Differential activation of the Fas/CD95 pathway by Ad-p53 in human gliomas.

Adenoviral p53 gene transfer (Ad-p53) induces apoptosis in glioma cells expressing mutant p53, but fails in cells with wild-type p53. Endogenously, gliomas express varied levels of Fas/CD95, yet constitutively high levels of Fas/CD95 ligand. Because the mechanism behind the differential apoptotic response to Ad-p53 infection remains elusive, we examined how the Fas/CD95 pathway is involved in U87MG (wt-p53), D54 (wt-p53), U251MG (mutant-p53), and U373MG (mutant-p53) glioma cell lines.