Regression of basal cell carcinoma by intralesional interferon-alpha treatment is mediated by CD95 (Apo-1/Fas)-CD95 ligand-induced suicide.

Abstract

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common skin cancer in humans, and although metastasis rarely occurs, the tumor cells are nevertheless able to invade and destroy the surrounding tissue. Intralesional injection of IFN-alpha has been found to be highly effective in inducing BCC regression by an unknown mechanism. We show that in untreated patients, BCC cells express CD95

Induction of Apoptosis in Glioma Cells and Upregulation of Fas Expression Using the Human Interferon-β Gene

“…Apoptosis is induced by IFN-γ in colorectal adenocarcinoma through the upregulation of Fas and Bax antigens and downregulation of Bcl-2 (Koshiji et al, 1998). In addition, IFN-α induces the regression of basal cell carcinoma by apoptosis induction via CD95 (Apo-1/ Fas)-CD95 ligand interaction (Buechner et al, 1997). The upregulation of Fas expression in glioma tissues may contribute to the apoptotic activity of glioma cells.…”

Gli2 upregulates cFlip and renders basal cell carcinoma cells resistant to death ligand-mediated apoptosis

“…They expose death ligands, which may kill attacking immune effector cells (reviewed by Igney and Krammer, 2005), they downregulate the expression of death receptors (Bachmann et al, 2001) and/or upregulate molecules that interfere with apoptotic pathways (Trisciuoglio et al, 2005). BCCs highly express Fas ligand, but not the corresponding receptor Fas (Buechner et al, 1997). This may make the tumor resistant to the attack of Fas-positive immune effector cells .…”

Liposome-mediated gene transfer into human basal cell carcinoma

“…2,14,15 Tumor regression upon IFN-␣ injection may also involve non-immune mechanisms that contribute to anti-tumor effects. For example, Buechner et al 16 recently described that the injection of IFN-␣ induces the CD95 receptor which then interacts with the already expressed CD95 ligand on the cell surface. Presumably, this interaction would promote apoptosis of BCC cells.…”