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)

In traditional Chinese medicine, Ligusticum wallichii Franchat (Chuan Xiong) and its active ingredient tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) have been used to treat cardiovascular diseases and to relieve various neurological symptoms such as ischemic deficits. However, scientific evidence related to their effectiveness or precise modes of neuroprotective action is largely unclear. In the current study, we elicited the neuroprotective mechanisms of TMP after focal cerebral ischemic/reperfusion (I/R) by common carotid arteries and middle cerebral artery occlusion model in rats. TMP was administrated 60 min before occlusion via intraperitoneal injection. TMP concentration-dependently exhibited significant neuroprotective effect against ischemic deficits by reduction of behavioral disturbance. Neuronal loss and brain infarction in the ischemic side of rats were markedly lowered by treatment with TMP. Cerebral I/R-induced internucleosomal DNA fragmentation, caspase-8, caspase-9, and caspase-3 activation, and cytochrome c release were reduced by TMP treatment. Western blot analysis revealed the down-regulation of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL and the up-regulation of Bax and Bad by cerebral I/R insult. Among them, only the alteration in Bcl-xL expression was reversed by TMP treatment. Moreover, the activation of microglia and/or recruitment of inflammatory cells within the ischemic side and the consequent production of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) were suppressed by TMP pre-treatment. Our findings suggest that TMP might provide neuroprotection against ischemic brain injury, in part, through suppression of inflammatory reaction, reduction of neuronal apoptosis, and prevention of neuronal loss.
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PMID:Neuroprotection by tetramethylpyrazine against ischemic brain injury in rats. 1631 8

The aim of our study is to evaluate the extent and distribution of grey matter demyelinating lesions in multiple sclerosis (MS), addressing also neuronal loss and synaptic loss. Whole coronal sections of 6 MS brains and 6 control brains were selected. Immunohistochemistry was performed for myelin basic protein, neurofilaments, synaptophysin, ubiquitin, and activated caspase-3. Neuronal density and optical density of synaptophysin staining were estimated in cortical lesions and compared with those observed in corresponding areas of normal (i.e. nondemyelinated) cortex in the same section. Demyelinating lesions were observed in the cerebral cortex, in the thalamus, basal ganglia, and in the hippocampus. The percentage of demyelinated cortex was remarkable in 2 cases of secondary progressive MS (48% and 25.5%, respectively). Neuronal density was significantly reduced in cortical lesions (18-23% reduction), if compared with adjacent normal cortex, in the 2 cases showing the higher extent of cortical demyelination; in the same cases, very rare apoptotic neurons expressing caspase-3 were observed in cortical lesions and not in adjacent normal cortex. No significant decrease in optical density of synaptophysin staining was observed in cortical lesions. Grey matter demyelination and neuronal loss could contribute to disability and cognitive dysfunctions in MS.
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PMID:Grey matter pathology in multiple sclerosis. 1631 20

Neuronal loss by apoptosis has been implicated in some neural pathologic disorders. Increasing evidence suggests a neuroprotective effect for opioid antagonists, such as naloxone and naltrexone, in a variety of neural damage experimental models and in the clinic. The purpose of the present study was to analyse the effects of naltrexone on the expression levels of proteins regulating the extrinsic (FasL and Fas) and the mitochondrial (Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, Bad and Bax) apoptotic pathways, as well as the active fragment of the executioner caspase-3 in the mouse brain. Western blotting showed that a single injection of naltrexone (1 mg/kg) induced a down-regulation of the pro-apototic proteins Fas, FasL, Bad and Bax. Our results suggest that naltrexone provides neuronal protection against injuries activating either mitochondrial, or death receptor-apoptotic pathways.
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PMID:Modulation of brain apoptosis-related proteins by the opioid antagonist naltrexone in mice. 1671 14

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosces/Batten disease (NCL) is a devastating group of neurodegenerative diseases caused by genetic disruptions in lysosomal function. Cathepsin D (CD) is a major lysosomal protease, and mutations in CD that render it enzymatically defective have been reported recently in subsets of NCL patients. The targeted deletion of CD in mice results in extensive neuropathology, including biochemical and morphological evidence of apoptosis and autophagic stress (aberrant autophagosome accumulation), effects that are similar to those observed in NCL. To determine the contribution of Bax-dependent apoptosis in this mouse model of NCL, combined Bax- and CD-deficient mice were generated. Morphological analysis of CD-deficient mouse brains indicated large numbers of pyknotic neurons and neurons with marked cytoplasmic swellings containing undigested lipofuscin. Cell death and apoptosis were evidenced by increases in terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated biotinylated UTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) reactivity and activation of caspase-3, respectively. DeOlmos silver-positive neurons were abundant in CD-deficient brain and correlated with neuron loss, as indicated by significant decreases in NeuN (neuronal nuclear antigen)-positive neurons. Lysosome dysfunction and autophagic stress were apparent in CD-deficient brain as indicated by the accumulation of autofluorescent storage material and by increased levels of LC3-II (light chain 3-II, a selective autophagosome marker), respectively. Bax deletion significantly inhibited caspase-3 activation and hippocampal TUNEL reactivity but did not prevent the majority of CD deficiency-induced neuropathology, including the persistence of pyknotic neurons, elevated cortical TUNEL reactivity, lysosome dysfunction and autophagic stress, neurodegeneration, and neuron loss. Together, these results suggest that CD deficiency-induced neuropathology does not require Bax-dependent apoptosis and highlights the importance of caspase-independent neuron death and neurodegeneration resulting from the genetic disruption of lysosome function.
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PMID:Cathepsin D deficiency induces persistent neurodegeneration in the absence of Bax-dependent apoptosis. 1731 3

