Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:3.4.22.36 (caspase-1)
 6,285 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The Caenorhabditis elegans cell death gene, ced-3, encodes one of the two proteins required for apoptosis in this organism. The primary sequence similarities between Ced-3 and the mammalian interleukin-1beta converting enzyme (ICE) suggest that these two proteins may have functionally similar active sites and that Ced-3 may function as a cysteine protease. Here we report that in vitro transcribed and translated Ced-3 protein (p56) underwent rapid processing to smaller fragments. Replacement of the predicted active site cysteine of Ced-3 with serine (C364S) prevented the generation of smaller proteolytic fragments, suggesting that the processing might be an autocatalytic process. Peptide aldehydes with aspartic acid at the P1 position blocked Ced-3 autocatalysis. Furthermore, the protease inhibition profile of Ced-3 was similar to the profile reported for ICE. These functional data demonstrate that Ced-3 is an Asp-dependent cysteine protease with substrate specificity similar to that of ICE. Aurintricarboxylic acid, an inhibitor of apoptosis in mammalian cells, blocked Ced-3 autocatalytic activity, suggesting that an aurintricarboxylic acid-sensitive Ced-3/ICE-related protease might be involved in the apoptosis pathway(s) in mammalian cells.
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PMID:Protease activity of in vitro transcribed and translated Caenorhabditis elegans cell death gene (ced-3) product. 863 56

Vaccinia virus contains a gene, termed SPI-2 or B13R, that is closely related in its sequence to a potent inhibitor of apoptosis from cowpox virus (crmA). Infection by vaccinia virus protects HeLa cells against apoptosis that is induced by an immunoglobulin M antibody against the fas receptor or by tumor necrosis factor alpha. This effect is profoundly reduced when the SPI-2 gene is deleted. The SPI-2 gene, when transiently expressed in these cells, can also protect against apoptosis mediated by these agents. Given the similarity to crmA, it seems likely that SPI-2 functions in an analogous fashion, inhibiting the activity of ICE protease family members and blocking the onset of apoptosis.
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PMID:Protection against apoptosis by the vaccinia virus SPI-2 (B13R) gene product. 870 86

Members of the inhibitor of apoptosis (iap) gene family prevent programmed cell death induced by multiple signals in diverse organisms, suggesting that they act at a conserved step in the apoptotic pathway. To investigate the molecular mechanism of iap function, we expressed epitope-tagged Op-iap, the prototype viral iap from Orgyia pseudotsugata nuclear polyhedrosis virus, by using novel baculovirus recombinants and stably transfected insect cell lines. Epitope-tagged Op-iap blocked both virus- and UV radiation-induced apoptosis. With or without apoptotic stimuli, Op-IAP protein (31 kDa) cofractionated with cellular membranes and the cytosol, suggesting a cytoplasmic site of action. To identify the step(s) at which Op-iap blocks apoptosis, we monitored the effect of Op-iap expression on in vivo activation of the insect CED-3/ICE death proteases (caspases). Op-iap prevented in vivo caspase-mediated cleavage of the baculovirus substrate inhibitor P35 and blocked caspase activity upon viral infection or UV irradiation. However, unlike the stoichiometric inhibitor P35, Op-IAP failed to affect activated caspase as determined by in vitro protease assays. These findings provide the first biochemical evidence that Op-iap blocks activation of the host caspase or inhibits its activity by a mechanism distinct from P35. Moreover, as suggested by the capacity of Op-iap to block apoptosis induced by diverse signals, including virus infection and UV radiation, iap functions at a central point at or upstream from steps involving the death proteases.
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PMID:Baculovirus inhibitor of apoptosis functions at or upstream of the apoptotic suppressor P35 to prevent programmed cell death. 915 43

Apoptosis, a gene-directed form of cell death, occurs normally during development and plays a major role in many diseases, including cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. Molecular genetic studies in Drosophila have revealed the existence of three novel apoptotic activators, reaper, head involution defective and grim. Additionally, Drosophila homologs of evolutionarily conserved IAPs (inhibitor of apoptosis proteins) and CED-3/ICE-like proteases have been identified and characterized. Through the combined use of genetic, molecular, biochemical and cell biological techniques in Drosophila it should now be possible to elucidate the precise mechanism by which apoptosis occurs, and how the death program is activated in response to many distinct death-inducing signals.
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PMID:Facing death in the fly: genetic analysis of apoptosis in Drosophila. 919 27

