Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.4.22.56 (caspase-3)
35,750 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The baculovirus protein P35 inhibits apoptosis in a diverse range of animals such as insects, nematodes and mammals. Evidence suggests that P35 can inhibit members of caspase family proteases that are key mediators of mammalian apoptosis. We demonstrate that p35 inhibits activation-induced nitric oxide (NO)-mediated apoptosis in the RAW 264.7 mouse macrophages. Parent or vector-transfected RAW 264.7 cells underwent apoptosis when treated with a combination of cisplatin and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) or LPS and IFN-gamma in a NO-dependent manner. By contrast, RAW 264.7 cells stably expressing P35 did not undergo apoptosis when treated with a combination of cisplatin and IFN-gamma or LPS and IFN-gamma. Activation of parent, vector- or p35-transfected cells with cisplatin and IFN-gamma or LPS and IFN-gamma caused equivalent levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression and produced equal amounts of nitrite, which ruled out attenuated iNOS activity during P35-mediated protection. Rather, expression of P35 inhibited translocation of mitochondrial cytochrome c into cytosol, mitochondrial depolarization, activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3, and cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). These findings indicate that P35 inhibits NO-induced apoptotic cell death of activated macrophages by inhibiting mitochondrial cytochrome c release, which suggests that P35 has targets upstream of the caspase cascade in apoptosis.
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PMID:Baculovirus P35 inhibits NO-induced apoptosis in activated macrophages by inhibiting cytochrome c release. 1517 17

Activation of the initiator caspase-9 is essential for induction of apoptosis by developmental signals, oncogenic transformation, and genotoxic stress. The c-Abl tyrosine kinase is also involved in the apoptotic response to DNA damage. The present results demonstrate that c-Abl binds directly to caspase-9. We show that c-Abl phosphorylates caspase-9 on Tyr-153 in vitro and in cells treated with DNA damaging agents. Moreover, inhibition of c-Abl with STI571 blocked DNA damage-induced autoprocessing of caspase-9 to the p35 subunit and activation of caspase-3. Caspase-9(Y153F) also attenuated DNA damage-induced processing of caspase-9 to p35, activation of caspase-3, and apoptosis. These findings indicate that caspase-9 autoprocessing is regulated by c-Abl in the apoptotic response to genotoxic stress.
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PMID:c-Abl tyrosine kinase regulates caspase-9 autocleavage in the apoptotic response to DNA damage. 1565 60

beta-cells die by apoptosis in type 1 diabetes as a result of autoimmune attack mediated by cytokines, and in type 2 diabetes by various perpetrators including human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP). The cascade of apoptotic events induced by cytokines and hIAPP is mediated through caspases and reactive oxygen species. The baculovirus p35 protein is a potent anti-apoptotic agent shown to be effective in a variety of species and able to inhibit a number of apoptotic pathways. Here, we aimed at determining the protective potential of p35 in beta-cells exposed to cytokines and hIAPP, as well as the effects of p35 on beta-cell function. The p35 gene was introduced into betaTC-tet cells, a differentiated murine beta-cell line capable of undergoing inducible growth-arrest. Both proliferating and growth-arrested cells expressing p35 manifested increased resistance to cytokines and hIAPP, compared with control cells, as judged by cell viability, DNA fragmentation, and caspase-3 activity assays. p35 was significantly more protective in growth-arrested, compared with proliferating, cells. No significant differences were observed in proliferation and insulin content between cells expressing p35 and control cells. In contrast, p35 manifested a perturbing effect on glucose-induced insulin secretion. These findings suggest that p35 could be incorporated as part of a multi-pronged approach of immunoprotective strategies to provide protection from recurring autoimmunity for transplanted beta-cells, as well as in preventive gene therapy in type 1 diabetes. p35 may also be protective from beta-cell damage caused by hIAPP in type 2 diabetes.
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PMID:Baculovirus p35 increases pancreatic beta-cell resistance to apoptosis. 1589 16

