OVER-EXPRESSION OF INTERLEUKIN-1-BETA-CONVERTING ENZYME MESSENGER-RNAIN STAGGERER CEREBELLUM

INTERLEUKIN-1B-CONVERTING enzyme (ICE), involved in the maturation pro cess of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta, is a homologue of ced-3, a prot ease required for programmed cell death in Caenorhabditis elegans. Ove rexpression of ICE induces programmed cell death in certain mammalian cell types, whereas in neurones of the central nervous system such a r ole has yet to be established. We show that ICE mRNA expression is inc reased 4-fold in the cerebellum of homozygous staggerer mice, where IL -1 beta mRNA is overexpressed and programmed neuronal cell death occur s. Intraperitoneal injection of endotoxin (LPS) induced a strong phasi c increase in IL mRNA levels in the cerebellum, whereas the ICE mRNA l evel increased only moderately. Involvement of ICE in neuronal cell de ath in the cerebellum of staggerer mice is suspected.