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)

The tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is regarded as a potential anticancer agent. However, considerable numbers of cancer cells, especially some highly malignant tumors, are resistant to apoptosis induction by TRAIL, and some cancer cells that were originally sensitive to TRAIL-induced apoptosis can become resistant after repeated exposure (acquired resistance). Understanding the mechanisms underlying such resistance and developing strategies to overcome it are important for the successful use of TRAIL for cancer therapy. Resistance to TRAIL can occur at different points in the signaling pathways of TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Dysfunctions of the death receptors DR4 and DR5 due to mutations can lead to resistance. The adaptor protein Fas-associated death domain (FADD) and caspase-8 are essential for assembly of the death-inducing signaling complex, and defects in either of these molecules can lead to TRAIL resistance. Overexpression of cellular FADD-like interleukin-1beta-converting enzyme-inhibitory protein (cFLIP) correlates with TRAIL resistance in several types of cancer. Overexpression of Bcl-2 or Bcl-X(L), loss of Bax or Bak function, high expression of inhibitor of apoptosis proteins, and reduced release of second mitochondria-derived activator of caspases (Smac/Diablo) from the mitochondria to the cytosol have all been reported to result in TRAIL resistance in mitochondria-dependent type II cancer cells. Finally, activation of different subunits of mitogen-activated protein kinases or nuclear factor-kappa B can lead to development of either TRAIL resistance or apoptosis in certain types of cancer cells.
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PMID:Mechanisms of resistance to TRAIL-induced apoptosis in cancer. 1555 Sep 37

This study first investigates the anticancer effect of asiatic acid in two human breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. Asiatic acid exhibited effective cell growth inhibition by inducing cancer cells to undergo S-G2/M phase arrest and apoptosis. Blockade of cell cycle was associated with increased p21/WAF1 levels and reduced amounts of cyclinB1, cyclinA, Cdc2, and Cdc25C in a p53-independent manner. Asiatic acid also reduced Cdc2 function by increasing the association of p21/WAF1/Cdc2 complex and the level of inactivated phospho-Cdc2 and phospho-Cdc25C. Asiatic acid treatment triggered the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway indicated by changing Bax/Bcl-2 ratios, cytochrome c release, and caspase-9 activation, but it did not act on Fas/Fas ligand pathways and the activation of caspase-8. We also found that mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2), and p38, but not c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK), are critical mediators in asiatic acid-induced cell growth inhibition. U0126 [1,4-diamino-2,3-dicyano-1,4-bis(2-aminophenylthio)butadiene] or SB203580 [4-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-(4-methylsulfinylphenyl)-5-(4-pyridyl)-1H-imidazole], specific inhibitors of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase and p38 kinase activities, significantly decreased or delayed apoptosis. Asiatic acid was likely to confine the breast cancer cells in the S-G2/M phase mainly through the p38 pathway, because both SB203580 and p38 small interfering RNA (siRNA) inhibition significantly attenuated the accumulation of inactive phospho-Cdc2 and phospho-Cdc25C proteins and the cell numbers of S-G2/M phase. Moreover, U0126 and ERK siRNA inhibition completely suppressed asiatic acid-induced Bcl-2 phosphorylation and Bax up-regulation, and caspase-9 activation. Together, these results imply a critical role for ERK1/2 and p38 but not JNK, p53, and Fas/Fas ligand in asiatic acid-induced S-G2/M arrest and apoptosis of human breast cancer cells.
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PMID:Asiatic acid, a triterpene, induces apoptosis and cell cycle arrest through activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways in human breast cancer cells. 1562 23

Cinnamaldehyde (Cin) has been shown to be effective in inducing apoptotic cell death in a number of human cancer cells. However, the intracellular death signaling mechanisms by which Cin inhibits tumor cell growth are poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the effect of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) inhibitors [namely SP600125 (a specific JNK inhibitor), SB203580 (a specific p38 inhibitor) and PD98059 (a specific ERK inhibitor)] on the stress-responsive MAPK pathway induced by Cin in PLC/PRF/5 cells. Trypan blue staining assay indicated that Cin was cytotoxic to PLC/PRF/5 cells. Cin caused cell cycle perturbation (S-phase arrest) and triggered apoptosis as revealed by the externalization of annexin V-targeted phosphatidylserine and accumulation of sub-G1 peak. It down-regulated the Bcl-2 and Mcl-1 expression, and up-regulated Bax protein in a time-response manner. Treatment with 1 microM Cin resulted in an activation of caspase-8 and cleavage of Bid to its truncated form in a time-dependent pattern. JNK, ERK and p38 kinases in cells were activated and phosphorylated after Cin treatment. Pre-incubation with SP600125 and SB203580 markedly suppressed the effect of Cin-induced apoptosis, but not PD98059. Both SP600125 and SB203580 significantly prevented the phosphorylation of JNK and p38 proteins, but not ERK. These results conclude that Cin triggers apoptosis in PLC/PRF/5 cells could be through the activation of pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family (Bax and Bid) proteins and MAPK signaling pathway.
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PMID:Cinnamaldehyde-induced apoptosis in human PLC/PRF/5 cells through activation of the proapoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins and MAPK pathway. 1596 11

