Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.4.22.62 (caspase-9)
 7,507 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress has been implicated in the pathogenesis of ischemic and neurodegenerative disorders. Treatment of human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells with tunicamycin, an inhibitor of protein glycosylation, rapidly induced the expression of target genes of the unfolded protein response. However, prolonged treatment also triggered a delayed, caspase-dependent cell death. Microarray analysis of gene expression changes during tunicamycin-induced apoptosis revealed that the Bcl-2 homology domain 3-only family member, Bcl-2 binding component 3/p53 upregulated modulator of apoptosis (Bbc3/PUMA), was the most strongly induced pro-apoptotic gene. Expression of Bbc3/PUMA correlated with a Bcl-xL-sensitive release of cytochrome c and the activation of caspase-9 and -3. Increased expression of Bbc3/PUMA was also observed in p53-deficient human cells, in response to the ER stressor thapsigargin, and in rat hippocampal neurons after transient forebrain ischemia. Overexpression of Bbc3/PUMA was sufficient to trigger apoptosis in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells, and human cells deficient in Bbc3/PUMA showed dramatically reduced apoptosis in response to ER stress. Our data suggest that the transcriptional induction of Bbc3/PUMA may be sufficient and necessary for ER stress-induced apoptosis.
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PMID:Gene expression during ER stress-induced apoptosis in neurons: induction of the BH3-only protein Bbc3/PUMA and activation of the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway. 1291 14

We describe here the construction of a library of small interfering RNA expression vectors targeted to a few hundred apoptosis-related genes and the application of this library to an investigation of thapsigargin (TG)-induced apoptosis. Thapsigargin triggers endoplasmic reticulum stress, with subsequent apoptosis, but the molecular mechanisms underlying this process are incompletely understood. Using our library, we identified three anti-apoptotic genes, namely, NOXA, E2F1, and MAPK1, in addition to already characterized genes in the apoptotic pathway. In contrast to proposals by others, our data revealed (i) that TG-induced apoptosis is associated with Apaf1 in a caspase-3- and caspase-9-independent manner; (ii) that the E2F1-PUMA pathway might be involved; and (iii) that the ERK pathway, via MAP3K8 (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 8), is required for the induction by TG of apoptosis. Our study demonstrates clearly that unexpected and novel genes can be identified effectively by our method, and it provides evidence for the efficacy and utility of the comprehensive analysis of signaling networks and pathways using a library of small interfering RNA expression vectors.
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PMID:Identification of a network involved in thapsigargin-induced apoptosis using a library of small interfering RNA expression vectors. 1548 92

We have studied the mechanism of apoptosis elicited by the farnesyltransferase inhibitor (R)-7-cyano-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1-(1H-imidazol-4-ylmethyl)-3-(phenylmethyl)-4-(2-thienylsulfonyl)-1H-1,4-benzodiazepine (BMS-214662) in human myeloma cell lines. Low concentrations of BMS-214662 efficiently inhibited protein farnesylation but did not affect the activation of Akt. BMS-214662 treatment increased levels of the BH3-only protein PUMA; induced proapoptotic conformational changes of Bax and Bak; reduced Mcl-1 levels; caused mitochondrial transmembrane potential loss; induced cytochrome c release, caspase activation, apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) nuclear translocation, and phosphatidylserine exposure; and allowed the development of apoptotic morphology. Western blot analysis of cell extracts revealed the activation of caspases 2, 3, 8, and 9 upon treatment with BMS-214662. The general caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-fmk significantly prevented BMS-214662-induced death in U266 and RPMI 8226 cells but not in NCI-H929 cells. A mixture of selective caspase inhibitors for caspases 9 [N-benzyloxycarbonyl-Leu-Glu-His-Asp-fluoromethyl ketone (Z-LEHD-fmk)], 3 (Z-DEVD-fmk), and 6 (Z-VEID-fmk) approached the protective effect of Z-VAD upon cell death. However, Z-VAD-fmk did not prevent BMS-214662-induced Bax and Bak activation and decrease of Mcl-1 levels. According to its effect on cell death, Z-VAD-fmk inhibited nuclear translocation of AIF in RPMI 8226 and U266 but not in NCI-H929 cells. These results suggest that apoptosis triggered by BMS-214662 is initiated by a PUMA/Bax/Bak/Mcl-1-dependent mechanism. In some cell lines, Bax/Bak activation is not sufficient per se to induce mitochondrial failure and release of apoptogenic proteins, and so caspases need to be activated to facilitate apoptosis. After DeltaPsi(m) loss, execution of apoptosis was performed in all cases by a cytochrome c-enabled, caspase-9-triggered, caspase cascade and the nuclear action of AIF.
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PMID:Farnesyltransferase inhibitor BMS-214662 induces apoptosis in myeloma cells through PUMA up-regulation, Bax and Bak activation, and Mcl-1 elimination. 1573 11

