Survivin expression correlates with apoptosis resistance after lymphocyte activation and is found preferentially in memory T cells

The prevention of apoptosis may be critical for immunological function. Sur vivin is a recently cloned member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein fam ily. We analyzed survivin expression before and after lymphocyte activation in isolated cell populations. Prior to activation, survivin was undetectab le. After activation with IL-2 and OKT-3, CD3(+) cells expressed survivin. Next, we correlated survivin expression with Fas, Fast and the amount of ap optosis over time in culture. After activation, survivin was readily detect ed by day 2 and decreased thereafter. Prior to activation (day 0), Fas was present on 60% of the cells and on 100% by days 2-6. Peak Fast mRNA express ion was at day 2. During peak survivin expression (days 2-4) the apoptotic fraction was low, but when survivin expression decreased the apoptotic frac tion increased rapidly. Finally, we found that CD45RO(+) memory T cells sho wed a higher expression of survivin than did CD45RA(+) naive T cells after activation. These results suggest that survivin may contribute to T-cell su rvival early in T-cell responses as well as in memory immune responses. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.