We have demonstrated that cationic liposomes composed of stearylamine (SA-liposomes) induce apoptosis in a variety of cells, but the mechanism responsible for the cellular death is not clear. In this paper, we investigated the signaling pathways implicated in SA-liposome-induced apoptosis in the macrophage-like cell line RAW264.7. Treatment with SA-liposomes caused the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), especially p38 and c-jun N-terminal kinase, and apoptosis was only inhibited upon the addition of a specific inhibitor for p38. N-acetylcysteine, a scavenger of reactive oxygen species (ROS), effectively inhibited the activation of p38 and cellular death, indicating that the activation induced by ROS is an initial step in the process of apoptosis triggered by SA-liposomes. Caspase-8 was activated by p38, and caspase-8-dependent cleavage of Bid was also observed. No down-regulation of bcl-2 expression, and no cleavage of Bax protein were observed. Taken together, our results suggest that apoptosis of RAW264.7 by SA-liposomes was mediated by the MAPK p38 and a caspase-8-dependent Bid-cleavage pathway. Moreover, we found that ROS can contribute intimately to the SA-liposome-induced cell death in RAW264.7.
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PMID:Cationic liposomes induce apoptosis through p38 MAP kinase-caspase-8-Bid pathway in macrophage-like RAW264.7 cells. 1627 97

Iron is essential for neoplastic cell growth, and iron chelators have been tested for potential anti-proliferative and anti-cancer effects, but the effects of iron chelators on oral cancer have not been clearly elucidated. To determine the mechanism of cell death induced by iron chelators, we explored the pathways of the three structurally related mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase subfamilies during iron chelator-induced apoptosis and differentiation of immortalized human oral keratinocytes (IHOK) and oral cancer cells (HN4). The iron chelator deferoxamine (DFO) exerted potent time- and dose-dependent inhibitory effects on the growth and apoptosis of IHOK and HN4 cells. DFO strongly activates p38 MAP kinase and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), but does not activate c-Jun N-terminal kinase/stress-activated protein kinase. Of the three MAP kinase blockers used, the selective p38 MAP kinase inhibitor SB203580 and ERK inhibitor PD98059 protected IHOK and HN4 cells against iron chelator-induced cell death, which indicates that the p38 and ERK MAP kinase is a major mediator of apoptosis induced by this iron chelator. Interestingly, treatment of IHOK and HN4 cells with SB203580 and PD98059 abolished cytochrome c release, as well as the activation of caspase-3 and caspase-8. DFO suppressed the expression of epithelial differentiation markers such as involucrin, CK6, and CK19, and this suppression was blocked by p38 and ERK MAP kinase inhibitors. Collectively, these data suggested that p38 and ERK MAP kinase plays an important role in iron chelator-mediated cell death and in the suppression of differentiation of oral immortalized and malignant keratinocytes, by activating a downstream apoptotic cascade that executes the cell death pathway.
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PMID:p38 and ERK MAP kinase mediates iron chelator-induced apoptosis and -suppressed differentiation of immortalized and malignant human oral keratinocytes. 1669 18

