Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.4.22.60 (caspase-7)
 920 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The abundant nuclear enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) synthesizes poly(ADP-ribose) in response to DNA strand breaks. During almost all forms of apoptosis, PARP is cleaved by caspases, suggesting the crucial role of its inactivation. A few studies have also reported a stimulation of PARP during apoptosis. However, the role of PARP stimulation and cleavage during this cell death process remains poorly understood. Here, we measured the stimulation of endogenous poly(ADP-ribose) synthesis during VP-16-induced apoptosis in HL60 cells and found that PARP was cleaved by caspases at the time of its poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation. In vitro experiments showed that PARP cleavage by caspase-7, but not by caspase-3, was stimulated by its automodification by long and branched poly(ADP-ribose). Consistently, caspase-7 exhibited an affinity for poly(ADP-ribose), whereas caspase-3 did not. In addition, caspase-7 was activated and accumulated in the nucleus of HL60 cells in response to the VP-16 treatment. Furthermore, caspase-7 activation was concommitant with PARP cleavage in the caspase-3-deficient cell line MCF-7 in response to staurosporine treatment. These results strongly suggest that, in vivo, it is caspase-7 that is responsible for PARP cleavage and that poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation of PARP accelerates its proteolysis. Cleavage of the active form of caspase substrates could be a general feature of the apoptotic process, ensuring the rapid inactivation of stress signaling proteins.
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PMID:Cleavage of automodified poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase during apoptosis. Evidence for involvement of caspase-7. 1049 98

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major cause of liver disease characterized by inflammation, cell damage, and fibrotic reactions of hepatocytes. Apoptosis has been implicated in the pathogenesis, although it is unclear whether proteases of the caspase family as the central executioners of apoptosis are involved and how caspase activation contributes to liver injury. In the present study, we measured the activation of effector caspases in liver biopsy specimens of patients with chronic HCV infection. The activation of caspase-3, caspase-7, and cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP), a specific caspase substrate, were measured by immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis by using antibodies that selectively detect the active truncated, but not the inactive precursor forms of the caspases and PARP. We found that caspase activation was considerably elevated in liver lobules of HCV patients in comparison to normal controls. Interestingly, the immunoreactive cells did yet not reveal an overt apoptotic morphology. The extent of caspase activation correlated significantly with the disease grade, i.e., necroinflammatory activity. In contrast, no correlation was observed with other surrogate markers such as serum transaminases and viral load. In biopsy specimens with low activity (grade 0) 7.7% of the hepatocytes revealed caspase-3 activation, whereas 20.9% of the cells stained positively in grade 3. Thus, our results suggest that caspase activation is involved in HCV-associated liver injury. Moreover, measurement of caspase activity may represent a reliable marker for the early detection of liver damage, which may open up new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in HCV infection.
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PMID:Caspase activation correlates with the degree of inflammatory liver injury in chronic hepatitis C virus infection. 1158 73

Bryostatin 1 (bryo 1) has been shown to potentiate the anti-tumor activity of 2-chloro-2-deoxyadenosine (2-CdA) in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and in the WSU-CLL cell line. However, like resistant CLL, WSU-CLL cells lose their sensitivity to bryo 1/2-CdA treatment. We report that 2-CdA-induced IAP expression may be a possible mechanism whereby resistance to apoptosis is acquired in these cells. In WSU-CLL cells, three members of the Inhibitors of Apoptosis (IAP) family were identified. Bryo 1 treatment of WSU-CLL cells leads to initiation of the apoptotic cascade and induced a marginal increase in XIAP protein expression. In contrast, 2-CdA treatment, alone or in combination with bryo 1, induced a substantial increase in survivin and XIAP proteins and phosphorylation of BAD. Bryo 1 alone induced caspase-7 and -9 dependent [poly ADP-ribose] polymerase (PARP) cleavage, while sequential treatment with bryo 1 (72 h) followed by 2-CdA (24 h) induced caspase-3,-7, and -9 dependent PARP cleavage and increased apoptosis. Although exposure to bryo 1 initiated apoptotic events, apoptosis was first enhanced by 2-CdA, and then reversed in a time-dependent manner by 2-CdA-induced expression of survival proteins. Taken together, resistance to bryo 1/2-CdA treatment may be the result of 2-CdA-induced IAP inhibition of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway caspases.
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PMID:Treatment-induced expression of anti-apoptotic proteins in WSU-CLL, a human chronic lymphocytic leukemia cell line. 1177 Jul 3

Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase is a zinc-finger DNA-binding enzyme which detects and signals DNA strand breaks generated either directly during base excision repair, or indirectly by genotoxic agents such as oxygen radicals. In response to genotoxic injury, PARP catalyses the synthesis of poly (ADP-ribose), from its substrate beta-NAD+ and this polymer is covalently attached to several nuclear proteins and PARP itself. As a result, PARP converts DNA breaks into intracellular signals which activate DNA repair programs or cell death options. Several studies have also shown that PARP is involved in either necrosis and subsequent inflammation or apoptosis. Although this enzyme is not indispensable during the latter cell death program, it has been demonstrated that PARP plays a facilitating role in this process. PARP is activated at an intermediate stage of apoptosis and is then cleaved and inactivated at a late stage by apoptotic proteases, namely caspase-3/CPP-32/Yama/apopain and caspase-7. This cleavage prevents necrosis during apoptosis, avoiding inflammation. All these functions, and the observation that PARP is an abundant and highly conserved enzyme, suggest that this enzyme plays a pivotal role, particularly in the maintenance of genomic DNA stability, apoptosis and in the response to oxidative stress. Since these situations are found in cancer, inflammation, autoimmunity (such as diabetes), myocardial dysfunction, certain infections, ageing and radiation/chemical exposure, attempts have been made to modulate PARP activity. With regard to the increasing interest towards PARP, the aim of this review is to explain the cellular role of PARP and the advantages of modulating its activity in diverse preventive or therapeutic strategies.
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PMID:Modulating poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase activity: potential for the prevention and therapy of pathogenic situations involving DNA damage and oxidative stress. 1216 82

A vast variety of naturally occurring substances have been shown to protect against experimental carcinogenesis and an increasing amount of evidence suggests that kaempferol may have cancer chemopreventative properties. However, the precise underlying protective mechanisms are poorly understood. To elucidate these mechanisms, we challenged human lung cancer cell line A549 with kaempferol and investigated its effects upon cellular growth and signal transduction pathways. Treatment of A549 cells with kaempferol resulted in a dose- and time-dependent reduction in cell viability and DNA synthesis with the rate of apoptosis equivalent to 0.9+/-0.5, 5.2+/-1.5, 16.8+/-2.0, 25.4+/-2.6, and 37.8+/-4.5% on treatment with 0, 17.5, 35.0, 52.5, and 70.0 microM kaempferol, respectively. Concomitantly, kaempferol treatments led to a 1.2-, 2.7-, 3.3-, and 3.4-fold increase in Bax. Similar elevations were also observed in Bad which increased 1.2-, 3.3-, 3.7-, and 4.7-fold, respectively, as compared to control. Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL expression were inhibited in a dose-dependent fashion. While the Akt-1 and phosphorylated Akt-1 were inhibited, the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) was activated upon kaempferol treatment. Kaempferol induced apoptosis was associated with the cleavage of caspase-7 and poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP). Inhibition of MEK1/2 but not PI-3 kinase blocked kaempferol-induced cleavage of caspase-7, PARP cleavage, and apoptosis. The results suggest that inactivation of Akt-1 and alteration of Bcl-2 family of proteins are not sufficient for kaempferol to induce apoptosis and activation of MEK-MAPK is a requirement for kaempferol-induced cell death machinery in A549 cells.
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PMID:Kaempferol-induced growth inhibition and apoptosis in A549 lung cancer cells is mediated by activation of MEK-MAPK. 1294 47

