Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.1.27.1 (RNase)
 16,360 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Interferon gamma (IFNgamma) induces apoptosis in purified human erythroid colony-forming cells (ECFC) and inhibits cell growth. Fas (APO-1; CD95) and Fas ligand (FasL) mediate apoptosis induced by IFNgamma, because Fas is significantly upregulated by IFNgamma, whereas Fas ligand is constitutively present in the ECFC and neutralization of FasL greatly reduces the apoptosis. Because conversion of caspases from their dormant proenzyme forms to active enzymes has a critical role in transducing a cascade leading to apoptosis, we performed further studies of the expression and activation of caspases in normal human and IFNgamma-treated day-6 ECFC to better understand the mechanism of IFNgamma action in producing this cell death. RNase protection assays showed that the caspase-1, -2, -6, -8, and -9 mRNAs were upregulated by IFNgamma, whereas the caspase-5 and -7 mRNAs were not increased. Western blots showed that FLICE/caspase-8 was upregulated and activated by 24 hours of incubation with IFNgamma. FADD was not similarly altered by incubation with IFNgamma. Western blots of ICE/caspase-1, which might be required for amplification of the initial FLICE activation signal, showed that pro-ICE expression significantly increased after treatment with IFNgamma for 24 hours and cleavage of pro-ICE also increased. CPP32/apopain/caspase-3, responsible for the proteolytic cleavage of poly (ADP) ribose polymerase (PARP), was also studied and treatment of ECFC with IFNgamma resulted in an increased concentration of caspase-3 by 24 hours and a clear induction of enzyme activation by 48 hours, which was identified by the appearance of its p17-kD peptide fragment. The cleavage of PARP was demonstrated by an obvious increase of the 89-kD PARP cleavage product, which was observed at almost the same time as caspase-3 activation in the IFNgamma-treated cells, whereas untreated ECFC showed little change. Peptide inhibitors of the caspase proteins, DEVD-fmk, DEVD-cho, YVAD-cho, and IETD-fmk, were incubated with the ECFC to obtain further evidence for the involvement of caspases in IFNgamma-induced apoptosis. The activation of FLICE/caspase-8 and CPP32/caspase-3 and cleavage of PARP clearly were inhibited, but the reduction of cell growth due to apoptosis, induced by IFNgamma, was only partially blocked by the presence of the inhibitors. These results indicate that IFNgamma acts on ECFC not only to upregulate Fas, but also to selectively upregulate caspases-1, -3, and -8, which are activated and produce apoptosis, whereas the concentrations of FasL and FADD are not demonstrably changed.
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PMID:Interferon gamma induces upregulation and activation of caspases 1, 3, and 8 to produce apoptosis in human erythroid progenitor cells. 1023 83

Cytotoxic endoribonucleases (RNases) possess a potential for use in cancer therapy. However, the molecular determinants of RNase-induced cell death are not well understood. In this work, we identify such determinants of the cytotoxicity induced by onconase, an amphibian cytotoxic RNase. Onconase displayed a remarkable specificity for tRNA in vivo, leaving rRNA and mRNA apparently undamaged. Onconase-treated cells displayed apoptosis-associated cell blebbing, nuclear pyknosis and fragmentation (karyorrhexis), DNA fragmentation, and activation of caspase-3-like activity. The cytotoxic action of onconase correlated with inhibition of protein synthesis; however, we present evidence for the existence of a mechanism of onconase-induced apoptosis that is independent of inhibition of protein synthesis. The caspase inhibitor benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp(OMe) fluoromethyl ketone (zVADfmk), at concentrations that completely prevent apoptosis and caspase activation induced by ligation of the death receptor Fas, had only a partial protective effect on onconase-induced cell death. The proapoptotic activity of the p53 tumor suppressor protein and the Fas ligand/Fas/Fas-associating protein with death domain (FADD)/caspase-8 proapoptotic cascade were not required for onconase-induced apoptosis. Procaspases-9, -3, and -7 were processed in onconase-treated cells, suggesting the involvement of the mitochondrial apoptotic machinery in onconase-induced apoptosis. However, the onconase-induced activation of the caspase-9/caspase-3 cascade correlated with atypically little release of cytochrome c from mitochondria. In turn, the low levels of cytochrome c released from mitochondria correlated with a lack of detectable translocation of proapoptotic Bax from the cytosol onto mitochondria in response to onconase. This suggests the possibility of involvement of a different, potentially Bax- and cytochrome c-independent mechanism of caspase-9 activation in onconase-treated cells. As one possible mechanism, we demonstrate that procaspase-9 is released from mitochondria in onconase-treated cells. A detailed understanding of the molecular determinants of the cytotoxic action of onconase could provide means of positive or negative therapeutic modulation of the activity of this potent anticancer agent.
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PMID:Molecular determinants of apoptosis induced by the cytotoxic ribonuclease onconase: evidence for cytotoxic mechanisms different from inhibition of protein synthesis. 1076 89