Amylin-mediated islet beta-cell death is implicated in diabetogenesis. We previously reported that fibrillogenic human amylin (hA) evokes beta-cell apoptosis through linked activation of Jun N-terminal kinase 1 (JNK 1) and a caspase cascade. Here we show that p38 kinase [p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase] became activated by hA treatment of cultured beta-cells whereas extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) did not; by contrast, nonfibrillogenic rat amylin (rA) altered neither. Pretreatment with the p38 kinase-inhibitor SB203580 decreased hA-induced apoptosis and caspase-3 activation by approximately 30%; as did combined SB203580 and JNK inhibitor I, by about 70%; and the combination of SB203580, the JNK inhibitor I and a caspase-8 inhibitor, by 100%. These findings demonstrate the requirement for concurrent activation of the p38 kinase, JNK and caspase-8 pathways. We further showed that hA elicits time-dependent activation of activating transcription factor 2 (ATF-2), which was largely suppressed by SB203580, indicating that this activation is catalyzed mainly by p38 kinase. Furthermore, hA-induced apoptosis was suppressed by specific antisense ATF-2, and increased phospho-ATF-2 (p-ATF-2) was associated with increased CRE (cAMP-response element) DNA binding and CRE-mediated transcriptional activity, as well as enhancement of c-jun promoter activation. We also detected changes in the phosphorylation status and composition of the CRE complex that may play important roles in regulation of distinct downstream target genes. These studies establish p38 MAP kinase-mediated activation of ATF-2 as a significant mechanism in hA-evoked beta-cell death, which may serve as a target for pharmaceutical intervention and effective suppression of beta-cell failure in type-2 diabetes.
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PMID:Activation of activating transcription factor 2 by p38 MAP kinase during apoptosis induced by human amylin in cultured pancreatic beta-cells. 1686 89

Shiga toxins have been shown to induce apoptosis in many cell types. However, Shiga toxin 1 (Stx1) induced only limited apoptosis of macrophage-like THP-1 cells in vitro. The mechanisms regulating macrophage death or survival following toxin challenge are unknown. Differentiated THP-1 cells expressed tumor necrosis factor receptors and membrane-associated tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and produced soluble TNF-alpha after exposure to Stx1. However, the cells were refractory to apoptosis induced by TNF-alpha, although the cytokine modestly increased apoptosis in the presence of Stx1. Despite the partial resistance of macrophage-like THP-1 cells to Stx1-mediated killing, treatment of these cells with Stx1 activated a broad array of caspases, disrupted the mitochondrial membrane potential (DeltaPsi(m)), and released cytochrome c into the cytoplasm. The DeltaPsi(m) values were greatest in cells that had detached from plastic surfaces. Specific caspase inhibitors revealed that caspase-3, caspase-6, caspase-8, and caspase-9 were primarily involved in apoptosis induction. The antiapoptotic factors involved in macrophage survival following toxin challenge include inhibitors of apoptosis proteins and X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein. NF-kappaB and JNK mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) appeared to activate survival pathways, while p38 MAPK was involved in proapoptotic signaling. The JNK and p38 MAPKs were shown to be upstream signaling pathways which may regulate caspase activation. Finally, the protein synthesis inhibitors Stx1 and anisomycin triggered limited apoptosis and prolonged JNK and p38 MAPK activation, while macrophage-like cells treated with cycloheximide remained viable and showed transient activation of MAPKs. Collectively, these data suggest that Stx1 activates both apoptotic and cell survival signaling pathways in macrophage-like THP-1 cells.
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PMID:Simultaneous induction of apoptotic and survival signaling pathways in macrophage-like THP-1 cells by Shiga toxin 1. 1719 4

Reportedly, beta-amyloid peptides (Abeta40 and Abeta42) induce the neurodegenerative changes of Alzheimer's disease (AD) both directly by interacting with components of the cell surface to trigger apoptogenic signaling and indirectly by activating astrocytes and microglia to produce excess amounts of inflammatory cytokines. A possible cell surface target for Abetas is the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75(NTR)). By using SK-N-BE neuroblastoma cells without neurotrophin receptors or engineered to express the full-length p75(NTR) or various parts of it, we have proven that p75(NTR) does mediate the Abeta-induced cell killing via its intracellular death domain (DD). This signaling via the DD activates caspase-8, which then activates caspase-3 and apoptogenesis. We also found a strong cytocidal interaction of direct p75(NTR)-mediated and indirect pro-inflammatory cytokine-mediated neuronal damage induced by Abeta. In fact, pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-alpha and IL-1beta from Abeta-activated microglia potentiated the neurotoxic action of Aalpha mediated by p75(NTR) signaling. The pro-inflammatory cytokines probably amplify neuronal damage and killing by causing astrocytes to flood their associated neurons with NO and its lethal oxidizing ONOO- derivative. Indeed, we have found that a combination of three major pro-inflammatory cytokines, IL-1beta+IFN-gamma+TNF-alpha, causes normal adult human astrocytes (NAHA) to express nitric oxide synthase-2 (NOS-2) and make dangerously large amounts of NO via mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). Soluble Abeta40, the major amyloid precursor protein cleavage product, by itself stimulates astrocytes to express NOS-2 and make NO, possibly by activating p75(NTR) receptors, which they share with neurons, and can considerably amplify NOS-2 expression by the pro-inflammatory cytokine trio. These observations have uncovered a deadly synergistic interaction of Abeta peptides with pro-inflammatory cytokines in the neuron-astrocyte functional units of the AD brain. Finally, we have found that p75(NTR) and its DD also mediate the killing of SK-N-BE human neuroblastoma cells by the prion protein fragment PrP106-126. Thus, neurons expressing p75(NTR) as well as pro-inflammatory cytokine receptors are likely the preferential targets of Abetas and prions and the neurodegenerative diseases they cause.
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PMID:The killing of neurons by beta-amyloid peptides, prions, and pro-inflammatory cytokines. 1738 78

