PATHWAYS LEADING TO CELL-DEATH IN T-CELLS

Antigen-induced apoptosis of T cells is a highly regulated process whi ch plays a key role in the elimination of self-reactive T cells and, t hus, in the prevention of autoimmunity. It has recently become apparen t that members of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and TNF receptor (TN FR) superfamily regulate antigen-induced T-cell death. Studies charact erizing genes which control TNF/TNFR superfamily expression and how TN F/TNFR signal transducers activate cell death machinery, such as caspa ses, have begun to reveal the molecular control of antigen-induced T-c ell death.