We have previously reported that mice with cardiac-specific overexpression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)- alpha develop myocardial inflammation, cardiac hypertrophy, and dilated cardiomyopathy. TNF- alpha is reported to induce apoptosis in cultured cardiac myocytes. To investigate the role of apoptosis in this transgenic model, wild-type controls (WT) and transgenic mice (TG) at the age of 1, 8, and 40 weeks were analyzed. Increased incidence of apoptosis in TG was indicated by DNA laddering. TUNEL assays revealed that the frequencies of apoptotic cells were increased in the TG myocardium at all ages. However, as revealed by histochemical and immunofluorescent methods, most of the apoptotic cells appeared to be non-myocytes even in the mice with overt congestive heart failure. To elucidate the signaling pathways responsible for TNF- alpha induced apoptosis, expression of apoptosis-related genes were evaluated by multi-probe RNase protection assays. Transcripts for death-domain-related proteins, including TNFR1, Fas, FADD, TRADD, and RIP, were constitutively expressed in WT and upregulated in the TG myocardium. Expression of caspase-1 through -8 was also enhanced in TG. While both anti- and pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family genes were constitutively expressed in WT, TNF- alpha overexpression strongly induced anti-apoptotic A1 in the myocardium. Furthermore, TNF- alpha overexpression activated NF- kappa B, a mediator of anti-apoptotic pathways, in the myocardium. Thus, overexpression of TNF- alpha activated both anti- and pro-apoptotic pathways in the myocardium, resulting in an increase of apoptosis, primarily in non-myocytes. These results suggest that TNF- alpha by itself is not sufficient to induce apoptosis in cardiac myocytes in vivo.
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PMID:Overexpression of tumor necrosis factor- alpha activates both anti- and pro-apoptotic pathways in the myocardium. 1143 39

Familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (FALS) is often caused by gain-of-function mutations in Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD1). Multiprobe ribonuclease protection assays (RPAs) were used to investigate expression of 36 different cytokines and apoptosis-related genes in spinal cords of mice that ubiquitously express human SOD1 bearing a glycine (r) alanine substitution at residue 93 (G93A-SOD1). Mice were studied at late presymptomatic stage (80 days), and at 120 days when the animals experience severe hindlimb paralysis and accumulation of oxidatively modified proteins. Spinal cord tissue from G93A-SOD1 mice expressed a selective subset of macrophage-typical cytokines (monokines) including interleukin (IL)1alpha, IL1beta and IL1RA at 80 days increasing by 120 days. Contrastingly, T-cell derived cytokines (lymphokines) including IL2, IL3 and IL4 were detected at low levels in non-transgenic mice but these were not elevated in G93A-SOD1 mice even at 120 days. Apoptosis-related genes were generally unaffected at 80 days but multiple caspases and death receptor components were up-regulated at 120 days; the only exceptions being FADD and the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)alpha receptor p55 which was up-regulated at 80 days and increased further at 120 days. These data indicate that in the G93A-SOD1 mouse: (i) cytokine expression changes precede bulk protein oxidation and apoptosis gene expression; (ii) lymphocyte contributions to cytokine expression in FALS are likely minor; and (iii) TNFalpha and its receptors may link inflammation to apoptosis in ALS.
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PMID:Temporal patterns of cytokine and apoptosis-related gene expression in spinal cords of the G93A-SOD1 mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. 1212 37