Our previous studies in retina on the mechanism for hypoxia-induced cell death suggested activation of a class of calcium-activated proteases known as calpains. This conclusion was based on data showing proteolysis of a calpain substrate alpha-spectrin, autolysis of activated calpain, and reduction of cell damage by calpain inhibitor SJA6017. Less is known about changes in downstream pathways after calpain activation. Thus, the purpose of the present investigation was to measure proteolysis of neuronal cytoskeletal proteins and apoptotic cell signaling factors during hypoxia-induced retinal cell death. Rat retinas were incubated in RPMI medium with glucose and 95% O2/5% CO2 to supply sufficient oxygen for retinal cell survival. Hypoxia was induced with 95% N2/5% CO2 without glucose. Immunoblotting was used to detect activation of calpain and proteolysis of substrates. Amounts of mRNA for calpain 1 and 2 were determined by quantitative PCR. Twelve times more calpain 2 mRNA than calpain 1 was present in retinas. Activation of calpain 2 and production of a calpain-specific alpha-spectrin breakdown product at 150 kDa were confirmed in hypoxic retinas. Further, pro-caspase-3 at 32 kDa was proteolyzed to a fragment at 30 kDa, tau protein was lost, and p35 was proteolyzed to p25 suggesting prolonged activation of cdk5. SJA6017 partially inhibited the production of these fragments. During hypoxia in rat retinas, calpains may be major proteases causing breakdown of neuronal proteins involved in apoptotic cell death. Calpain inhibitor SJA6017 may have potential for testing as a therapeutic agent against retinal pathologies such those caused by glaucoma, although future studies such as testing in in vivo animal models are required.
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PMID:Proteolysis of neuronal cytoskeletal proteins by calpain contributes to rat retinal cell death induced by hypoxia. 1597 93

Human vascular smooth muscle cells (HVSMCs) are resistant to Fas-mediated death under normal physiological conditions. However, HVSMC death by activation of the receptor pathway was reported in the atherosclerotic lesions. In this study, we investigated whether 7-ketocholesterol, one of the major cholesterol oxides in the lesions, altered resistance of HVSMC to Fas-mediated death pathway. Cross-linking of Fas receptor with agonistic anti-Fas antibody (CH11) in the presence of 7-ketocholesterol induced death in human aorta smooth muscle cells (HAoSMC) as detected by morphology, viability, and DNA fragmentation. The agonistic anti-Fas antibody, however, did not induce death in the presence of 7alpha-hydroxycholesterol or cholesterol. The HAoSMC death was significantly inhibited by an antagonistic Fas receptor (FasR) antibody and by expression of dominant negative Fas-associated death domain containing protein (DN-FADD) using adenoviruses. Activation of caspase-3 was observed in HAoSMC destined to death. HAoSMC death was significantly inhibited by pharmacological caspase inhibitor, z-VAD and z-DEVD, and baculovirus caspase inhibitor p35. 7-Ketocholesterol impaired mitochondrial transmembrane potential and ATP production. Overexpression of bcl-xL also significantly inhibited HAoSMC death. In dying HAoSMC, bax was translocated from the cytosol to mitochondria and cytochrome c was released from mitochondria into the cytosol. This is the first report demonstrating implication of the oxysterol in Fas-mediated death pathway. The present study proposes that 7-ketocholesterol would contribute to loss of HVSMC in the atherosclerotic lesions by altering resistance to receptor-mediated death pathway.
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PMID:7-Ketocholesterol predisposes human aorta smooth muscle cells to Fas-mediated death. 1619 70

