Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.4.22.61 (caspase-8)
 6,833 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Death ligands not only activate a death program but also regulate inflammatory signalling pathways, for example, through NF-kappaB induction. Although tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and TNF both activate NF-kappaB in human keratinocytes, only TRAIL potently induces apoptosis. However, when induction of NF-kappaB was inhibited with a kinase dead IKK2 mutant (IKK2-KD), TNF- but not TRAIL-induced apoptosis was dramatically enhanced. Acquired susceptibility to TNF-induced apoptosis was due to increased caspase-8 activation. To investigate the mechanism of resistance of HaCaT keratinocytes to TNF-induced apoptosis, we analyzed a panel of NF-kappaB-regulated effector molecules. Interestingly, the inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) family member cIAP2, but not cIAP1, X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis, TNF receptor-associated factor (TRAF)-1, or TRAF2, was downregulated in sensitive but not in resistant HaCaT keratinocytes. Surprisingly, however, stable inducible expression of cIAP2 was not sufficient to render IKK2-KD-sensitized keratinocytes resistant to TNF, and reduction of cIAP2 alone did not increase the sensitivity of HaCaT keratinocytes to TNF. In conclusion, we demonstrate that inhibition of NF-kappaB dramatically sensitizes human keratinocytes to TNF- but not to TRAIL-induced apoptosis and that this sensitization for TNF was largely independent of cIAP2. Our data thus clearly exclude the candidates proposed to date to confer TNF apoptosis resistance and suggest the function of an unanticipated effector of NF-kappaB critical for the survival of HaCaT keratinocytes upstream or at the level of caspase-8 activation.
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PMID:NF-kappaB inhibition reveals differential mechanisms of TNF versus TRAIL-induced apoptosis upstream or at the level of caspase-8 activation independent of cIAP2. 1798 34

Interleukin-11 (IL-11) displays epithelial cytoprotective effects during intestinal injury. Antiapoptotic effects of IL-11 have been described, yet mechanisms remain unclear. Fas/CD95 death receptor signaling is upregulated in ulcerative colitis, leading to mucosal breakdown. We hypothesized that IL-11 inhibits Fas ligand (FasL)-mediated apoptosis in intestinal epithelia. Cell death was monitored in IEC-18 cells by microscopy, caspase and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage, mitochondrial release of cytochrome c, and abundance of cytoplasmic oligonucleosomal DNA. RT-PCR was used to monitor Fas, cIAP1, cIAP2, XIAP, cFLIP, survivin, and Bcl-2 family members. Fas membrane expression was detected by immunoblot. Inhibitors of JAK2, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase), Akt 1, MEK1 and MEK2, and p38 MAPK were used to delineate IL-11's antiapoptotic mechanisms. IL-11 did not alter Fas expression. Pretreatment with IL-11 for 24 h before FasL reduced cytoplasmic oligonucleosomal DNA by 63.2%. IL-11 also attenuated caspase-3, caspase-9, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage without affecting expression of activated caspase-8 p20 or cytochrome c release. IL-11 did not affect mRNA expression of the candidate antiapoptotic genes. The MEK1 and MEK2 inhibitors U-0126 and PD-98059 significantly attenuated the protection of IL-11 against caspase-3 and caspase-9 cleavage and cytoplasmic oligonucleosomal DNA accumulation. Although Akt inhibition reversed IL-11-mediated effects on caspase cleavage, it did not reverse the protective effects of IL-11 by DNA ELISA. We conclude that IL-11-dependent MEK1 and MEK2 signaling inhibits FasL-induced apoptosis. The lack of reversal of the IL-11 effect on DNA cleavage by Akt inhibition, despite antagonism of caspase cleavage, suggests that IL-11 inhibits caspase-independent cell death signaling by FasL in a MEK-dependent manner.
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PMID:Interleukin-11 antagonizes Fas ligand-mediated apoptosis in IEC-18 intestinal epithelial crypt cells: role of MEK and Akt-dependent signaling. 1820 15

