The role of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in apoptosis induced by ultraviolet C and gamma radiation. Duration of JNK activation may determine cell death and proliferation.

c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs) participate in cellular responses to mitogenic stimuli, environmental stresses, and apoptotic agents. The mechanisms by which JNK integrates with other signaling pathways and regulates the diverse cellular events are unclear. We found JNK, but not p38-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) or extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2, to be persistently activated in apoptosis induced by gamma radiation, UV-C, and anti-Fas treatment. Direct correlation was found between JNK activation and apoptosis induced by UV-C and gamma radiation; however, JNK induction and apoptosis induced by Fas signaling were not well correlated. Overexpression of activated JNK1 caused cell death in transfected cells, and the expression of a dominant-negative mutant of MAPK kinase 1 or JNK1 (but not a dominant-negative mutant of p38-MAPK or c-Raf) prevented the UV-C- and gamma radiation-induced cell death. The inductions of JNK in T-cell activation and apoptosis were distinguished by the different activation patterns, transient versus persistent, respectively. Co-treatment with a tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor (sodium orthovanadate) and T-cell activation signals (phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate plus ionomycin) prolonged JNK induction, followed by T-cell apoptosis. Our data revealed the requirement of the JNK pathway in radiation-induced apoptosis and implicated the importance of the duration of JNK activation in determining the cell fates.