Abstract
In near-physiological concentrations, glucocorticoid hormones cause the death of several types of normal and neoplastic lymphoid cell, but the mechanisms involved are unknown1,2. One of the earliest structural changes in the dying cell is widespread chromatin condensation, of the type characteristic of apoptosis, the mode of death frequently observed where cell deletion seems to be ‘programmed’3,4. It is shown here that this morphological change is closely associated with excision of nucleosome chains from nuclear chromatin, apparently through activation of an intracellular, but non-lysosomal, endonuclease.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Claman, H. N. New Engl. J. Med. 287, 388–397 (1972).
Thompson, E. B., Norman, M. R. & Lippman, M. E. Recent Prog. Horm. Res. 33, 571–615 (1977).
Kerr, J. F. R., Wyllie, A. H. & Currie, A. R. Br. J. Cancer 26, 239–257 (1972).
Wyllie, A. H. Differentiation (submitted).
Kerr, J. F. R. J. Path. Bact. 90, 419–435 (1965).
Kuo, M. T. & Hsu, T. C. Nature 271, 83–84 (1978).
Burgoyne, L. A., Waqar, M. A. & Atkinson, M. R. Biochem. biophys. Res. Commun. 39, 918–922 (1970).
Hewish, D. R. & Burgoyne, L. A. Biochem. biophys. Res. Commun. 52, 504–510 (1973).
Ishida, R., Akiyoshi, H. & Takahashi, T. Biochem. biophys. Res. Commun. 56, 703–710 (1974).
Finch, J. T. & Klug, A. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 73, 1897–1901 (1976).
Kaiser, N. & Edelman, I. S. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 74, 638–642 (1977).
Kaiser, N. & Edelman, I. S. Endocrinology 103, 936–942 (1978).
Bachvaroff, R. J., Ayvazian, J. H., Skupp, S. K. & Rapaport, F. T. Transplant Proc. 9, 807–810 (1977).
Williamson, R. J. molec. Biol. 51, 157–168 (1970).
Appleby, D. W. & Modak, S. P. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 74, 5579–5583 (1977).
Burton, K. Biochem. J. 62, 315–323 (1956).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wyllie, A. Glucocorticoid-induced thymocyte apoptosis is associated with endogenous endonuclease activation. Nature 284, 555–556 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1038/284555a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/284555a0
- Springer Nature Limited
This article is cited by
-
Chemogenetic activation of CRF neurons as a model of chronic stress produces sex-specific physiological and behavioral effects
Neuropsychopharmacology (2024)
-
A new anticancer derivative of the natural alkaloid, theobromine, as an EGFR inhibitor and apoptosis inducer
Theoretical Chemistry Accounts (2024)
-
Therapeutic applications of nanobiotechnology
Journal of Nanobiotechnology (2023)
-
Peptidylarginine deiminase 2 promotes T helper 17-like T cell activation and activated T cell-autonomous death (ACAD) through an endoplasmic reticulum stress and autophagy coupling mechanism
Cellular & Molecular Biology Letters (2022)
-
The role of melatonin on caspase-3-like activity and expression of the genes involved in programmed cell death (PCD) induced by in vitro salt stress in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) roots
Botanical Studies (2022)