Arsenic trioxide (ATO) is an effective therapeutic agent for the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia, but successful application of this agent may occasionally require the use of sensitizing strategies. The present work demonstrates that the flavonoids quercetin and chrysin cooperate with ATO to induce apoptosis in U937 promonocytes and other human leukemia cell lines (THP-1, HL-60). Co-treatment with ATO plus quercetin caused mitochondrial transmembrane potential dissipation, stimulated the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway, as indicated by cytochrome c and Omi/Htra2 release, XIAP and Bcl-X(L) down-regulation, and Bax activation, and caused caspase-8/Bid activation. Bcl-2 over-expression abrogated cytochrome c release and apoptosis, and also blocked caspase-8 activation. Quercetin and chrysin, alone or with ATO, decreased Akt phosphorylation as well as intracellular GSH content. GSH depletion was regulated at the level of L-buthionine-(S,R)-sulfoximine (BSO)-sensitive enzyme activity, and N-acetyl-L-cysteine failed both to restore GSH content and to prevent apoptosis. Treatment with BSO caused GSH depletion and potentiated ATO-provoked apoptosis, but did not affect apoptosis induction by ara-C and cisplatin. As an exception, ATO plus quercetin failed to elicit Akt de-phosphorylation and GSH depletion in NB4 acute promyelocytic leukemia cells, and correspondingly exhibited low cooperative effect in inducing apoptosis in this cell line. It is concluded that GSH depletion explains at least in part the selective potentiation of ATO toxicity by quercetin, and that this flavonoid might be used to increase the clinical efficacy of the antileukemic drug.
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PMID:Quercetin decreases intracellular GSH content and potentiates the apoptotic action of the antileukemic drug arsenic trioxide in human leukemia cell lines. 1835 80

Since a variety of cell intrinsic and extrinsic molecular abnormalities cooperatively promote tumor formation in multiple myeloma (MM), therapeutic approaches that concomitantly target more than one molecule are increasingly attractive. We herein demonstrate the anti-myeloma effect of a cephalotaxus alkaloid, homoharringtonine (HHT), an inhibitor of protein synthesis, through the induction of apoptosis. HHT significantly reduced Mcl-1, a crucial protein involved in myeloma cell survival, in all three myeloma cell lines examined, whereas certain BH3-only proteins, such as Bim, Bik, and Puma, remained unchanged following HHT treatment, and their expression levels depended on the cell type. HHT also reduced the levels of c-FLIP(L/S), activated caspase-8, and induced active truncated-Bid. Thus, HHT-induced apoptosis appears to be mediated via both intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis pathways, and the resultant imbalance between BH3-only proteins and Mcl-1 may be pivotal for apoptosis by HHT. In addition, HHT treatment resulted in reduced levels of beta-catenin and XIAP proteins, which also contribute to disease progression and resistance to chemotherapy in MM. In combination, HHT enhanced the effects of melphalan, bortezomib, and ABT-737. These results suggest that HHT could constitute an attractive option for MM treatment though its ability to simultaneously target multiple tumor-promoting molecules.
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PMID:Anti-myeloma effect of homoharringtonine with concomitant targeting of the myeloma-promoting molecules, Mcl-1, XIAP, and beta-catenin. 1841 56

Morusin is a pure compound isolated from root bark of Morusaustralis (Moraceae). In this study, we demonstrated that morusin significantly inhibited the growth and clonogenicity of human colorectal cancer HT-29 cells. Apoptosis induced by morusin was characterized by accumulation of cells at the sub-G(1) phase, fragmentation of DNA, and condensation of chromatin. Morusin also inhibited the phosphorylation of IKK-alpha, IKK-beta and IkappaB-alpha, increased expression of IkappaB-alpha, and suppressed nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB and its DNA binding activity. Dephosphorylation of NF-kappaB upstream regulators PI3K, Akt and PDK1 was also displayed. In addition, activation of caspase-8, change of mitochondrial membrane potential, release of cytochrome c and Smac/DIABLO, and activation of caspase-9 and -3 were observed at the early time point. Downregulation in the expression of Ku70 and XIAP was exhibited afterward. Caspase-8 or wide-ranging caspase inhibitor suppressed morusin-induced apoptosis. Therefore, the antitumor mechanism of morusin in HT-29 cells may be via activation of caspases and inhibition of NF-kappaB.
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PMID:Morusin induces apoptosis and suppresses NF-kappaB activity in human colorectal cancer HT-29 cells. 1848 77