Dietary phytochemicals have been shown to be protective against various types of cancers. However, the precise underlying protective mechanisms are poorly understood. In the present study, we report that treatment of A549 cells with quercetin resulted in a dose-dependent reduction in cell viability and DNA synthesis with the rate of apoptosis equivalent to 1.2 +/- 0.8, 6.3 +/- 0.9, 16.5 +/- 1.5, 36.4 +/- 2.6 and 42.5 +/- 5.8% on treatment with 0.1% dimethylsulfoxide, 14.5, 29.0, 43.5 and 58.0 micro M quercetin, respectively. Concomitantly, quercetin treatments led to a 1.1-, 1.1-, 2.5- and 3.5-fold increase in Bax. Similar elevations were also observed in Bad, which increased 1.1-, 2.1-, 2.2- and 2.3-fold, respectively, as compared with control. While Bcl-2 was decreased by 30%, Bcl-x(L) was elevated in a dose-dependent fashion. Quercetin also induced the cleavage of caspase-3, caspase-7 and PARP (poly ADP-ribose polymerase). While Akt-1 and phosphorylated Akt-1 were inhibited, the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) was phosphorylated following quercetin treatment in a dose-dependent fashion. Phosphorylation of ERK and c-Jun occurred at 3 h and was sustained over 14 h. Phosphorylation of MEK1/2 was increased in concordance with ERK activation. Quercetin-induced phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and cleavage of caspase-3 occurred 6 h after quercetin exposure and before cleavage of caspase-7 and PARP was detected. Inhibition of MEK1/2 but not PI-3 kinase, p38 kinase or JNK abolished quercetin-induced phosphorylation of c-Jun, cleavage of caspase-3 and -7, cleavage of PARP and apoptosis. Inhibition of caspase activation completely blocked quercetin-induced apoptosis. Expression of constitutively activated MEK1 in A549 cells led to activation of caspase-3 and apoptosis. The results suggest that in addition to inactivation of Akt-1 and alteration in the expression of the Bcl-2 family of proteins, activation of MEK-ERK is required for quercetin-induced apoptosis in A549 lung carcinoma cells.
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PMID:The role of activated MEK-ERK pathway in quercetin-induced growth inhibition and apoptosis in A549 lung cancer cells. 1468 22

Alkylphosphocholines (APC) are candidate anticancer agents. We here report that APC induce the formation of large vacuoles and typical features of apoptosis in human glioma cell lines, but not in immortalized astrocytes. APC promote caspase activation, poly(ADP-ribose)-polymerase (PARP) processing and cytochrome c release from mitochondria. Adenoviral X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) gene transfer, or exposure to the caspase inhibitor, benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-DL-Asp-fluoro-methylketone zVAD-fmk, blocks caspase-7 and PARP processing, but not cell death, whereas BCL-X(L) blocks not only caspase-7 and PARP processing but also cell death. APC induce changes in Delta Psi m in sensitive glioma cells, but not in resistant astrocytes. The changes in Delta Psi m are unaffected by crm-A (cowpox serpin-cytokine response modifier protein A), XIAP or zVAD-fmk, but blocked by BCL-X(L), and are thus a strong predictor of cell death in response to APC. Free radicals are induced, but not responsible for cell death. APC thus induce a characteristic morphological, BCL-X(L)-sensitive, apparently caspase-independent cell death involving mitochondrial alterations selectively in neoplastic astrocytic cells.
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PMID:Alkylphosphocholine-induced glioma cell death is BCL-X(L)-sensitive, caspase-independent and characterized by massive cytoplasmic vacuole formation. 1538 88

