TRAIL activates JNK and NF-κB through RIP1-dependent and -independent pathways

The death receptor (DR) ligand TRAIL is being evaluated in clinical trials as an anti-cancer agent; however, many studies have found that TRAIL also enhances tumor progression by activating the NF-κB pathway in apoptosis-resistant cells. Although RIP1, cFLIP and caspase-8 have been implicated in TRAIL-induced JNK and NF-κB activation, underlying mechanisms are unclear. By examining the kinetics of pathway activation in TRAIL-sensitive lymphoma cells wild-type or deficient for RIP1, TRAF2, cIAP1/2 or HOIP, we report here that TRAIL induces two phases of JNK and NF-κB activation. The early phase is activated by TRAF2- and cIAP1-mediated ubiquitination of RIP1, whereas the delayed phase is induced by caspase-dependent activation of MEKK1 independent of RIP1 and TRAF2 expression. cFLIP overexpression promotes the early phase but completely suppresses the delayed phase of pathway activation in lymphoma cells, whereas Bcl-2 overexpression promotes both the early and delayed phases of the pathways. In addition, stable overexpression of cFLIP in RIP1- or TRAF2-deficient cells confers resistance to apoptosis, but fails to mediate NF-κB activation. HOIP is not essential for, but contributes to, TRAIL-induced NF-κB activation in cFLIP-overexpressing cells. These findings not only elucidate details of the mechanisms underlying TRAIL-induced JNK and NF-κB activation, but also clarify conflicting reports in the field. •TRAIL induces two phases of JNK and NF-κB activation.•The early phase is activated by TRAF2/cIAP1-mediated ubiquitination of RIP1.•The delayed phase is mediated by caspase-dependent activation of MEKK1.•cFLIP exerts opposite effects on the early and delayed phases of pathway activation.•These findings clarify conflicting reports in the field of TRAIL study.