Roscovitine is a specific inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases (cdks) cdc2/cyclin B, cdk2/cyclin A, cdk2/cyclin E and cdk5/p35. The studies on the enzyme inhibitory properties and cellular effects of roscovitine revealed that it arrests cells in G(2)/M and G(1)/S phase, inhibits the proliferation of mammalian cells and induces cell death. However, the characteristics of cell death and exact mechanism by which this cdk inhibitor kills transformed cells are unknown. We previously investigated that the roscovitine induces apoptotic death of mitotic PC12 cells. The present study was to identify whether the roscovitine-induced death is related with the specific elements of caspases in pathway of apoptosis. The morphological data of caspase-3 immunofluorocytochemistry double staining with hoechst 33342 indicated that apoptotic nuclei were identified as nuclei with chromatin condensation and nuclear fragmentation, and that caspase-3 active p17 subunit co-existed in PC12 cells treated with roscovitine 50 micromol/L for 4 h. The number of the caspase-3 positive cells increased significantly to about 42%, as compared with the normal control (P<0.001). The data of MTT assay showed that the number of viable cells treated by roscovitine (50 micromol/L) alone for 12 h was 29.03%, of the untreated controls. Both a broad-spectrum caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK (50 mumol/L) and a specific caspase-3 inhibitor Z-DEVD-FMK (100 micromol/L) increased viable PC12 cells to 45.16%, (Z-DEVD-FMK) and 58.06%, (Z-VAD-FMK), respectively, in the presence of roscovitine. Non-erythroid a-spectrin is a cytoskeleted protein that is a substrate of caspase-3 cysteine proteases. To confirm the activity of caspase-3 that produced in roscovitine (50 micromol/L for 12 h)-induced PC12 cell death, activated caspase-3 specific 120 kDa spectrin breakdown products (SBDP) were detected by Western bloting using the mouse anti-non-erythroid a-spectrin monoclonal antibody. The mean relative density of bands corresponding to caspase-3 specific SBDP levels were significantly increased in the cytosolic fractions treated with roscovitine, as compared to the normal control (P<0.001). These results indicate that caspase signals, especially caspase-3 signal are necessary for the progression of proliferating PC12 cell apoptotic death evoked by roscovintine.
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PMID:[Caspase-3 plays a required role in PC12 cell apoptotic death induced by roscovitine]. 1634 2

MCF-7 cells lack caspase-3 but undergo mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis via caspase-7 activation. It is assumed that the Apaf-1-caspase-9 apoptosome processes caspase-7 in an analogous manner to that described for caspase-3. However, this has not been validated experimentally, and we have now characterized the caspase-7 activating apoptosome complex in MCF-7 cell lysates activated with dATP/cytochrome c. Apaf-1 oligomerizes to produce approximately 1.4-MDa and approximately 700-kDa apoptosome complexes, and the latter complex directly cleaves/activates procaspase-7. This approximately 700-kDa apoptosome complex, which is also formed in apoptotic MCF-7 cells, is assembled by rapid oligomerization of Apaf-1 and followed by a slower process of procaspase-9 recruitment and cleavage to form the p35/34 forms. However, procaspase-9 recruitment and processing are accelerated in lysates supplemented with caspase-3. In lysates containing very low levels of Smac and Omi/HtrA2, XIAP (X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis) binds tightly to caspase-9 in the apoptosome complex, and as a result caspase-7 processing is abrogated. In contrast, in MCF-7 lysates containing Smac and Omi/HtrA2, active caspase-7 is released from the apoptosome and forms a stable approximately 200-kDa XIAP-caspase-7 complex, which apparently does not contain cIAP1 or cIAP2. Thus, in comparison to caspase-3-containing cells, XIAP appears to have a more significant antiapoptotic role in MCF-7 cells because it directly inhibits caspase-7 activation by the apoptosome and also forms a stable approximately 200-kDa complex with active caspase-7.
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PMID:Caspase-7 is directly activated by the approximately 700-kDa apoptosome complex and is released as a stable XIAP-caspase-7 approximately 200-kDa complex. 1635 6

In this study, the effects of melatonin on MPP+ -treated cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs) in culture were investigated. Results showed that MPP+ treatment significantly decreased cell viability and increased the apoptotic cell population at 24 and 48 hr. Calpain and caspase-3 activation was also determined, with results showing a strong increase in calpain (74%) and caspase 3 activity (70%), as measured by alpha-spectrin cleavage and fluorometric and colorimetric analysis, respectively. There are several studies suggesting that the activation of the cdk5/p35 pathway at its cleavage to cdk5/p25 may play a role in neuronal cell death in neurodegenerative diseases. Moreover, these studies indicate that this cleavage is mediated by calpains, and that MPP+ prompted an increase in cdk5 expression, as well as the cleavage of p35-p25, in a time-dependent manner. 1 mm Melatonin not only reduced the neurotoxic effects of MPP+ on cell viability, but also prevented apoptosis mediated by this Parkinsonian toxin in CGNs. 1 mm Melatonin reduced cdk5 expression, as well as the cleavage of p35-p25. These data indicate that melatonin possesses some neuro-protective properties against MPP+ -induced apoptosis. Moreover, these data suggest that the calpain/cdk5 signaling cascade has a potential role in the MPP+ -mediated apoptotic process in CGNs.
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PMID:Inhibition of the cdk5/p25 fragment formation may explain the antiapoptotic effects of melatonin in an experimental model of Parkinson's disease. 1649 62