We have investigated the ability of Sf-caspase-1 and two mammalian caspases, caspase-1 and caspase-3, to induce apoptosis in Spodoptera frugiperda Sf-21 insect cells. While the transient expression of the pro-Sf-caspase-1 did not induce apoptosis, expression of the pro-domain deleted form, p31, or coexpression of the two subunits of mature Sf-caspase-1, p19 and p12, induced apoptosis in Sf-21 cells. The behavior of Sf-caspase-1 resembled that of the closely related mammalian caspase, caspase-3, and contrasted with that of the mammalian caspase-1, the pro-form of which was active in inducing apoptosis in Sf-21 cells. The baculovirus caspase inhibitor P35 blocked apoptosis induced by active forms of all three caspases. In contrast, members of the baculovirus inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) family failed to block active caspase-induced apoptosis. However, during viral infection, expression of OpIAP or CpIAP blocked the activation of pro-Sf-caspase-1 and the associated induction of apoptosis. Thus, the mechanism by which baculovirus IAPs inhibit apoptosis is distinct from the mechanism by which P35 blocks apoptosis and involves inhibition of the activation of pro-caspases like Sf-caspase-1.
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PMID:Baculovirus inhibitors of apoptosis (IAPs) block activation of Sf-caspase-1. 939 Oct 73

We have identified and characterized ARC, apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain (CARD). Sequence analysis revealed that ARC contains an N-terminal CARD fused to a C-terminal region rich in proline/glutamic acid residues. The CARD domain of ARC exhibited significant homology to the prodomains of apical caspases and the CARDs present in the cell death regulators Apaf-1 and RAIDD. Immunoprecipitation analysis revealed that ARC interacts with caspase-2, -8, and Caenorhabditis elegans CED-3, but not with caspase-1, -3, or -9. ARC inhibited apoptosis induced by caspase-8 and CED-3 but not that mediated by caspase-9. Further analysis showed that the enzymatic activity of caspase-8 was inhibited by ARC in 293T cells. Consistent with the inhibition of caspase-8, ARC attenuated apoptosis induced by FADD and TRADD and that triggered by stimulation of death receptors coupled to caspase-8, including CD95/Fas, tumor necrosis factor-R1, and TRAMP/DR3. Remarkably, the expression of human ARC was primarily restricted to skeletal muscle and cardiac tissue. Thus, ARC represents an inhibitor of apoptosis expressed in muscle that appears to selectively target caspases. Delivery of ARC by gene transfer or enhancement of its endogenous activity may provide a strategy for the treatment of diseases that are characterized by inappropriately increased cell death in muscle tissue.
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PMID:ARC, an inhibitor of apoptosis expressed in skeletal muscle and heart that interacts selectively with caspases. 956 Feb 45

This overviews recent understanding of the mechanisms of apoptosis on ischemia-induced neuronal cell death. Apoptosis is a prominent feature of the developing nervous system. Several lines of evidence suggest that apoptosis is also an important mechanism of cell death in adult brain in acute or chronic diseases such as stroke and Alzheimer's disease. In animal models of stroke, markers of apoptosis such as cytoplasmic and nuclear condensation and DNA fragmentation appear in neurons. A variety of physiological and pathological stimuli can activate signal-transduction pathways that result in the sequential proteolytic activation of caspase family members. The activation of caspases can be inhibited by several molecules, including peptide aldehydes (caspase-1 and or caspase-3 inhibitors) and crmA that target the active-site cysteine of caspase family members, Bcl-2, IAP (inhibitor of apoptosis protein) and NAIP (neuronal apoptosis inhibitory protein). Once activated, caspase-1 protease can activate the caspase family members and hydrolyze a discrete set of cellular targets. Poly (ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP), which appears to facilitate apoptosis, was recognized as a substrate of activated caspase-3. These results suggest that caspase family, bcl-2 family, IAP family and substrates such PARP contribute to mechanisms of cell death in ischemic brain injury. Inhibition of the caspase family, particularly by non-peptide inhibitors that cross the blood-brain barrier and easily penetrate neurons and glia, could provide novel treatments for stroke and other forms of brain and spinal cord injury in humans.
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PMID:[Involvement of caspase on apoptosis in ischemia-induced neuronal cell death: usefulness of caspase inhibitors for stroke therapy]. 1020 84

