CD95/Fas ligand mRNA is toxic to cells through more than one mechanism.

CD95/Fas ligand (CD95L) induces apoptosis through protein binding to the CD95 receptor. However, CD95L mRNA also induces toxicity in the absence of CD95 through induction of DISE (Death Induced by Survival Gene Elimination), a form of cell death mediated by RNA interference (RNAi). We now report that CD95L mRNA processing generates a short (s)RNA nearly identical to shL3, a commercial CD95L-targeting shRNA that led to the discovery of DISE.