FAS Protein

FAS Protein

Overview

<table class="infobox infobox-protein">
<tr>
<th class="infobox-header" colspan="2">FAS Protein</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Gene</td>
<td>[FAS](/genes/fas)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">UniProt</td>
<td>[P01375](https://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/P01375)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Molecular Weight</td>
<td>~43 kDa</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Subcellular Localization</td>
<td>Plasma membrane</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Protein Family</td>
<td>TNF receptor superfamily</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Agent</td>
<td>Mechanism</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Anti-Fas antibody</td>
<td>Agonist</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Fas-Fc decoy</td>
<td>Soluble receptor</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">FADD dominant negative</td>
<td>Blocks DISC</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Associated Diseases</td>
<td><a href="/wiki/ad" style="color:#ef9a9a">AD</a>, <a href="/wiki/als" style="color:#ef9a9a">ALS</a>, <a href="/wiki/ami" style="color:#ef9a9a">AMI</a>, <a href="/wiki/aging" style="color:#ef9a9a">Aging</a>, <a href="/wiki/als" style="color:#ef9a9a">Als</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">KG Connections</td>
<td><a href="/atlas" style="color:#4fc3f7">451 edges</a></td>
</tr>
</table>

Pathway Diagram

FAS Protein

Overview

<table class="infobox infobox-protein">
<tr>
<th class="infobox-header" colspan="2">FAS Protein</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Gene</td>
<td>[FAS](/genes/fas)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">UniProt</td>
<td>[P01375](https://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/P01375)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Molecular Weight</td>
<td>~43 kDa</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Subcellular Localization</td>
<td>Plasma membrane</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Protein Family</td>
<td>TNF receptor superfamily</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Agent</td>
<td>Mechanism</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Anti-Fas antibody</td>
<td>Agonist</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Fas-Fc decoy</td>
<td>Soluble receptor</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">FADD dominant negative</td>
<td>Blocks DISC</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Associated Diseases</td>
<td><a href="/wiki/ad" style="color:#ef9a9a">AD</a>, <a href="/wiki/als" style="color:#ef9a9a">ALS</a>, <a href="/wiki/ami" style="color:#ef9a9a">AMI</a>, <a href="/wiki/aging" style="color:#ef9a9a">Aging</a>, <a href="/wiki/als" style="color:#ef9a9a">Als</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">KG Connections</td>
<td><a href="/atlas" style="color:#4fc3f7">451 edges</a></td>
</tr>
</table>

Pathway Diagram

FAS Protein is a protein encoded by the [FAS](/genes/fas) gene that in the central nervous system, fas signaling regulates:. This page describes its structure, normal nervous system function, role in neurodegenerative disease, and potential as a therapeutic target. [@ethell2022]

Fas (also known as CD95 or TNFRSF6) is a cell surface death receptor that plays a critical role in extrinsic [apoptosis](/entities/apoptosis). It is a member of the TNF receptor superfamily and mediates programmed cell death signals crucial for neuronal survival and neuroinflammation in neurodegenerative diseases. Fas is a type I transmembrane receptor with three extracellular cysteine-rich domains for Fas ligand binding and an intracellular death domain that triggers apoptotic signaling. It is expressed in [neurons](/entities/neurons) and glial cells throughout the brain and plays roles in developmental apoptosis, immune surveillance, synaptic pruning, and glial cell turnover. [@shin2021]

Structure

Fas is a type I transmembrane receptor: [@vila2020]

• Extracellular domain: Three cysteine-rich domains (CRDs) for Fas ligand binding
• Transmembrane domain: Single pass membrane helix
• Intracellular death domain: Triggers apoptotic signaling

Normal Function

In the central nervous system, Fas signaling regulates:

• Developmental apoptosis: Elimination of excess neurons during brain development
• Immune surveillance: Regulation of immune cell populations
• Synaptic pruning: Process of removing excess synapses during development and disease
• Glial cell turnover: Controls glial cell populations

Role in Disease

Alzheimer's Disease

• Fas-mediated apoptosis contributes to neuronal loss in AD
• Elevated Fas expression in AD [hippocampus](/brain-regions/hippocampus) and [cortex](/brain-regions/cortex)
• Fas-FasL interaction triggers caspase-8 activation
• Therapeutic targeting of Fas pathway shows promise

Parkinson's Disease

• Fas signaling involved in dopaminergic neuron death
• Microglial FasL contributes to neuroinflammation
• Elevated soluble Fas in PD cerebrospinal fluid

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

• Motor neuron susceptibility to Fas-mediated apoptosis
• Upregulation of Fas in ALS spinal cord
• Fas blockade protects motor neurons in models

Stroke and Brain Injury

• Fas contributes to secondary neuronal damage
• Therapeutic window for Fas inhibition post-injury

Signaling Pathway

Fas activation triggers the extrinsic apoptosis pathway:

Therapeutic Targeting

See Also

• [FAS Gene](/genes/fas)
• [Apoptosis](/mechanisms/apoptosis)
• [Caspase-8](/proteins/caspase-8)
• [Fas Ligand](/proteins/fas-ligand)
• [Neuroinflammation](/mechanisms/neuroinflammation)

External Links

• [UniProt P01375](https://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/P01375)
• [NCBI Gene: 3558](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/3558)

References

Pathway Diagram

The following diagram shows the key molecular relationships involving FAS Protein discovered through SciDEX knowledge graph analysis: