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

Recent reports suggest that a cross-talk exists between apoptosis pathways mediated by mitochondria and cell death receptors. In the present study, we report that mitochondrial events are required for apoptosis induced by the cell death ligand TRAIL (TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand) in human cancer cells. We show that the Bax null cancer cells are resistant to TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Bax deficiency has no effect on TRAIL-induced caspase-8 activation and subsequent cleavage of Bid; however, it results in an incomplete caspase-3 processing because of inhibition by XIAP. Release of Smac/DIABLO from mitochondria through the TRAIL-caspase-8-tBid-Bax cascade is required to remove the inhibitory effect of XIAP and allow apoptosis to proceed. Inhibition of caspase-9 activity has no effect on TRAIL-induced caspase-3 activation and cell death, whereas expression of the active form of Smac/DIABLO in the cytosol is sufficient to reconstitute TRAIL sensitivity in Bax-deficient cells. Our results show for the first time that Bax-dependent release of Smac/DIABLO, not cytochrome c, from mitochondria mediates the contribution of the mitochondrial pathway to death receptor-mediated apoptosis.
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PMID:TRAIL-induced apoptosis requires Bax-dependent mitochondrial release of Smac/DIABLO. 1178 43

Rituximab is a chimeric monoclonal antibody directed at CD20 with significant activity in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). A variety of pathways of tumor cytotoxicity different from cytotoxic chemotherapy have been proposed for this therapeutic antibody including antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and complement-mediated cell lysis. This report describes that a proportion of patients with CLL receiving rituximab treatment have in vivo activation of caspase-9, caspase-3, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage in blood leukemia cells immediately following infusion of rituximab. This suggests that apoptosis using a pathway similar to fludarabine and other chemotherapeutic agents is intricately involved in the blood elimination of tumor cells after rituximab treatment. Patients having caspase-3 activation and PARP cleavage in vivo had a significantly lower blood leukemia cell count after treatment as compared to those without caspase activation. Significant down-modulation of the antiapoptotic proteins XIAP and Mcl-1 was also noted, possibly explaining in part how rituximab sensitizes CLL cells to the cytotoxic effect of chemotherapy in vivo. These findings suggest that the therapeutic benefit of antibody-based therapy in vivo for patients with CLL depends in part on induction of apoptosis and provides another area of focus for studying mechanisms of antibody-resistance in neoplastic cells.
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PMID:The mechanism of tumor cell clearance by rituximab in vivo in patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia: evidence of caspase activation and apoptosis induction. 1180 10

Alterations in the regulation of apoptosis may contribute to the pathogenesis of cancer and resistance of tumor cells to chemotherapy. In mammalian cells, nonreceptor-mediated apoptosis occurs predominantly via assembly of a cytochrome c-dependent apoptosome complex containing caspase-9 and apoptotic protease-activating factor-1 (Apaf-1). We show here that cytosolic extracts from human ovarian carcinoma cell lines and primary ovarian tumor samples are deficient in their ability to activate procaspase-9 in the presence of cytochrome c and dATP when compared with control extracts. SKOV3, a human ovarian carcinoma cell line with diminished apoptosome activity, was significantly more resistant to chemotherapy-induced apoptosis than cell lines with functional Apaf-1 activity. This dysfunctional apoptosome activity was not explained by reduced expression levels of caspase-9 or Apaf-1. Moreover, expression levels of known inhibitors of the apoptosome, including heat shock protein 70, heat shock protein 90, or X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis, did not correlate with functional activity of the apoptosome. SKOV3, an ovarian cancer cell line with dysfunctional apoptosome activity, retains the ability to form the Apaf-1 oligomer; however, there is a diminished amount of caspase-9 in the apoptosome. The reduction in the amount of caspase-9 in the apoptosome in the SKOV3 cell line was associated with diminished caspase-3 activity. Dysfunctional apoptosome activation may contribute both to the pathogenesis of ovarian carcinoma and to chemoresistance.
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PMID:Dysfunctional apoptosome activation in ovarian cancer: implications for chemoresistance. 1183 May 53

