Coexpression of FAS and FAS-ligand in chronic pancreatitis: Correlation with apoptosis

Activation of the Fas receptor by Fas-ligand (FasL) results in apoptosis, a nd dysregulation of this pathway may contribute to abnormal cell proliferat ion and cell death. The aim of this study was to compare the expression of Fas and Fast in the normal pancreas and chronic pancreatitis (CP). By North ern blotting, Fas messenger RNA (mRNA) levels were increased in CP in compa rison to the normal pancreas. Immunostaining revealed that faint Fas and Fa st immunoreactivity was present in ductal and islet cells of the normal pan creas. In CP, there was faint Fas and strong Fast immunoreactivity in the p roliferating ductal cells. Additionally, many of these ductal cells in the CP samples exhibited an apoptotic signal, as determined by DNA 3'-OH end la beling. These findings suggest that activation of apoptosis through the Fas receptor may contribute to the pathobiology of CP.