EC:3.4.22.61 - FACTA Search

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Query: EC:3.4.22.61 (caspase-8)
6,833 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

We recently reported that nitric oxide (NO) modulates expression of multiple genes associated with apoptotic pathways, including expression of caspase-8. The objective of the present study is to determine whether the NO-induced expression of the caspase-8 gene is regulated via signal transducers and activators of transcription-1 (STAT-1) signaling. The confluent monolayers of pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAEC) were incubated with or without (control) 1 mM NOC-18, a NO donor, at 37 degrees C for 0-24 h. In some experiments PAEC were pretreated with a Janus kinase (JAK-2) inhibitor, AG490 (20 microM). Exposure of PAEC to NO-increased relative levels of caspase-8 mRNA as determined using quantitative real time PCR. Relative levels of phosphorylated STAT-1 at Serine (Ser)-727, but not total STAT-1 expression in NO-exposed cells, were upregulated significantly compared to control cells. AG490 attenuated NO-induced phosphorylation of STAT-1 at Ser 727 and expression of caspase-8 mRNA, suggesting JAK2 plays a role in the induction of caspase-8 mRNA. The promoter of caspase-8 has four gamma-activated sequence (GAS) and two interferon-stimulated response element (ISRE) transcription factor-binding sites. NO enhanced the STAT-1 binding activity to GAS/ISRE. Suppression of STAT-1 expression attenuated NO-induced elevation of caspase-8 mRNA. These studies demonstrate that a NO-dependent increase in caspase-8 mRNA levels is associated with phosphorylation of STAT-1 at Ser-727 and STAT1 binding to the caspase-8 promoter in cultured PAEC.
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PMID:Nitric oxide upregulation of caspase-8 mRNA expression in lung endothelial cells: role of JAK2/STAT-1 signaling. 1756 48

The signaling of glycogen synthase kinase-3beta (GSK-3beta) has been implicated in stress-induced apoptosis. However, the pro-apoptotic role of GSK-3beta is still unclear. Here, we show the involvement of GSK-3beta in ceramide-induced mitochondrial apoptosis. Ceramide induced GSK-3beta activation via protein dephosphorylation at serine 9. We previously reported that ceramide induced caspase-2 and caspase-8 activation, Bid cleavage, mitochondrial damage, and apoptosis. In this study, we found that caspase-2 activation and the subsequent apoptotic events were abolished by the GSK-3beta inhibitors lithium chloride and SB216763, and by GSK-3beta knockdown using short interfering RNA. We also found that ceramide-activated protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) indirectly caused GSK-3beta activation, and that the PP2A-regulated PI 3-kinase-Akt pathway was involved in GSK-3beta activation. These results indicate a role for GSK-3beta in ceramide-induced apoptosis, in which GSK-3beta acts downstream of PP2A and the PI 3-kinase-Akt pathway, and upstream of caspase-2 and caspase-8.
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PMID:GSK-3beta acts downstream of PP2A and the PI 3-kinase-Akt pathway, and upstream of caspase-2 in ceramide-induced mitochondrial apoptosis. 1766 35

It has recently become apparent that the microenvironment made up of the extracellular matrix may affect cell signaling. In this study, we evaluated Fas-triggered apoptosis in T cells in contact with tumor cells, which resembles the cell-to-cell interactions found in tumor regions. Jurkat cells were less susceptible to the Fas-mediated apoptosis when cocultured with U118, HeLa, A549, and Huh-7 tumor cells. This was indicated by less plasma membrane alteration, an amelioration of the loss of mitochondria membrane potential, a decrease in caspase-8 and caspase-3 activation, a decrease in DNA fragmentation factor-45/35 cleavage, and a reduction in the breakage of DNA when compared with Jurkat cells cultured alone. In contrast, the tumor cell lines MCF-7 and HepG2 produced no such protective effect. This protective event was independent of the expression of Fas ligand on the tumor cells. Interrupting the beta integrins-matrix interaction diminished the coculture effect. In Jurkat cells, cell matrix contact reduced the assembly of the Fas death-inducing signaling complex and Bcl-x(L) cleavage, but enhanced the phosphorylation of ERK1/2, p38 MAPK, and Akt. Only PI3K inhibitor, but not kinase inhibitors for MEK, ERK1/2, p38 MAPK, JNK, protein kinase C, and protein kinase A, completely abolished this tumor cell contact-associated protection and in parallel restored Fas-induced Bcl-x(L) cleavage as well as decreasing the phosphorylation of Bad at serine 136. Together, our results indicate that stimulation of the beta integrin signal of T cells by contact with tumor cells may trigger a novel protective signaling through the PI3K/Akt pathway of T cells against Fas-mediated apoptosis.
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PMID:Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt activation by integrin-tumor matrix interaction suppresses Fas-mediated apoptosis in T cells. 1787 56