Inhibition of apoptosis is a hallmark of malignancies of the hematopoetic system. Previous studies in nonhematopoetic cells demonstrated that the prostate-apoptosis-response-gene-4 (Par-4) is up-regulated in cells undergoing programmed cell death and that Par-4 exerts its proapoptotic effect by down-regulating Bcl-2. After showing the aberrant expressional pattern of Par-4 in neoplastic lymphocytes as well as demonstrating inverse expressional patterns of Par-4 and Bcl-2 in malignant cells of patients suffering from acute lymphocytic leukemia, we assessed the functional consequences of Par-4 overexpression during apoptosis in Jurkat T lymphocytes. We show that in lymphatic cells Par-4 overexpression decreases the level of Bcl-2, whereas Bax, the proapoptotic counterpart of Bcl-2, retains unaltered levels. Moreover, Par-4 overexpression is accompanied by cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Despite these effects, overexpression of Par-4 alone is not sufficient to induce apoptosis but markedly increases the rate of apoptosis on treatment with different chemotherapeutic agents. On chemotherapeutic treatment Par-4 overexpression enhances disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential, PARP-cleaving activity, as well as activation of caspase-3. The hypothesis of caspase-dependency of Par-4-promoted apoptosis is additionally supported by demonstrating complete abrogation of programmed cell death after pretreatment with a broad spectrum caspase-inhibitor. On inhibition of caspase-3 overexpression of Par-4 enables lymphatic cells to alternatively activate caspases-9, -6, and -7 by diminishing the influence of the inhibitors of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) cIAP1 and XIAP. Our study is the first to identify Par-4 as a proapoptotic protein in lymphatic cells, outlining a model of action evaluating the role of Bcl-2/Bax, as well as demonstrating the impact of Par-4 expression on PARP cleavage, disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential, caspase activation, and interactions with inhibitors of apoptosis proteins.
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PMID:In lymphatic cells par-4 sensitizes to apoptosis by down-regulating bcl-2 and promoting disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential and caspase activation. 1191 53

Defects in the apoptotic system are likely to play a role in tumorigenesis. Pancreatic carcinoma cells are extremely resistant to apoptosis induction by chemotherapy suggesting that the apoptosis machinery is faulty. We investigated the integrity of the cytochrome c-dependent apoptotic apparatus in 10 human pancreatic carcinoma cell lines. Expression of Apaf-1, caspase-3, -6, -7, -8 and -9, Hsp-70 and XIAP was detected in all cell lines. The expression levels of Apaf-1 and caspase-8 were homogenous in all cell lines whereas differences in expression of other caspases were seen. In cytosolic fractions, all investigated caspases were processed in response to cytochrome c but the extent of processing varied between the cell lines. No stringent correlation between the amount of processing of caspase-9 and effector caspases was seen. Cytochrome c-induced effector caspase activity was quantitated by enzyme assay. Especially at low concentrations of added cytochrome c, this response varied greatly between the cell lines. These data demonstrate that the apoptotic system downstream of the mitochondria is qualitatively intact in pancreatic carcinoma. They further show that the response to cytochrome c can be quantitated in a cell-free system and that determinants other than mere expression of apoptotic molecules can regulate cytochrome c-induced apoptosis.
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PMID:Analysis of the cytochrome c-dependent apoptosis apparatus in cells from human pancreatic carcinoma. 1195 20

