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Abstract
The A1 differential display product was initially isolated from thymocytes undergoing apoptosis, and its expression was shown to increase as function of time in this model system. In the current research, a more sensitive technique, the Competitive RT-PCR assay, was employed to examine the expression of the A1 gene in bursal lymphocytes undergoing apoptosis. This line of investigation demonstrates that there is a surge in A1 expression during the initial phases of apoptosis, indicating that A1 may represent a critical activation signal in the apoptotic cascade. Furthermore, this study indicates that agents known to inhibit apoptosis in bursal lymphocytes, such as the phorbol ester PDBu, also function to moderate A1 expression. Since PDBu activates the protein kinase C-signaling pathway, this finding suggests a possible link between A1 and the protein kinase C pathway.