ApoptosisproducedinBcellsthroughFas(APO-1,CD95)triggeringisregulatedbysignalsderivedfromothersurfacereceptors:CD40engagementproducesupregulationofFasexpressionandmarkedsusceptibilitytoFas-inducedcelldeath,whereasantigenreceptorengagement,orIL-4Rengagement,inhibitsFaskillingandinsodoinginducesastateofFas-resistance,eveninotherwisesensitive,CD40-stimulatedtargets.SurfaceimmunoglobulinandIL-4RutilizeatleastpartiallydistinctpathwaystoproduceFas-resistancethatdifferentiallydependonPKCandSTAT6,respectively.Further,surfaceimmunoglobulinsignalingforinducibleFas-resistancebypassesBtk,requiresNF-κB,andentailsnewmacromolecularsynthesis.TerminaleffectorsofBcellFas-resistanceincludetheknownanti-apoptoticgeneproducts,Bcl-XLandFLIP,andanovelanti-apoptoticgenethatencodesFAIM(FasApoptosisInhibitoryMolecule).faimwasidentifiedbydifferentialdisplayandexistsintwoalternativelysplicedforms;faim-Sisbroadlyexpressed,butfaim-Lexpressionistissue-specific.TheFAIMsequenceishighlyevolutionarilyconserved,suggestinganimportantroleforthismoleculethroughoutphylogeny.InducibleresistancetoFaskillingishypothesizedtoprotectforeignantigen-specificBcellsduringpotentiallyhazardousinteractionswithFasL-bearingTcells,whereasautoreactiveBcellsfailtobecomeFas-resistantandaredeletedviaFas-dependentcytotoxicity.InadvertentoraberrantacquisitionofFas-resistancemaypermitautoreactiveBcellstoescapeFasdeletion,andmalignantlymphocytestoimpedeanti-tumorimmunity.