Neuronal apoptosis is crucial for central nervous system development and also contributes to neurodegenerative disease. Apolipoprotein-E (apoE) regulates brain lipid transport and specific neuronal functions and previous research, investigating non-neuronal cell types, identified an association between apoptosis and increased apoE expression. In the present study we used the human SK-N-SH neuronal cell line to investigate potential changes in apoE expression during apoptosis which occurs as a consequence of extended culture (up to 5 days) without replenishing trophic factors. Standard and real-time PCR analysis indicated a significant 6-fold increase in apoE mRNA after 3 days which was correlated with caspase-3 activation, TUNEL positivity and the formation of apoptotic bodies. ApoE protein levels were low in the absence of apoptosis but increased by 8-fold when apoptosis was induced. Analysis of cellular debris that accumulated in the culture supernatants indicated that apoE levels became progressively concentrated in apoptotic bodies. These data indicate that apoE is up-regulated during neuronal apoptosis and raise the possibility that apoE may play a role in the clearance of apoptotic bodies through apoE-receptor interactions.
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PMID:Apoptosis induces neuronal apolipoprotein-E synthesis and localization in apoptotic bodies. 1732 Feb 89

Hypoxic ischemic brain injury (HIBI) is a common cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity. To date, no study has investigated the role of platelet-activating factor (PAF) antagonists on neuronal apoptosis in neonatal rat model of HIBI. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of a highly potent and selective PAF antagonist (ABT-491) on neuronal apoptosis in neonatal rat model of HIBI. Seven-day-old Wistar rat pups were subjected to right common carotid artery ligation and hypoxia (92% nitrogen and 8% oxygen) for 2 h. They were treated with ABT-491 or saline either immediately before or after hypoxia. In sham group animals, neither ligation, nor hypoxia was performed. Neuronal apoptosis was evaluated by the terminal-transferase mediated dUTP biotin nick-end-labeling (TUNEL) and caspase-3 staining methods. Administration of ABT-491 either before or after hypoxia resulted in significant reduction of the numbers of apoptotic cells in both hemispheres, when compared to saline treatment group. The numbers of apoptotic cells in right hemispheres in all groups were significantly higher than that in the left hemispheres. These results suggested that ABT-491, a highly potent and selective PAF antagonist, administration either before or after hypoxia reduces apoptosis and we propose that ABT-491 may be a novel approach in the treatment of HIBI.
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PMID:Platelet-activating factor antagonist (ABT-491) decreases neuronal apoptosis in neonatal rat model of hypoxic ischemic brain injury. 1732 Aug 23

In a retrospective postmortem study, we examined the neuronal expression of active caspase-3, a specific apoptotic marker, in the brainstem of 67 infants dying from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and 25 age-matched control infants (non-SIDS). Neuronal immunostaining for active caspase-3 was semi-quantitatively scored in nuclei from five brainstem levels: rostral, mid and caudal pons, and rostral and caudal medulla. Regardless of the cause of death (SIDS vs. non-SIDS), age-related differences in active caspase-3 expression were identified, predominantly in the medulla. No gender-related differences were identified. Comparing SIDS to non-SIDS cases, increased active caspase-3 expression was restricted to four nuclei in the caudal pons (abducens, facial, superior olivary, and pontine nuclei) and two nuclei in the rostral medulla (hypoglossal and dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus). We conclude that neuronal apoptosis is increased in the brainstem of SIDS compared to non-SIDS infants.
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PMID:Active caspase-3 in the sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) brainstem. 1736 71

