Apoptosis

The fifth Annual Pezcoller Symposium entitled, Apoptosis, was held in Trento, Italy, June 9-1I, 1993 and was focused on the specific phenomena leading to Programmed Cell Death (PCD) or Apoptosis, and the mechanisms involved. With presentations at the cutting edge of progress and stimulating discussions, this Symposium addressed the genetics and molecular mechanisms determining PCD and the role of this suicidal process in cancer and the immune system. The functions of pS3, c myc and bel 2 in affecting apoptosis in different cell types and the role of ions and intracellular pH changes and that of intranuelear endonueleases are given particular emphasis as are the effects of anticancer agents, hormone imbalances and growth factors. The role of pS3, a tumor suppressor gene, in inducing PCD is discussed in detail as pertinent to hematological and non-hernatological tumors. The requirement of pS3 for the induction ofapoptosis by ionizing radiation or adenovirus oncoproteins is outlined. Decision points during the cell cyele affecting the cascade ofevents leading to PCD are discussed as is their role as "switches" under the control of c-myc and bel-2 proteins or the influence of cyele specific drugs. The concurrent requirement of multiple signals in determining apoptosis is emphasized. The examples of the role of PCD in the regulation of hematopoiesis, and in the generation of antigen-specific immune repertoire are illustrated. Front Matter....Pages i-x Genetic Control of Programmed Cell Death in the Nematode Caenorhabditis Elegans ....Pages 1-13 Apoptosis in Inherited Retinal Degenerations....Pages 15-29 Wild Type p53 Activity Contributes to Dependence on Hematopoietic Survival Factors....Pages 31-45 Regulation of Apoptosis by the Transforming Gene Products of Adenovirus....Pages 47-62 C-MYC : Oncogene and Tumour Suppressor Gene....Pages 63-84 Regulation of Apoptosis in Interleukin-3-Dependent Myeloid Progenitor Cells....Pages 85-96 Ion Signalling in Apoptosis....Pages 97-115 Molecular Controls of Cell Cycle Progression Following DNA Damage: Roles of P53 and Ataxia-Telangiectasia Gene Products....Pages 117-135 Proliferation Independent Activation of Programmed Cell Death as a Novel Therapy for Prostate Cancer....Pages 137-155 The BCL-2 Gene: A Regulator of Programmed Cell Death....Pages 157-177 Nuclear Receptors and Thymocyte Apoptosis: Shaping the Immune Repertoire....Pages 179-200 Regulation of Cell Growth by Transcription Factors, IRF-1 and IRF-2....Pages 201-212 MYC, FAS, Apoptosis, and Immune Tolerance....Pages 213-222 Induction of Apoptosis by Cell-Cycle Phase Specific Drugs....Pages 223-236 Lymphocyte Activation Induced Apoptosis by the APO-1 Cell Surface Receptor....Pages 237-248 Endonucleases Associated with Apoptosis....Pages 249-264 Back Matter....Pages 265-272 Proceedings of the Fifth Pezcoller Symposium held in Trento, Italy, June 9-11, 1993