Costunolide, isolated from the stem bark of Magnolia sieboldii, is a sesquiterpene lactone that exhibits various biological and immunological actions. We investigated the induction mechanism of apoptosis by costunolide in a human B cell leukemia NALM-6 cell culture system. Costunolide (10 microM)-induced apoptosis time-dependently increased, estimated by nuclear damage observation and flow cytometric analysis. Costunolide did not change Fas-associated factor 1 (FAF1), but the phosphorylation of Fas-associated death domain (FADD) at serine 194 increased from early treatment. The activation of caspase-8 and -9 and degradation of poly-(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) was time-dependently detected by incubation with costunolide. Pretreatment of cells with caspase-3, -8 and broad spectrum caspase inhibitors significantly blocked costunolide-induced apoptosis, but caspase-9 inhibitor failed to block apoptosis. Telomerase activity was significantly suppressed after treatment with costunolide, and human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), a critical determinant of the enzyme activity of telomerase, decreased the expression of both mRNA and protein levels by costunolide. Costunolide-induced repression of telomerase was prevented by pretreatment of cells with caspase-3, -8 and broad spectrum caspase inhibitors, but caspase-9 inhibitor was no effect. These data suggest that one of the costunolide-induced apoptotic mechanisms is that the receptor-mediated pathway precedes the mitochondria-dependent pathway, caused by the inhibition of telomerase activity via suppression of hTERT in NALM-6 cells.
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PMID:Costunolide-induced apoptosis is caused by receptor-mediated pathway and inhibition of telomerase activity in NALM-6 cells. 1845 40

Previous studies from our laboratory had indicated that cytochrome c-independent processing and activation of caspase-9 by caspase-8 contributed to early amplification of the caspase cascade in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha-treated murine cells. Here we show that murine caspase-9 is phosphorylated by casein kinase 2 (CK2) on a serine near the site of caspase-8 cleavage. CK2 has been shown to regulate cleavage of the pro-apoptotic Bid protein by phosphorylating serine residues near its caspase-8 cleavage site. Similarly, CK2 modification of Ser(348) on caspase-9 appears to render the protease refractory to cleavage by active caspase-8. This phosphorylation did not affect the ability of caspase-9 to autoprocess. Substitution of Ser(348) abolished phosphorylation but not cleavage, and a phospho-site mutant promoted apoptosis in TNF-alpha-treated caspase-9 knock-out mouse embryo fibroblasts. Furthermore, inhibition of CK2 activity and RNA interference-mediated knockdown of the kinase accelerated caspase-9 activation, whereas phosphatase inhibition delayed both caspase-9 activation and death in response to TNF receptor occupation. Taken together, these studies show that TNF receptor cross-linking promotes dephosphorylation of caspase-9, rendering it susceptible to processing by activated caspase-8 protein. Thus, our data suggest that modification of procaspase-9 to protect it from inappropriate cleavage and activation is yet another mechanism by which the oncogenic kinase CK2 promotes survival.
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PMID:Phosphorylation of murine caspase-9 by the protein kinase casein kinase 2 regulates its cleavage by caspase-8. 1846 26

