HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Robles, M. S. Articles by Martínez-A., C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Robles, M. S. Articles by Martínez-A., C. Pubmed/NCBI databases Gene GEO Profiles HomoloGene UniGene Substance via MeSH

Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein from Orgyia pseudotsugata Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus Provides a Costimulatory Signal Required for Optimal Proliferation of Developing Thymocytes¹

María S. Robles^2,*, Esther Leonardo^*, Luis Miguel Criado^*, Manuel Izquierdo and Carlos Martínez-A.^*

^* Department of Immunology and Oncology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid Campus de Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain; and Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas-Universidad de Valladolid, Facultad de Medicina, Ramón y Cajal, Valladolid, Spain

The inhibitors of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) constitute a family of endogenous inhibitors that control apoptosis in the cell by inhibiting caspase processing and activity. IAPs are also implicated in cell division, cell cycle regulation, and cancer. To address the role of IAPs in thymus development and homeostasis, we generated transgenic mice expressing IAP generated from the baculovirus Orgyia pseudotsugata nuclear polyhedrosis virus (OpIAP). Developing thymocytes expressing OpIAP show increased nuclear levels of NF-B and reduced cytoplasmic levels of its inhibitor, IB. In mature thymocytes, OpIAP induces optimal activation and proliferation after TCR triggering in the absence of a costimulatory signal. OpIAP expression in immature thymocytes blocks TCR-induced apoptosis. Taken together, our data illustrate the pleiotropism of OpIAP in vivo.