Despite a dogma that apoptosis does not induce inflammation, Fas ligand (FasL), a well-known death factor, possesses pro-inflammatory activity. For example, FasL induces nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) activity and interleukin 8 (IL-8) production by engagement of Fas in human cells. Here, we found that a dominant negative mutant of c-Jun, a component of the activator protein-1 (AP-1) transcription factor, inhibits FasL-induced AP-1 activity and IL-8 production in HEK293 cells. Selective inhibition of AP-1 did not affect NF-kappaB activation and vice versa, indicating that their activations were not sequential events. The FasL-induced AP-1 activation could be inhibited by deleting or introducing the lymphoproliferation (lpr)-type point mutation into the Fas death domain (DD), knocking down the Fas-associated DD protein (FADD), abrogating caspase-8 expression with small interfering RNAs, or using inhibitors for pan-caspase and caspase-8 but not caspase-1 or caspase-3. Furthermore, wildtype, but not a catalytically inactive mutant, of caspase-8 reconstituted the FasL-induced AP-1 activation in caspase-8-deficient cells. Fas ligand induced the phosphorylation of two of the three major mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs): extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) but not p38 MAPK. Unexpectedly, an inhibitor for JNK but not for MAPK/ERK kinase inhibited the FasL-induced AP-1 activation and IL-8 production. These results demonstrate that FasL-induced AP-1 activation is required for optimal IL-8 production, and this process is mediated by FADD, caspase-8, and JNK.
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PMID:Caspase-8- and JNK-dependent AP-1 activation is required for Fas ligand-induced IL-8 production. 1740 42

The present studies have determined whether interactions between the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor flavopiridol and the histone deacetylase inhibitor suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA; vorinostat; Zolinza) occur in breast cancer cells. MDA-MB-231 and MCF7 cells were treated with flavopiridol (25-100 nmol/L) and vorinostat (125-500 nmol/L) in vitro, and mechanisms of cell killing were determined. Concurrent treatment of cells with flavopiridol and vorinostat or treatment of cells with flavopiridol followed by vorinostat promoted cell killing in a greater than additive fashion. Similar data were obtained with the CDK inhibitor roscovitine. Flavopiridol suppressed c-FLIP-l/s and BCL-xL expression, whereas vorinostat reduced expression of BCL-xL, and combined exposure to flavopiridol and vorinostat reduced MCL-1 and X-chromosome-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) levels. Pharmacologic or genetic inhibition of caspase-8 reduced flavopiridol toxicity, but abolished killing by vorinostat and cell death caused by the vorinostat/flavopiridol regimen. Loss of BAX/BAK function or loss of BID function modestly reduced flavopiridol toxicity, but abolished vorinostat-mediated potentiation of flavopiridol toxicity, as did inhibition of caspase-9. Inhibition and/or deletion of cathepsin B function significantly attenuated vorinostat/flavopiridol lethality. Flavopiridol suppressed extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and AKT activity and expression of activated forms of AKT and mitogen-activated protein/ERK kinase 1 maintained c-FLIP-l/s, BCL-xL, and XIAP expression and protected cells against flavopiridol/vorinostat lethality. Overexpression of c-FLIP-s and BCL-xL abolished the lethality of flavopiridol/vorinostat. Collectively, these data argue that flavopiridol enhances the lethality of vorinostat in breast cancer cells in part through the inhibition of AKT and ERK1/2 function, leading to reduced expression of multiple inhibitors of the extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis pathways, as well as activation of cathepsin protease-dependent pathways.
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PMID:Extrinsic pathway- and cathepsin-dependent induction of mitochondrial dysfunction are essential for synergistic flavopiridol and vorinostat lethality in breast cancer cells. 1806 90


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