Recent evidence suggests oxygen as a powerful trigger for cell death in the immature white matter, leading to periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) as a cause of adverse neurological outcome in survivors of preterm birth. This oligodendrocyte (OL) death is associated with oxidative stress, upregulation of apoptotic signaling factors (i.e., Fas, caspase-3) and decreased amounts of neurotrophins. In search of neuroprotective strategies we investigated whether the polysulfonated urea derivative suramin, recently identified as a potent inhibitor of Fas signaling, affords neuroprotection in an in vitro model of hyperoxia-induced injury to immature oligodendrocytes. Immature OLs (OLN-93) were subjected to 80% hyperoxia (48 h) in the presence or absence of suramin (0, 30, 60, 120 microM). Cell death was assessed by flow cytometry (Annexin V, caspase-3 activity assay) and immunohistochemistry for activated caspase-3. Immunoblotting for the death receptor Fas, cleaved caspase-8 and the phosphorylated isoform of the serine-threonin kinase Akt (pAkt) was performed. Suramin lead to OL apoptosis and potentiated hyperoxia-induced injury in a dose-dependent manner. Immunoblotting revealed increased Fas and caspase-8 expression by suramin treatment. This effect was significantly enhanced when suramin was combined with hyperoxia. Furthermore, pAkt levels decreased following suramin exposure, indicating interference with neurotrophin-dependent growth factor signaling. These data indicate that suramin causes apoptotic cell death and aggravates hyperoxia-induced cell death in immature OLs. Its mechanism of action includes an increase of previously described hyperoxia-induced expression of pro-apoptotic factors and deprivation of growth factor dependent signaling components.
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PMID:Suramin induces and enhances apoptosis in a model of hyperoxia-induced oligodendrocyte injury. 1852 99

Cellular FLICE-inhibitory protein (c-FLIP) proteins are crucial regulators of the death-inducing signaling complex (DISC) and caspase-8 activation. To date, three c-FLIP isoforms with distinct functions and regulation have been identified. Our previous studies have shown that the stability of c-FLIP proteins is subject to isoform-specific regulation, but the underlying molecular mechanisms have not been known. Here, we identify serine 193 as a novel in vivo phosphorylation site of all c-FLIP proteins and demonstrate that S193 phosphorylation selectively influences the stability of the short c-FLIP isoforms, as S193D mutation inhibits the ubiquitylation and selectively prolongs the half-lives of c-FLIP short (c-FLIP(S)) and c-FLIP Raji (c-FLIP(R)). S193 phosphorylation also decreases the ubiquitylation of c-FLIP long (c-FLIP(L)) but, surprisingly, does not affect its stability, indicating that S193 phosphorylation has a different function in c-FLIP(L). The phosphorylation of this residue is operated by the protein kinase C (PKC), as S193 phosphorylation is markedly increased by treatment with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate and decreased by inhibition of PKCalpha and PKCbeta. S193 mutations do not affect the ability of c-FLIP to bind to the DISC, although S193 phosphorylation is increased by death receptor stimulation. Instead, S193 phosphorylation affects the intracellular level of c-FLIP(S), which then determines the sensitivity to death-receptor-mediated apoptosis. These results reveal that the differential stability of c-FLIP proteins is regulated in an isoform-specific manner by PKC-mediated phosphorylation.
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PMID:PKC-mediated phosphorylation regulates c-FLIP ubiquitylation and stability. 1934 40

During the search of new anti-cancer agent from high fungi, the ethyl acetate extract of the mushroom Suillus placidus was found to exhibit a significant cytotoxic activity against human hepatoma HepG2 cells. With bioassay-guided fractionation, a cytotoxic component suillin was isolated from the extract. The anti-cancer effect of suillin was subsequently examined in 8 human cancer cell lines by using MTT assay. It is of interest to note that human liver cancer cells (HepG2 cells, Hep3B cells, and SK-Hep-1) were preferentially killed by suillin with an IC(50) of approximately 2microM in a 48h treatment. Mechanistically. suillin was found for the first time to induce apoptosis in HepG2 cells as characterized by DNA fragmentation, phosphatidyl-serine (PS) externalization, activation of caspase-3, -8, -9, depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential, as well as release of cytochrome c into the cytosol. Moreover, the apoptosis induced by suillin was suppressed by both caspase-8 and -9 inhibitors. Western blot analysis revealed significant increases in the protein levels of Fas death receptor, adaptor FADD protein, pro-apoptotic protein Bad and a decline of Bid. These results suggest that the induction of apoptosis by suillin is through both death receptor and mitochondrial pathways. Taken together, our results suggest that suillin might be an effective agent to treat liver cancer.
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PMID:Suillin from the mushroom Suillus placidus as potent apoptosis inducer in human hepatoma HepG2 cells. 1961 21