Interferon (IFN)-alpha directly inhibits proliferation of liver cancer cells by inducing apoptosis, but the molecular mechanisms by which IFN-alpha induces apoptosis in these cells are not fully understood. We examined the effect of broad spectrum caspase inhibitor, Z-VAD-fmk, and the caspase activation in IFN-alpha-mediated apoptosis by using 4 liver cancer cell lines that were sensitive or resistant to IFN-alpha-mediated apoptosis. Involvement of apoptosis-related mitochondrial proteins and Bcl-2 family proteins in IFN-alpha-mediated apoptosis was further examined in 1 sensitive cell line (KIM-1). The Z-VAD-fmk completely or moderately inhibited IFN-alpha-mediated apoptosis in the sensitive cells. IFN-alpha induced time-dependent activation of caspase-3 in the sensitive cells, while the resistant cells showed mild or no activation. Activation of caspase-9, caspase-8, and caspase-7, and the cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase were identified in either or both of the sensitive cell lines, but not in the resistant cells. In KIM-1 cells, the release of cytochrome c and Smac/DIABLO from mitochondria to cytosole was confirmed. Meanwhile, Bcl-xL was upregulated, and Bid activation or translocation, or conformational changes of Bax were not identified. In conclusion, our results suggest IFN-alpha-mediated apoptosis in liver cancer cells involves the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway and is induced by activating various caspases.
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PMID:Expression and activation of apoptosis-related molecules involved in interferon-alpha-mediated apoptosis in human liver cancer cells. 1587 Aug 81

Human non-small-cell-lung-cancer (NSCLC) cells of (p)53-null genotype were exposed to low-dosage topoisomearse II inhibitor etoposide (VP-16). The cellular proliferation rate could be effectively inhibited by VP-16 in dose-dependent manner. The effective drug concentration for growth inhibition could be as low as 0.5 microM and the apoptotic phenotype became evident 48 h later. In H1299 cells, VP-16-induced cytotoxic effect was demonstrated associated with apoptosis that disappeared when restored with wild-type p53. Cell cycle analysis revealed that, upon VP-16 induction, cell death began with growth arrest by accumulating cells at the G(2)-M phase. The cells at sub-G(1) phase increased at the expense of those at G(2)-M transition state. To assess the regulation of cell cycle modulators, western blot analysis of H1299 cell lysates showed the release of apoptosis initiator, cytochrome c and apaf-1 hours following drug induction. The cleavage of downstream effectors, procaspase-9 and procaspase-7, but not procaspase-3, was accompanied with proteolysis of poly-(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). VP-16-activated procaspase-7 cleavage was abrogated in cells with ectopically expressed p53. On the other hand, the inhibited procaspase-7 fragmentation by caspase-specific inhibitor reversed apoptotic phenotype caused by drug induction. Thus, VP-16-induced apoptotic cell death was contributed by caspase-7 activation in(p)53-deficient human NSCLC cells.
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PMID:Etoposide (VP-16) sensitizes p53-deficient human non-small cell lung cancer cells to caspase-7-mediated apoptosis. 1590 25

Lipoplatin, currently under phase III evaluation, is a novel liposomal cisplatin formulation highly effective against cancers. Lipoplatin has eliminated or reduced the systemic toxicity frequently seen for cisplatin. The objective of the present study was to determine whether the cytotoxic effect of lipoplatin is dependent on the functional integrity of DNA mismatch repair (MMR), a post-replicative DNA repair machinery implicated in cell cycle control and apoptosis. Clonogenic data revealed a significant (P<0.05) 2-fold resistance to lipoplatin of HCT116 human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells lacking MLH1, one of five proteins crucial to MMR function, as compared to MLH1-expressing HCT116 cells. In addition, MLH1-deficient cells were at least 3-fold less susceptible to apoptosis (DNA fragmentation) than MLH1-proficient cells. However, proteolytic processing of caspase-3, caspase-7 and poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase-1 following lipoplatin treatment was comparable in MLH1-deficient cells and -proficient cells. Furthermore, MLH1-deficient cells retained the ability to attenuate cell cycle progression past the G2/M checkpoint following lipoplatin treatment. In conclusion, our results indicate that the lipoplatin-sensitive phenotype of MLH1-proficient cells correlated with increased apoptosis which may occur via caspase-independent pathways. They also suggest that the integrity of MMR function is a relevant determinant accounting for the cytotoxicity of lipoplatin. However, this does not seem to apply to lipoxal, a novel liposomal formulation of oxaliplatin, because MLH1-deficient cells were as sensitive to lipoxal as MLH1-proficient cells.
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PMID:MLH1-deficient tumor cells are resistant to lipoplatin, but retain sensitivity to lipoxal. 1652 Jun 60


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