Fumonisin B1 (FB1), a mycotoxin, is a potent inhibitor of ceramide synthase, and produces organ-, species-, and even gender-specific toxic responses in animals. The hepatotoxic response of FB1 in mice involves accumulation of free sphingoid bases and induction of inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha). The FB1-induced hepatotoxic responses were reduced in mice lacking TNFalpha receptor (TNFR) 1 or TNFR2. However, the hepatotoxicity was exacerbated in mice lacking TNFalpha. We therefore investigated the modulation of various other apoptotic signaling factors in TNFalpha-knockout (TKO) mice compared to wild-type (WT) strain after repeated daily subcutaneous injections of 2.25 mg/kg FB1 treatment for 5 days. Expression of various signaling genes in liver was evaluated by ribonuclease protection assay. Expression of CD95-ligand (FasL) was more than doubled in TKO animals after FB1 whereas it was unaltered in the WT group. FB1 did not alter CD95 expression in either strain; however, expressions of TRAIL, and downstream signaling factors FADD, TRADD, and caspase 8 were higher in FB1-treated TKO mice than in the corresponding WT animals. The TKO strain had a higher constitutive expression of apoptotic factors except CD95L. In addition to the CD95 and TNFalpha systems, the expression of apoptotic molecules bcl-2, b-myc, c-myc, bax, max, mad and IL1alpha was induced by FB1 in TKO mice to a greater extent than in WT animals; many of these factors also had a higher constitutive expression in TKO animals than WT mice. Results indicated that FB1 can induce CD95 modulated signaling when TNFalpha is absent. Differential constitutive expression of apoptotic genes in TKO mice may explain their increased sensitivity to FB1. These results are important in characterizing the modulating effect of TNFalpha on apoptotic signaling and in explaining the unexpected sensitivity of mice lacking this cytokine in response to hepatotoxic xenobiotics.
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PMID:Increased expression of CD95-ligand and other apoptotic signaling factors by fumonisin B1, a hepatotoxic mycotoxin, in livers of mice lacking tumor necrosis factor alpha. 1459 19

Human autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome has been described as a result of various mutations concerning genes encoding receptor CD95 and/or its ligand - CD178. However, recently, several cases with identical clinical manifestation, despite a normal structure of CD95 or CD178 have also been reported. In this study we analyzed PBMC obtained from patient with clinically overt lymphoproliferative disorder. Using in vitro assays as well as molecular methods we tested expression and biological activity of CD95 and CD178 molecules. We found that analyzed patient's lymphocytes displayed normal cytotoxic activity against CD95-bearing targets. However, CD95-dependent induction of apoptosis in analyzed lymphocytes was diminished, as compared to healthy control. Surprisingly, the molecular studies did not reveal any abnormalities in structure of patient-derived CD95 receptor molecule. Therefore, expression of other factors involved in CD95-mediated signaling pathway was estimated using RNase protection assay. The expression of FADD was comparable to that of healthy control. However, it has been found that patient-derived lymphocytes expressed reduced amount of caspase-8 mRNA, as compared to control subject cells. This report confirms previous observations that lymphoproliferative disorder could be associated not only with CD95 and/or CD178 mutations, but also with dysfunction of other components of apoptosis induction pathway. However, the detailed molecular mechanism of observed abnormalities in caspase-8 expression remains to be elucidated.
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PMID:Impaired apoptosis of lymphocytes derived from patient with decreased expression of caspase-8 results in Alps-like phenotype. 1549 69

The aromatase knockout (ArKO) mouse is unable to synthesize estrogens. Immunohistochemical studies on active caspase-3 and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) revealed apoptosis of dopaminergic neurons in the medial preoptic area (MPO) and arcuate nucleus (Arc) of the hypothalamus of 1-year-old (1yo) male ArKO mice while no active caspase-3 was detected in wild type (WT). Furthermore, the number of TH-positive cells in the MPO and caudal Arc was significantly decreased in 1yo ArKO compared to WT. RNase protection assays support the presence of apoptosis in 1yo ArKO hypothalamus, revealing an up-regulation of pro-apoptotic genes: FASL, FADD, and caspase-8. Concomitantly, the ratio of bcl-2-related anti-apoptotic genes to pro-apoptotic genes in the hypothalamus of 1yo ArKO mice was significantly down-regulated. Previously, we have reported that no such changes were observed in the hypothalamus of female ArKO mice. Thus, we have provided direct evidence that estrogen is required to maintain the survival and functional integrity of dopaminergic neurons in the MPO and Arc of male, but not female mice.
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PMID:Estrogen deficiency leads to apoptosis in dopaminergic neurons in the medial preoptic area and arcuate nucleus of male mice. 1555 24

