PREVENTION OF VERTEBRATE NEURONAL DEATH BY THE CRMA GENE

Interleukin-1beta converting enzyme (ICE) is a mammalian homolog of CE D-3, a protein required for programmed cell death in the nematode Caen orhabditis elegans. The activity of ICE can be specifically inhibited by the product of crmA, a cytokine response modifier gene encoded by c owpox virus. Microinjection of the crmA gene into chicken dorsal root ganglion neurons was found to prevent cell death induced by deprivatio n of nerve growth factor. Thus, ICE is likely to participate in neuron al death in vertebrates.