Malignant gliomas are characterized by invasive and infiltrative behavior that generally involves the destruction of normal brain tissue. Strategies to treat infiltrating gliomas, such as chemotherapy and gene therapy, have remained largely unsuccessful. The infiltrative nature of gliomas can be attributed largely to proteases, which include serine, metallo- and cysteine- proteases. Our previous work and that of others strongly suggest a relationship between the expression of uPAR, MMP-9, and MMP-2; this relationship is generally indicative of the infiltrative phenotype of gliomas. In the present study, we have demonstrated that the RNAi-mediated downregulation of MMP-2 induces apoptosis in the 4910 human glioma xenograft cell line. Using Western blot analysis, we observed that caspase-8 levels increased in MMP-2-downregulated cells whereas TRADD and TRAF-2 levels decreased. Further, NIK levels increased in MMP-2-downregulated cells. To determine the nuclear localization of AIF and IkappaBalpha, we analyzed the levels of AIF, IkappaBalpha and pIkappaBalpha in the cytosolic and nuclear fractions of MMP-2-downregulated cells. Western blot analysis revealed that MMP-2 downregulation resulted in the translocation of AIF to the nucleus and also inhibited the nuclear localization of pIkappaBalpha. To confirm the involvement of AIF, we performed FACS analysis to determine the integrity of the mitochondrial membrane using the MitoPT method. FACS analysis showed that the downregulation of MMP-2 caused a collapse in the mitochondrial cell membrane. Immunolocalization of AIF revealed that in MMP-2-downregulated cells, AIF translocates to the nucleus, thereby enabling the induction of apoptosis. RT-PCR analysis revealed that caspase-8 was overexpressed 57-fold, whereas p73 was downregulated 28-fold. Evidence of apoptosis was determined by TUNEL assay and visualization of nuclear fragmentation by DAPI staining. In summary, it is evident from our results that MMP-2 downregulation induces caspase-8 and AIF-mediated apoptosis and, as such, shows potential for glioma therapy.
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PMID:RNAi-mediated downregulation of MMP-2 activates the extrinsic apoptotic pathway in human glioma xenograft cells. 1972 22

Lamellarin D, a potent cytotoxic marine alkaloid, exerts its antitumor action through two complementary pathways: a nuclear route via topoisomerase I inhibition and a mitochondrial targeting. The present study was designed to investigate the contribution of these two pathways for apoptosis in cancer cells. Lamellarin D promoted nuclear apoptosis in leukemia cells without prominent cell cycle arrest. Signals transmitted by lamellarin D initiated apoptosis via the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. The drug induced conformational activation of Bax and decreased the expression levels of antiapoptotic proteins Bcl-2 and cIAP2 in association with activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3. Upon lamellarin D exposure, Fas and Fas-L expression was not modified in leukemia cells. Moreover, leukemia cells deficient in caspase-8 or Fas-associated protein with death domain underwent apoptosis through the typical mitochondrial apoptotic cascade, indicating that cell death induced by lamellarin D was independent of the extrinsic apoptotic pathway. Lamellarin D also exerted a topoisomerase I-mediated DNA damage response resulting in H2AX phosphorylation, and the upregulation of the DNA repair protein Rad51 and of p53, as well as the phosphorylation of p53 at serine 15. However, lamellarin D killed efficiently mutated p53 or p53 null cancer cells, and sensitivity to lamellarin D was abrogated neither by cycloheximide nor in enucleated cells. Lamellarin D-induced cytochrome c release occurs independently of nuclear factors in a cell-free system. These results suggest that lamellarin D exerts its cytotoxic effects primarily by inducing mitochondrial apoptosis independently of nuclear signaling. Thus, lamellarin D constitutes a new proapoptotic agent that may bypass certain forms of apoptosis resistance that occur in tumor cells.
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PMID:Essential role of mitochondria in apoptosis of cancer cells induced by the marine alkaloid Lamellarin D. 1995 18

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