Second mitochondria-derived activator of caspases (Smac)/DIABLO is a mitochondrial protein that is released into the cytosol along with cytochrome c (cyt c) during the execution of the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis. Smac/DIABLO promotes apoptosis by neutralizing the inhibitory effect of the inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) family of proteins on the processing and activities of the effector caspases. Present studies demonstrate that, upon engagement of the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis, epothilone (Epo) B derivative BMS 247550, a novel nontaxane antimicrotubule agent, as well as the death ligand Apo-2L/TRAIL (tumor necrosis factor-alpha-related apoptosis-inducing ligand) induce the mitochondrial release and cytosolic accumulation of Smac/DIABLO, along with cyt c, in human acute leukemia Jurkat T cells. While it had no activity alone, ectopic overexpression of Smac/DIABLO or treatment with the N-terminus heptapeptide (Smac-7) or tetrapeptide (Smac-4) of Smac/DIABLO significantly increased Epo B- or Apo-2L/TRAIL-induced processing and PARP cleavage activity of caspase-3. This produced a significant increase in apoptosis of Jurkat cells (P <.05). Increased apoptosis was also associated with the down-regulation of XIAP, cIAP1, and survivin. Along with the increased activity of caspase-3, ectopic overexpression of Smac/DIABLO or cotreatment with Smac-4 also increased Epo B- or Apo-2L/TRAIL-induced processing of caspase-8 and Bid, resulting in enhanced cytosolic accumulation of cyt c. This was not due to increased assembly and activity of Apo-2L/TRAIL-induced DISC (death-inducing signaling complex) but dependent on the feedback activity of caspase-3. These findings demonstrate that cotreatment with the N-terminus Smac/DIABLO peptide is an effective strategy to enhance apoptosis triggered by the death receptor or mitochondrial pathway and may improve the antitumor activity of Apo-2L/TRAIL and Epo B.
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PMID:Ectopic overexpression of second mitochondria-derived activator of caspases (Smac/DIABLO) or cotreatment with N-terminus of Smac/DIABLO peptide potentiates epothilone B derivative-(BMS 247550) and Apo-2L/TRAIL-induced apoptosis. 1196 12

The mitochondrial pathway is critical for the efficient execution of death receptor-initiated apoptosis in certain cell types. Questions remain as to why the mitochondria are required in that scenario. We investigated the molecular events that determined the need for the mitochondria by using an in vivo model of anti-Fas-induced hepatocyte apoptosis. In wild-type mice, Fas stimulation resulted in normal activation of caspase-3, with the generation of the active p19-p12 complex. In bid-deficient mice, caspase-3 activation was arrested after the initial cleavage at Asp(175). This allowed the generation of the p12 small subunit, but the p20 large subunit could not be further processed to the p19 subunit. The p20-p12 complex generated by Fas stimulation in bid-deficient hepatocytes was inactive, arresting the death program. Failure of p20/p12 caspase-3 to mature and to exhibit activity was because of the inhibition by the inhibitor-of-apoptosis proteins (IAPs), such as XIAP, and also to a low caspase-8 activity. This block could be overcome in wild-type mice by two mechanisms. Smac was released from mitochondria early following Fas activation and was competitively bound to the IAPs to reverse their effects. XIAP could also be cleaved, and this occurred later and was likely mediated by enhanced caspase activities. Both mechanisms were dependent on Bid and thus were not operative in bid-deficient hepatocytes. In conclusion, mitochondrial activation by Bid is required for reversing the IAP inhibition through Smac release. It is also required for the alternative activation of caspases through cytochrome c release, as demonstrated previously. Together, these events ensure a successful progression of the death program initiated by the death receptor activation in the hepatocyte.
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PMID:Relief of extrinsic pathway inhibition by the Bid-dependent mitochondrial release of Smac in Fas-mediated hepatocyte apoptosis. 1268 80