Saturated free fatty acids (FFAs), including palmitate, can activate the intrinsic death pathway in cells. However, the relationship between FFAs and receptor-mediated death pathway is still unknown. In this study, we have investigated whether FFAs are able to trigger receptor-mediated death. In addition, to clarify the mechanisms responsible for the activation, we examined the biochemical changes in dying vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) and the effects of various molecules to the receptor-mediated VSMC death. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha-mediated VSMC death occurred in the presence of sub-cytotoxic concentration of palmitate as determined by assessing viability and DNA degradation, while the cytokine did not influence VSMC viability in the presence of oleate. The VSMC death was inhibited by the gene transfer of a dominant-negative Fas-associated death domain-containing protein and the baculovirus p35, but not by the bcl-xL or the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) binding domain of JNK-interacting protein-1, in tests utilizing recombinant adenoviruses. The VSMC death was also inhibited by a neutralizing anti-TNF receptor 1 antibody, the caspase inhibitor z-VAD, and the cathepsin B inhibitor CA074, a finding indicative of the role of both caspases and cathepsin B in this process. Consistent with this finding, caspase-3 activation and an increase in cytosolic cathepsin B activity were detected in the dying VSMC. Palmitate inhibited an increase of TNF-alpha-mediated nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) activity, the survival pathway activated by the cytokine, by hindering the translocation of the NF-kappaB subunit of p65 from the cytosol into the nucleus. The gene transfer of inhibitor of NF-kappaB predisposed VSMC to palmitate-induced cell death. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first report to demonstrate the activation of TNF-alpha-mediated cell death in the presence of palmitate. The current study proposes that FFAs would take part in deleterious vascular consequences of such patients with elevated levels of FFAs as diabetics and obese individuals via the triggering of receptor-mediated death pathways of VSMC.
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PMID:Sensitization of vascular smooth muscle cell to TNF-alpha-mediated death in the presence of palmitate. 1739 59

The herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) protein ICP10PK has anti-apoptotic activity in virus-infected hippocampal cultures through activation of the Ras/Raf-1/MEK/ERK pathway. To exclude the possible contribution of other viral proteins to cell fate determination, we examined the survival of primary hippocampal cultures and neuronally differentiated PC12 cells transfected with ICP10PK from apoptosis caused by nerve growth factor (NGF) withdrawal. NGF deprivation caused apoptosis in cultures mock-transfected or transfected with the kinase-negative ICP10 mutant p139(TM), but not in ICP10PK-transfected cultures. In one clone (PC47), ICP10PK inhibited caspase-3 activation through up-regulation/stabilization of adenylate cyclase (AC), activation of PKA and MEK, and the convergence of the two pathways on extracellular signal-regulated kinase activation. The anti-apoptotic proteins Bag-1 and Bcl-2 were stabilized and the pro-apoptotic protein Bad was phosphorylated (inactivated). In another clone (PC70), ICP10PK inhibited apoptosis through MEK-dependent up-regulation of the anti-apoptotic protein XIAP (that inhibits the activity of processed caspase-3) and down-regulation of the apoptogenic protein Smac/DIABLO. This may be cell-type specific, but the baculovirus p35 protein did not potentiate the neuroprotective activity of ICP10PK in PC12 cells, suggesting that ICP10PK inhibits both caspase activation and activity. The data indicate that ICP10PK inhibits apoptosis independent of other viral proteins and is a promising neuronal gene therapy platform.
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PMID:The herpes simplex virus type 2 gene ICP10PK protects from apoptosis caused by nerve growth factor deprivation through inhibition of caspase-3 activation and XIAP up-regulation. 1787 40


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