There is increasing evidence that basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) plays an important role in cell proliferation, differentiation, and survival in various systems. In the eye, although a truncated, dominant negative bFGF receptor in transgenic mice induced defective lens development and caused lens fiber cells to display characteristics of apoptosis, there is little direct evidence of the effect of bFGF on lens epithelial cell apoptosis. Our study examines the effects of bFGF on programmed cell death induced by serum deprivation using a human lens epithelial cell line. Cells supplemented with 20% fetal bovine serum were used as normal controls. Over a period of 7 days, the addition of 100 ng/ml bFGF effectively suppressed serum-deprived apoptosis. The expression of gamma-crystallin and major intrinsic protein, which are markers of lens cell differentiation, was not detected. Also there was no significant difference in cell proliferation between serum-deprived cells with or without bFGF. ICE (caspase-1) was expressed under both the conditions, but the level of expression between the two groups was not substantially different. bcl-2 and c-myc were upregulated only in bFGF-treated cells. Thus we speculate that the inhibitory effect of bFGF on apoptosis is through the upregulation of the inhibitor of apoptosis, instead of downregulation of the initiator. This effect appears to be independent of lens cell differentiation and proliferation.
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PMID:bFGF suppresses serum-deprivation-induced apoptosis in a human lens epithelial cell line. 1032 60

Fumonisins are mycotoxins produced by Fusarium moniliforme, a prevalent fungus which infects corn or other cereal grains. Fumonisin B1 (FB1) is the most common mycotoxin produced by F. moniliforme, suggesting that it has toxicological significance. The structure of FB1 resembles sphingoid bases and it inhibits ceramide synthase. As sphingoid bases regulate cell growth, differentiation, transformation and apoptosis, it is reasonable to hypothesize that FB1 can also regulate these activities. Previous studies concluded that FB1 induced apoptosis or cell-cycle arrest in CV-1 cells (African green monkey kidney fibroblasts). In this study, we have identified genes that inhibit FB1-induced apoptosis in CV-1 cells and in two primary human cell types (lung fibroblasts and neonatal kidney cells). A baculovirus gene. inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP), protected CV-1 and the human cells from apoptosis. IAP blocks apoptosis which is induced by the tumour necrosis factor (TNF) pathway. Inhibition of interleukin converting enzymes (ICE proteases or caspases) by the baculovirus gene p35 also inhibited FB1-induced apoptosis. FB1 treatment led to cleavage of Rb (retinoblastoma protein) at its C-terminus in CV-1 or human lung cells. As the C-terminus of Rb is cleaved by ICE proteases during apoptosis, this supports an active role for ICE proteases in FB1-induced apoptosis. The tumour suppressor gene p53 was not required for FB1-induced apoptosis because p53-/- primary mouse embryo fibroblasts underwent apoptosis following FB1 treatment. Furthermore, Bcl-2 was not an effective inhibitor of FB1-induced apoptosis in CV-1 or IMR-90 cells. In summary, these results demonstrate that the TNF pathway and caspases plays an important role in FB1-induced apoptosis.
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PMID:Fumonisin B1, a mycotoxin contaminant of cereal grains, and inducer of apoptosis via the tumour necrosis factor pathway and caspase activation. 1049 71

Signal-induced activation of caspases, the critical protease effectors of apoptosis, requires proteolytic processing of their inactive proenzymes. Consequently, regulation of procaspase processing is critical to apoptotic execution. We report here that baculovirus pancaspase inhibitor P35 and inhibitor of apoptosis Op-IAP prevent caspase activation in vivo, but at different steps. By monitoring proteolytic processing of endogenous Sf-caspase-1, an insect group II effector caspase, we show that Op-IAP blocked the first activation cleavage at TETD downward arrowG between the large and small caspase subunits. In contrast, P35 failed to affect this cleavage, but functioned downstream to block maturation cleavages (DXXD downward arrow(G/A)) of the large subunit. Substitution of P35's reactive site residues with TETDG failed to increase its effectiveness for blocking TETD downward arrowG processing of pro-Sf-caspase-1, despite wild-type function for suppressing apoptosis. These data are consistent with the involvement of a novel initiator caspase that is resistant to P35, but directly or indirectly inhibitable by Op-IAP. The conservation of TETD downward arrowG processing sites among insect effector caspases, including Drosophila drICE and DCP-1, suggests that in vivo activation of these group II caspases involves a P35-insensitive caspase and supports a model wherein apical and effector caspases function through a proteolytic cascade to execute apoptosis in insects.
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PMID:Caspase inhibitor P35 and inhibitor of apoptosis Op-IAP block in vivo proteolytic activation of an effector caspase at different steps. 1074 56


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