Increased susceptibility of thymocytes to apoptosis in mice lacking AIM, a novel murine macrophage-derived soluble factor belonging to the scavenger receptor cysteine-rich domain superfamily.

ABSTRACT: Apoptosis of cells must be regulated both positively and negatively in response to a variety of stimuli in the body. Various environmental stresses are known to initiate apoptosis via differential signal transduction cascades. However, induction of signals that may inhibit apoptosis is poorly understood, although a number of intracellular molecules that mediate inhibition of apoptosis have been identified. Here we present a novel murine macrophage-specific 54-kD secreted protein which inhibits apoptosis (termed AIM, for apoptosis inhibitor expressed by macrophages). AIM belongs to the macrophage scavenger receptor cysteine-rich domain superfamily (SRCR-SF), members of which share a highly homologous conserved cysteine-rich domain. In AIM-deficient mice, the thymocyte numbers were diminishe

SUBMITTER: Miyazaki T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2192994 | biostudies-literature | 1999 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature