Toll-like receptor 3 and STAT-1 contribute to double-stranded RNA plus interferon-γ-induced apoptosis in primary pancreatic β-cells

Viral infections and local production of cytokines probably contribute to the pathogenesis of Type 1 diabetes. The viral replicative intermediate double-stranded RNA ( dsRNA, tested in the form of polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid, PIC), in combination with the cytokine interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), triggers beta-cell apoptosis. We have previously observed by microarray analysis that PIC induces expression of several mRNAs encoding for genes downstream of Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) signaling pathway. In this report, we show that exposure of beta-cells to dsRNA in combination with IFN-alpha, -beta, or -gamma significantly increases apoptosis. Moreover, dsRNA induces TLR3 mRNA expression and activates NF-kappa B and the IFN-beta promoter in a TRIF-dependent manner. dsRNA also induces an early ( 1 h) and sustained increase in IFN-beta mRNA expression, and blocking IFN-beta with a specific antibody partially prevents PIC plus IFN-gamma-induced beta-cell death. On the other hand, dsRNA plus IFN-gamma does not induce apoptosis in INS-1E cells, and expression of TLR3 and type I IFNs mRNAs is not detected in these cells. Of note, disruption of the STAT-1 signaling pathway protects beta-cells against dsRNA plus IFN-gamma-induced beta-cell apoptosis. This study suggests that dsRNA plus IFN-gamma triggers beta-cell apoptosis by two complementary pathways, namely TLR3-TRIF-NF-kappa B and STAT-1.