Neutrophils have a very short life span and undergo apoptosis within 24 hours after leaving the bone marrow. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is essential for the recruitment of fresh neutrophils from the bone marrow but also delays apoptosis of mature neutrophils. To determine the mechanism by which G-CSF inhibits neutrophil apoptosis, the kinetics of neutrophil apoptosis during 24 hours in the absence or presence of G-CSF were analyzed in vitro. G-CSF delayed neutrophil apoptosis for approximately 12 hours and inhibited caspase-9 and -3 activation, but had virtually no effect on caspase-8 and little effect on the release of proapoptotic proteins from the mitochondria. However, G-CSF strongly inhibited the activation of calcium-dependent cysteine proteases calpains, upstream of caspase-3, via apparent control of Ca(2+)-influx. Calpain inhibition resulted in the stabilization of the X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) and hence inhibited caspase-9 and -3 in human neutrophils. Thus, neutrophil apoptosis is controlled by G-CSF after initial activation of caspase-8 and mitochondrial permeabilization by the control of postmitochondrial calpain activity.
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PMID:Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor delays neutrophil apoptosis by inhibition of calpains upstream of caspase-3. 1852 91

The observation that genistein may behave as a pro-oxidant agent lead us to examine the capacity of this isoflavone to modulate the toxicity of the oxidation-sensitive anti-leukemic agent arsenic trioxide (ATO), and for comparison other anti-tumor drugs. Co-treatment with genistein increased ATO-provoked apoptosis and activated apoptosis regulatory events (Bcl-X(L) down-regulation, cytochrome c and Omi/HtrA2 release from mitochondria, XIAP decrease and caspase-8/Bid and caspase-3 activation) in U937 promonocytes and other human leukemia cell lines (HL60, THP-1, Jurkat, RPMI-8866), but not in phytohemagglutinin-stimulated non-tumor peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs). Genistein, alone and with ATO, stimulated reactive oxygen species generation, and apoptosis was attenuated by N-acetyl-L-cysteine and butylated hydroxyanisole. Addition of low H(2)O(2) concentrations mimicked the capacity of genistein to increase ATO-provoked apoptosis in leukemia cells, but not in PBLs. By contrast, co-treatment with genistein or H(2)O(2) failed to potentiate the toxicity of DNA-targeting agent cisplatin, the proteasome inhibitor MG-132 and the histone deacetylase inhibitor MS-275. Within the here used time-period (14 hr) genistein, alone or with ATO, did not significantly affect Akt phosphorylation and NF-kappaB binding activity, nor decreased intracellular GSH content. However, it elicited N-acetyl-L-cysteine-inhibitable phosphorylation of p38-MAPK and AMPK, and apoptosis was attenuated by pharmacologic inhibitors against these kinases. The pro-oxidant capacity of genistein might be exploited to improve the efficacy of ATO as anti-leukemic agent, and perhaps the efficacy of other oxidation-based therapeutic approaches.
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PMID:Genistein selectively potentiates arsenic trioxide-induced apoptosis in human leukemia cells via reactive oxygen species generation and activation of reactive oxygen species-inducible protein kinases (p38-MAPK, AMPK). 1854 68

