is constitutively expressed by primary murine microglia at a low level and significantly up-regulated by TNF-α or IFN-γ stimulation. Primary astrocytes express high constitutive levels of Fas, which are not further affected by cytokine treatment. In microglia, Fas expression is regulated at the level of mRNA expression; TNF-α and IFN-γ induced Fas mRNA by ∼20-fold. STAT-1α and NF-κB activation are involved in IFN-γ- or TNF-α-mediated Fas up-regulation in microglia, respectively. The cytokine TGF-β inhibits basal expression of Fas as well as cytokine-mediated Fas expression by microglia. Upon incubation of microglial cells with FasL-expressing cells, ∼20% of cells underwent Fas-mediated cell death, which increased to ∼60% when cells were pretreated with either TNF-α or IFN-γ. TGF-β treatment inhibited Fas-mediated cell death of TNF-α- or IFN-γ-stimulated microglial cells. In contrast, astrocytes are resistant to Fas-mediated cell death, however, ligation of Fas induces expression of the chemokines macrophage inflammatory protein-1β (MIP-1β), MIP-1α, and MIP-2. These data demonstrate that Fas transmits different signals in the two glial cell populations: a cytotoxic signal in microglia and an inflammatory signal in the astrocyte.

Sound-induced mechanical stimuli are detected by elaborate mechanosensory transduction (MT) machinery in highly specialized hair cells of the inner ear. Genetic studies of inherited deafness in the past decades have uncovered several molecular constituents of the MT complex, and intense debate has surrounded the molecular identity of the pore-forming subunits. How the MT components function in concert in response to physical stimulation is not fully understood. In this review, we summarize and discuss multiple lines of evidence supporting the hypothesis that transmembrane channel-like 1 is a long-sought MT channel subunit. We also review specific roles of other components of the MT complex, including protocadherin 15, cadherin 23, lipoma HMGIC fusion partner-like 5, transmembrane inner ear, calcium and integrin-binding family member 2, and ankyrins. Based on these recent advances, we propose a unifying theory of hair cell MT that may reconcile most of the functional discoveries obtained to date. Finally, we discuss key questions that need to be addressed for a comprehensive understanding of hair cell MT at molecular and atomic levels. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Biophysics, Volume 50 is May 6, 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

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