Exposure to environmental toxins increases the risk of neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's disease (PD). Rotenone is a neurotoxin that has been used to induce experimental Parkinsonism in rats. We used the rotenone model of experimental Parkinsonism to explore a novel aspect of extra-nigral degeneration, the neurodegeneration of spinal cord (SC), in PD. Rotenone administration to male Lewis rats caused significant neuronal cell death in cervical and lumbar SC as compared with control animals. Dying neurons were motoneurons as identified by double immunofluorescent labeling for terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase, recombinant-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling-positive (TUNEL(+)) cells and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)-immunoreactivity. Neuronal death was accompanied by abundant astrogliosis and microgliosis as evidenced from glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-immunoreactivity and OX-42-immunoreactivity, respectively, implicating an inflammatory component during neurodegeneration in SC. However, the integrity of the white matter in SC was not affected by rotenone administration as evidenced from the non co-localization of any TUNEL(+) cells with GFAP-immunoreactivity and myelin basic protein (MBP)-immunoreactivity, the selective markers for astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, respectively. Increased activities of 76 kD active m-calpain and 17/19 kD active caspase-3 further demonstrated involvement of these enzymes in cell death in SC. The finding of ChAT(+) cell death also suggested degeneration of SC motoneurons in rotenone-induced experimental Parkinsonism. Thus, this is the first report of its kind in which the selective vulnerability of a putative parkinsonian target outside of nigrostriatal system has been tested using an environmental toxin to understand the pathophysiology of PD. Moreover, rotenone-induced degeneration of SC motoneuron in this model of experimental Parkinsonism progressed with upregulation of calpain and caspase-3.
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PMID:The parkinsonian neurotoxin rotenone activates calpain and caspase-3 leading to motoneuron degeneration in spinal cord of Lewis rats. 1736 52

Despite the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy, dementia caused by human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infection remains a devastating and common neurological disorder. Although the mechanisms governing neurodegeneration during HIV-1 infection remain uncertain, the HIV-1 accessory protein, viral protein R (Vpr), has been proposed as a neurotoxic protein. Herein, we report that Vpr protein and transcript were present in the brains of HIV-infected persons. Moreover, soluble Vpr caused neuronal apoptosis, involving cytochrome c extravasation, p53 induction, and activation of caspase-9 while exerting a depressive effect on whole-cell currents in neurons (p < 0.05), which was inhibited by iberiotoxin. Vpr-activated glial cells secreted neurotoxins in a concentration-dependent manner (p < 0.001). Transgenic (Tg) mice expressing Vpr in brain monocytoid cells displayed the transgene principally in the basal ganglia (p < 0.05) and cerebral cortex (p < 0.01) compared with hindbrain expression. Vpr was released from cultured transgenic macrophages, which was cytotoxic to neurons and was blocked by anti-Vpr antibody (p < 0.05). Neuronal injury was observed in Tg animals compared with wild-type littermates, chiefly affecting GAD65 (p < 0.01) and vesicular acetylcholine transferase (p < 0.001) immunopositive neuronal populations in the basal ganglia. There was also a loss of subcortical synaptophysin (p < 0.001) immunoreactivity as well as an increase in activated caspase-3, which was accompanied by a hyperexcitable neurobehavioral phenotype (p < 0.05). Thus, HIV-1 Vpr caused neuronal death through convergent pathogenic mechanisms with ensuing in vivo neurodegeneration, yielding new insights into the mechanisms by which HIV-1 injures the nervous system.
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PMID:HIV-1 Vpr causes neuronal apoptosis and in vivo neurodegeneration. 1740 34

Neuronal apoptosis is involved in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson.s disease. An efficient means of preventing it remains to be found. Some n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22 : 6n-3) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20 : 5n-3) have been reported to be protective against the neuronal apoptosis and neuronal degeneration seen after spinal cord injury (SCI) [1]. However, it is unclear which kinds of PUFAs have the most potent ability to inhibit neuronal apoptosis and whether the simultaneous treatment of PUFAs inhibits the apoptosis. In the present study, we compared the abilities of various n-3- and n-6- PUFAs to inhibit the apoptosis induced after the administration of different apoptotic inducers, etoposide, okadaic acid, and AraC, in mouse neuroblastoma cells (Neuro2a). Preincubation with DHA (22 : 6n-3), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20 : 5n-3), alpha-linolenic acid (alpha-LNA, 18 : 3n-3), linoleic acid (LA, 18 : 2n-6), arachidonic acid (AA, 20 : 4n-3), and gamma-linolenic acid (gamma-LNA, 18 : 3n-6) significantly inhibited caspase-3 activity and LDH leakage but simultaneous treatment with the PUFAs had no effect on the apoptosis of Neuro2a cells. There were no significant differences of the anti-apoptotic eff ect among the PUFAs. These results suggest that PUFAs may not be effective for inhibiting neuronal cell death after acute and chronic neurodegenerative disorders. However, dietary supplementation with PUFAs may be beneficial as a potential means to delay the onset of the diseases and/or their rate of progression.
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PMID:Inhibitory effect of polyunsaturated fatty acids on apoptosis induced by etoposide, okadaic acid and AraC in Neuro2a cells. 1759 50


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