Down-regulation of tumor necrosis factor α expression by activating transcription factor 2 increases UVC-induced apoptosis of late-stage melanoma cells

To identify mechanisms whereby activating transcription factor 2 (ATF2) alters the radiation resistance of human melanoma cells, we examined the possible role of ATF2 in WC-induced apoptosis. Forced expression of full-length or truncated (Delta 1-195 amino acids) forms of ATF2 in LU1205, a late-stage human melanoma cell line, elevated the levels of UVC-induced apoptosis. At the same time, either truncated or full-length forms of ATF2 reduced UVC-induced activation of the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha) promoter and decreased expression of TNF alpha. Forced expression of c-Jun in ATF2-expressing melanoma cells restored TNF alpha expression, suggesting that both forms of ATF2 sequestered transcription factors that positively regulate TNF alpha expression in response to UV irradiation. Antagonistic antibodies to Fas, but not to TNFR1, efficiently suppressed UVC-induced apoptosis, suggesting that the Fas pathway mediates the primary apoptotic signal in melanoma cells whereas the TNFR1 pathway elicits a survival signal. Indeed, treatment of melanoma cells with TNF alpha before UVC irradiation partially suppressed WC-induced apoptosis, further supporting the protective role of TNF alpha in UVC-treated melanoma cells. Taken together, our findings suggest that ATF2 contributes to UVC-induced apoptosis through transcriptional silencing of TNF alpha, which balances Fas-mediated cell death in melanoma.