2-Methoxyestradiol is a physiologic metabolite of 17beta-estradiol. This orally active compound can inhibit tumor growth or metastasis in tumor models without inducing any clinical sign of toxicity. Our previous studies indicated that 2-methoxyestradiol-mediated apoptosis involves the disappearance of intact 21-kDa Bid protein, cytochrome c release, and predominant procaspase-3 cleavage. Here, using MIA PaCa-2 cells as a model, we investigated whether this estrogen metabolite induces apoptosis by converging two major pathways: the death receptor-mediated extrinsic and the mitochondrial intrinsic pathway. Exogenous expression of dominant-negative caspase-8 or dominant-negative FADD reverts the effect of 2-methoxyestradiol-mediated cell death. In parallel with this observation, Z-IETD-FMK, a cell permeable irreversible inhibitor of caspase-8, can render significant protection against 2-methoxyestradiol-induced apoptosis. RNase protection assay and cell surface receptor analysis by flow cytometry show the up-regulation of members of death receptor family in 2-methoxyestradiol-exposed pancreatic cancer cells. Our mechanistic studies also implicate that oxidative stress precedes 2-methoxyestradiol-mediated c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase activation, leading to elevated Fas level. Because 2-methoxyestradiol is able to trigger death receptor signaling, we were interested in examining the effects of 2-methoxyestradiol and Fas ligand (FasL)/tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) together on pancreatic cancer cell death. Interestingly, the endogenous angiogenesis inhibitor 2-methoxyestradiol augments FasL/TRAIL-induced apoptosis in these cells. Moreover, the combination of 2-methoxyestradiol and TRAIL reduces the tumor burden in vivo in MIA PaCa-2 tumor xenograft model by caspase-3 activation.
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PMID:Crosstalk between extrinsic and intrinsic cell death pathways in pancreatic cancer: synergistic action of estrogen metabolite and ligands of death receptor family. 1661 56

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a major polyphenolic constituent of green tea, can exert growth suppressive effect on human pancreatic cancer cells by evoking apoptotic response. EGCG-induced apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cells is accompanied by growth arrest at an earlier phase of cell cycle along with depolarization of mitochondrial membrane. In this report, using MIA PaCa-2 cells as in vitro model, we demonstrate EGCG-induced cell death involves activation of caspase-8 and disappearance of intact 21 kDa Bid protein. Furthermore, exogenous expression of dominant negative caspase-8 or dominant negative FADD significantly abrogates apoptosis inducing ability of EGCG in MIA PaCa-2 cells. RNase protection assay revealed upregulation of the members of death receptor family, thus indicating the involvement of transmembrane extrinsic signaling in this polyphenol triggered pancreatic carcinoma cell death. Based on this, we examined the effect of EGCG and tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) together on pancreatic cancer cells. A synergistic increase in apoptosis and cleavage of procaspase-3 was noted. Furthermore, clonogenic cell survival assay demonstrates the significant diminishment of MIA PaCa-2 cell proliferation in the presence of both EGCG and TRAIL. This combination treatment strategy has potential therapeutic advantage for pancreatic carcinoma.
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PMID:Combinatorial effect of epigallocatechin-3-gallate and TRAIL on pancreatic cancer cell death. 1908 99

Characterising tumour-associated antigens (TAAs) not only represents an important approach to the identification of new diagnostic/prognostic markers, but can also provide information on disease processes and additional potential therapeutic targets. Preliminary screening of a protein macroarray, containing more than 12,000 different proteins, with sera from anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-negative and ALK-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) patients identified ribonuclease and tumour suppressor protein Ribonuclease T2 (RNASET2), phosphatase lipid phosphate phosphatase-related protein type 3 (LPPR3) and apoptotic adaptor molecule Fas-associating protein (FADD) as ALK-negative ALCL-associated TAAs. Further validation of these observations was confirmed using the ALCL sera in reverse ELISAs. The circulating anti-RNASET2 autoantibodies present in ALCL patients' sera also recognised eukaryotically expressed RNASET2 protein. RNASET2 expression was then investigated in normal tissues and in lymphomas to explore its clinical potential. RNASET2 protein and mRNA levels showed highest expression in the spleen, leucocytes and pancreas. RNASET2 protein expression was not restricted to ALK-negative ALCL (81%), being expressed in ALK-positive ALCL (65%) as well as in a number of other lymphomas. The immunological recognition of RNASET2, its expression in ALCL and other lymphomas together with its known tumourigenic properties suggest that further studies on this autoantigen are warranted.
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PMID:RNASET2--an autoantigen in anaplastic large cell lymphoma identified by protein array analysis. 2273 57


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