Over the past few years, many studies have been done on the apoptotic involvement in muscle fiber degeneration in various myopathies, but the occurrence of apoptosis in muscles of mitochondrial encephalomyopathies is still controversial. To confirm whether apoptotic processes are truly related to muscle fiber degeneration in mitochondrial encephalomyopathies, we performed the TUNEL method not only at the light microscopic (LM) but also at the electron microscopic (EM) level for muscles of five MELAS, five CPEO and five MERRF patients and five control muscles. Immunohistochemical studies of Bcl-2, Bax, cytochrome c, Apaf-1, activated caspase-3 and human inhibitor of apoptosis protein XIAP, and immunoblotting of Apaf-1 and XIAP were also carried out. In LM-TUNEL, MELAS, CPEO and MERRF patients had only very small numbers of TUNEL-positive myonuclei: 0.13+/-0.10%, 0.15+/-0.14% and 0.04+/-0.09%, respectively. Almost all of them were seen in ragged-red fibers (RRFs). EM-TUNEL showed no significant increase of DNA fragmentation in RRFs despite mild peripheral chromatin condensation. However, Bax and Apaf-1 expression and cytochrome c release from mitochondria were seen in RRFs. Caspase-3 activation was confirmed in 9.0+/-3.7%, 12.0+/-4.4% and 12.4+/-3.8% of RRFs in MELAS, CPEO and MERRF, respectively, but not in control muscles. Almost all RRFs showed sarcoplasmic expression of XIAP. Thus, there is a possibility that, although apoptotic reactions started in muscles of mitochondrial encephalomyopathies, their execution is rarely completed. Sarcoplasmic expression of XIAP probably leads to the suspension of the apoptotic process in mitochondrial encephalomyopathies.
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PMID:Apoptosis is suspended in muscle of mitochondrial encephalomyopathies. 1201 84

All human melanoma cell lines (assessed by annexin V and TUNEL assays) were resistant to apoptosis induction by TRAIL/Apo2L protein. TRAIL/Apo2L activated caspase-8 and caspase-3, but subsequent apoptotic events such as poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage and DNA fragmentation were not observed. To probe the molecular mechanisms of cellular resistance to apoptosis, melanoma cell lines were analyzed for expression of apoptosis regulators (apoptotic protease-associated factor-1, FLIP, caspase-8, caspase-9, caspase-3, cellular inhibitor of apoptosis, Bcl-2, or Bax); no correlation was observed. TRAIL/Apo2L was induced in melanoma cell lines by IFN-beta and had been correlated with apoptosis induction. Because IFN-beta induced other gene products that have been associated with apoptosis, it was postulated that one or more IFN-stimulated genes might sensitize cells to TRAIL/Apo2L. Melanoma cell lines were treated with IFN-beta for 16-24 h before treatment with TRAIL/Apo2L. Regardless of their sensitivity to either cytokine alone, >30% of cells underwent apoptosis in response to the combined treatment. Induction of apoptosis by IFN-beta and TRAIL/Apo2L in combination correlated with synergistic activation of caspase-9, a decrease in mitochondrial potential, and cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. Cleavage of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis following IFN-beta and TRAIL/Apo2L treatment was observed in sensitive WM9, A375, or WM3211 cells but not in resistant WM35 or WM164 cells. Thus, in vitro IFN-beta and TRAIL/Apo2L combination treatment had more potent apoptotic and anti-growth effects when compared with either cytokine alone in melanoma cells lines.
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PMID:IFN-beta pretreatment sensitizes human melanoma cells to TRAIL/Apo2 ligand-induced apoptosis. 1209 88

The number of neutrophils in the blood and tissues is controlled by constitutive apoptotic programmed cell death and clearance by phagocytes such as macrophages. Here, we found that calpains cleave the X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) in vitro, producing fragments that are unable to inhibit caspase-3. These fragments were detected in normal neutrophils but were unstable and rapidly degraded. Calpain inhibition delayed tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced apoptosis of normal neutrophils, consistent with a role for calpains in regulating the onset of apoptosis. Interestingly, neutrophils from three patients with chronic neutrophilic leukemia, a rare syndrome characterized by accumulation of mature neutrophils, exhibited decreased mu-calpain expression, diminished calpain activity, and impaired XIAP degradation. Neutrophils from these patients displayed a delay in spontaneous, Fas-stimulated, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced apoptosis. These observations suggest that calpain-mediated XIAP degradation contributes to initiation of apoptosis in normal neutrophils and dysfunction of this regulatory pathway can lead to pathological neutrophil accumulation.
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PMID:Calpain-mediated X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis degradation in neutrophil apoptosis and its impairment in chronic neutrophilic leukemia. 1212 83


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