DNase γ is responsible for generation of TUNEL-positive DNA ends in necrotic cells.

<p>(<b>A</b>) HepG2 and G2G cells were treated with digitonin for 1 h, and genomic DNAs from these cells were electrophoresed on agarose gels (top panel): M, 1-kb ladder DNA marker. <i>DNase γ</i> and <i>GAPDH</i> expression levels in the same cells were examined by RT-PCR assay (middle and bottom panels). (<b>B</b>) HepG2 and G2G cells were treated with digitonin for 30 m and subjected to TUNEL assay (right panels) and stained with propidium iodide (PI, left panels). (<b>C</b>) Fixed mouse liver sections were treated with (+, bottom panels) or without (−, top panels) recombinant DNase γ (2.5 ng/ml) at 37°C for 30 min and subjected to TUNEL assay (right panels) and stained with PI (left panels). PI stained both DNA and RNA. Scale bar, 200 µm.