Faf1 is expressed during neurodevelopment and is involved in Apaf1-dependent caspase-3 activation in proneural cells

• Published in: Cellular and molecular life sciences : CMLS Vol. 65; no. 11; pp. 1780 - 1790
• Main Authors: De Zio, D, Ferraro, E, D'Amelio, M, Simoni, V, Bordi, M, Soroldoni, D, Berghella, L, Meyer, B. I, Cecconi, F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel Basel : SP Birkhäuser Verlag Basel 01.06.2008; SP Birkhäuser Verlag Basel; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; Animals; Apaf1; Apoptosis; Apoptosis - physiology; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; Apoptotic Protease-Activating Factor 1 - genetics; Apoptotic Protease-Activating Factor 1 - metabolism; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Brain - anatomy & histology; Brain - embryology; Brain - metabolism; Carrier Proteins - genetics; Carrier Proteins - metabolism; Caspase 3 - genetics; Caspase 3 - metabolism; caspase(s); Cell Biology; cell death; Cells, Cultured; Cellular biology; Enzyme Activation; Enzymes; Humans; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; Life Sciences; Mice; neurodevelopment; Neurology; Neurons - cytology; Neurons - metabolism; Proteins; Recombinant Fusion Proteins - genetics; Recombinant Fusion Proteins - metabolism; Research Article; Stem Cells - cytology; Stem Cells - metabolism; apoptosis; caspase(s); cell death; neurodevelopment; Apaf1
• ISSN: 1420-682X; 1420-9071
• DOI: 10.1007/s00018-008-8075-5

Fas-associated factor 1 (Faf1) has been described as a Fas-binding pro-apoptotic protein and as a component of the death-inducing signaling complex (DISC) in Fas-mediated apoptosis. Faf1 is able to potentiate Fas-induced apoptosis in several cell lines, although its specific functions are still not clear. Here we show that Faf1 is highly expressed in several areas of the developing telencephalon. Its expression pattern appears to be dynamic at different embryonic stages and to be progressively confined within limited territories. To decipher the specific role of Faf1 in developing brain, we used cDNA over-expression and mRNA down-regulation experiments to modulate Faf1 expression in telencephalic neural precursor cells, and we showed that in neural cell death Faf1 acts as a Fas-independent apoptotic enhancer. Moreover, we found that Faf1 protein level is down-regulated during apoptosis in a caspase- and Apaf1-dependent manner.