A pair of isogenic colon carcinoma cells, SW480 and 620, was used to investigate the mechanisms of acquired tumour necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-resistance during tumour progression. Whereas primary tumour SW480 cells are sensitive to TRAIL-induced apoptosis, metastatic SW620 cells are resistant. The apoptotic signalling activated by TRAIL in SW480 cells is a type II pathway. We show that in SW620 cells, although caspase-8 is recruited and activated at the death-inducing-signalling complex and Bid is cleaved, this does not lead to caspase-9 activation. Comparison of Bcl-2, Bcl-xL and Mcl-1 levels in both cell lines showed no difference. In SW620 cells transfected with a tBid-GFP construct, tBid-GFP was correctly localized to the mitochondria. Thus, the resistance of SW620 cells is at the level of the mitochondria that can withstand large amounts of tBid. Although caspase-3 was directly cleaved by caspase-8 in SW620 cells to yield the p20 fragment, no further autocatalytic maturation into the p17 fragment was observed. We show that, in contrast to SW480 cells, the SW620 cell line expresses high amounts of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP). Downregulation of XIAP with bortezomib or small-interfering RNA was sufficient to restore the sensitivity of SW620 cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis in the absence of SMAC/Diablo or cytochrome c release from the mitochondria. Thus, SW620 cells have developed a dual resistance to TRAIL-induced apoptosis: a block at the level of the mitochondria and, after a conversion to a type I pathway, an increased expression of XIAP which inhibits this pathway.
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PMID:A mitochondrial block and expression of XIAP lead to resistance to TRAIL-induced apoptosis during progression to metastasis of a colon carcinoma. 1856 Mar 53

Effective treatments for advanced prostate cancer are much needed. Toward this goal, we show apoptosis and impaired long-term survival of androgen-independent prostate cancer cells (PC3 and PC3 derivatives) co-treated with the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor roscovitine and an AKT inhibitor (LY294002 or API-2). Apoptosis of PC3 cells by the drug combination required caspase-9 but not caspase-8 activity and thus is mitochondria-dependent. Roscovitine reduced amounts of the caspase inhibitor XIAP, and API-2 increased amounts of the BH3-only protein Bim. PC3 cells apoptosed when co-treated with API-2 and either cdk9 siRNA, dominant-negative cdk9, or the cdk9 inhibitor DRB; they did not apoptose when co-treated with API-2 and XIAP siRNA. Bax accumulated in mitochondria in response to API-2, whereas release of cytochrome c from mitochondria required both API-2 and roscovitine. We suggest that roscovitine elicits events that activate Bax once it translocates to mitochondria and that inactivation of cdk9 signals these events and the down-regulation of XIAP. Collectively, our data show apoptosis of prostate cancer cells by a drug combination and identify Bax activation as a basis of cooperation.
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PMID:Apoptosis of metastatic prostate cancer cells by a combination of cyclin-dependent kinase and AKT inhibitors. 1870 58

Recent studies have shown that naturally occurring compounds can enhance the efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs. The objectives of this study were to investigate the molecular mechanisms by which diallyl trisulfide (DATS) enhanced the therapeutic potential of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) in prostate cancer cells in vitro and on orthotopically transplanted PC-3 prostate carcinoma in nude mice. DATS inhibited cell viability and colony formation and induced apoptosis in PC-3 and LNCaP cells. DATS enhanced the apoptosis-inducing potential of TRAIL in PC-3 cells and sensitized TRAIL-resistant LNCaP cells. Dominant-negative FADD inhibited the synergistic interaction between DATS and TRAIL on apoptosis. DATS induced the expression of DR4, DR5, Bax, Bak, Bim, Noxa, and PUMA and inhibited expression of Mcl-1, Bcl-2, Bcl-X(L), survivin, XIAP, cIAP1, and cIAP2. Oral administration of DATS significantly inhibited growth of orthotopically implanted prostate carcinoma in BALB/c nude mice compared with the control group, without causing weight loss. Cotreatment of mice with DATS and TRAIL was more effective in inhibiting prostate tumor growth and inducing DR4 and DR5 expression, caspase-8 activity, and apoptosis than either agent alone. DATS inhibited angiogenesis (as measured by CD31-positive and factor VIII-positive blood vessels and hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha, vascular endothelial growth factor, and interleukin-6 expression) and metastasis [matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-7, MMP-9, and MT-1 MMP expression], which were correlated with inhibition in AKT and nuclear factor-kappaB activation. The combination of DATS and TRAIL was more effective in inhibiting markers of angiogenesis and metastasis than either agent alone. These data suggest that DATS can be combined with TRAIL for the prevention and/or treatment of prostate cancer.
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PMID:Diallyl trisulfide increases the effectiveness of TRAIL and inhibits prostate cancer growth in an orthotopic model: molecular mechanisms. 1872 80


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