Dominant negative MORT1/FADD rescues mice from CD95 and TNF-induced liver failure

Derangement of the apoptotic program is considered an important cause of liver disease. It became clear that receptor-mediated apoptosis is of specific interest in this context, and CD95 and CD120a, both members of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor superfamily, are the most prominent cell death receptors involved. The death signal is induced upon ligand binding by recruitment of caspases via the adapter molecule MORT1/FADD to the receptor and their subsequent activation. To investigate the role of MORT1/FADD in hepatocyte apoptosis, we generated transgenic mice expressing liver-specific dominant negative mutant. Mice looked grossly normal; breeding and liver development were not diff…