Apoptosis of smooth muscle cells is not silent: Fas/FADD initiates a program of inflammatory gene expression

Unlike necrosis, apoptosis is classically considered to be "silent, " (i.e. , self-contained and non-inflammatory). In this review we describe the syst em that we developed to regulate apoptosis of smooth muscle cells (SMC) in vivo. We have used this system to demonstrate that SMC apoptosis initiated by FADD or by Fas ligation includes a specific program of expression of pro -inflammatory genes. We discuss how this conclusion can be reconciled with reports that Fas plays an anti-inflammatory role in vascular lesions.