The pathogenesis of non-glutamatergic, depolarization-induced cell death is still enigmatic. Recently, we have shown that veratridine induces apoptosis in chromaffin cells, and we have demonstrated protective effects of antioxidants in this system, suggesting a role for Na+ channels and oxidative stress in depolarization-induced cell death. We examined the possible contribution of p53, a transcription factor that has a major role in determining cell fate, and the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway in veratridine-induced cell death of cultured bovine chromaffin cells. Nuclear condensation and fragmentation were detected several hours after a 60-min exposure to 30 microM veratridine. Apoptosis was associated with a transitory increase in p53 protein levels. Veratridine induced transcription of the pro-apoptotic p53 target gene PUMA, but not of bax or pig3. Using transient transfection experiments, we found that wild-type p53, but not the mutant form p53-273H, was sufficient to induce cell death in the chromaffin cells, which was caspase-9 dependent. The down-regulation of either p53, by overexpressing p53-273H, or caspase-9 activity using a dominant-negative caspase-9 mutant protected chromaffin cells against veratridine-induced toxicity. Our data demonstrate the importance of p53 and the downstream activation of the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway in depolarization-induced apoptosis.
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PMID:Activation of p53 and the pro-apoptotic p53 target gene PUMA during depolarization-induced apoptosis of chromaffin cells. 1611 13

In the present study, we aimed to elucidate the mechanism responsible for the interactive effects of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors [suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA), MS-275, m-carboxycinnamic acid bishydroxamide (CBHA), and trichostatin-A (TSA)] and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) on apoptosis in leukemia cells. HDAC inhibitors enhance the apoptosis-inducing potential of TRAIL in leukemia cells (HL60, Jurkat, K562, and U937) through multiple mechanisms; up-regulation of DR4, DR5, Bak, Bax, Bim, Noxa and PUMA, down-regulation of IAPs, Mcl-1, Bcl-2, Bcl-XL and cFLIP, release of mitochondrial proteins (cytochrome c, Smac/DIABLO and Omi/Htr2) to the cytosol, induction of p21WAF1/CIP1 and p27KIP1, activation of caspase-3 and cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). The sequential treatment of cells with HDAC inhibitors followed by TRAIL was more effective in inducing apoptosis than the concurrent treatment or single agent alone. The up-regulation of death receptors and inhibition of cFLIP by HDAC inhibitors will increase the ability of TRAIL to induce apoptosis, due to enhance activation of caspase-8, cleavage of Bid, and release of mitochondrial proteins to the cytosol, and subsequent activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3. Thus, the combination of HDAC inhibitors and TRAIL can be used as a new therapeutic approach for the treatment of leukemia.
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PMID:Interactive effects of histone deacetylase inhibitors and TRAIL on apoptosis in human leukemia cells: involvement of both death receptor and mitochondrial pathways. 1627 96

Phenoxodiol is a chemically modified analogue of the plant hormone isoflavone with antitumour activities. In the present study, we have examined its ability to induce apoptosis in human melanoma cells and the mechanisms involved. Apoptosis was observed in Phenoxodiol-treated cells by using annexin V/propidium iodide staining and determining mitochondrial membrane potential. To determine which caspase pathways were involved in Phenoxodiol-induced apoptosis, studies were performed using specific caspase inhibitors. Western studies were performed to ascertain which proteins of the apoptosis cascade were affected to cause Phenoxodiol-induced apoptosis. We found that induction of apoptosis by Phenoxodiol was maximal at 48 h with a range of apoptosis of 12+/-4 to 48+/-5% in different melanoma lines. This apoptosis was mainly dependent on activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9. Apoptosis was associated with induction of changes in mitochondrial membrane potential and was inhibited by over-expression of Bcl-2. Variation in sensitivity to Phenoxodiol appeared related to events upstream of the mitochondria and the degree of conformational change in Bax. The p53-regulated BH3-only proteins (Bad, PUMA and Noxa) were increased in the sensitive, but not in the resistant lines, whereas Bim was increased in all the lines tested. Bim appeared, however, to be partially involved because reduction of Bim by RNA interference resulted in decreased levels of apoptosis. Together, these studies suggest that Phenoxodiol induces apoptosis of melanoma cells by induction of p53-dependent BH3 proteins (Bad, PUMA and Noxa) and the p53-independent Bim protein, resulting in activation of Bax and its downstream events.
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PMID:Involvement of BH3-only proapoptotic proteins in mitochondrial-dependent Phenoxodiol-induced apoptosis of human melanoma cells. 1707 14

Persistent infection with oncogenic human papillomaviruses (HPVs) is the most important factor in the induction of uterine cervical cancer, a leading cause of cancer mortality in women worldwide. Upon cell transformation, continual expression of the viral oncogenes is required to maintain the transformed phenotype. The viral E6 protein forms a ternary complex with the cellular E6-AP protein and p53 protein which promotes the rapid degradation of p53. Recent studies have revealed that lignans from the creosote bush (3'-O-methyl-nordihydroguaiaretic acid) can repress the viral promoter responsible for E6 gene expression. Work reported here shows that the lignan can subvert viral oncogene function resulting in stabilized p53 protein within treated HPV-containing tumor cells. The stabilized p53 is transcriptionally active as demonstrated by a luciferase reporter vector and induction of genes for Bax and PUMA proteins. Apoptosis is detected by annexin V binding to treated cells as analyzed by flow cytometry. Programmed cell death is confirmed by the induction of active caspases and TUNEL assay. Initiator caspase-9 is activated first, followed later by the effector caspase-3 enzyme. The stabilization and induced apoptosis are not observed within treated HPV-negative cervical tumor cells. Quantitative real time RT-PCR analysis of endogenous E6 gene transcription from the integrated HPV 16 promoter shows at least a fivefold repression of expression as compared to untreated cells. These results indicate that the loss of E6 protein in treated cells could be, in part, responsible for the stabilization of p53 within the lignan treated cells.
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PMID:A plant lignan, 3'-O-methyl-nordihydroguaiaretic acid, suppresses papillomavirus E6 protein function, stabilizes p53 protein, and induces apoptosis in cervical tumor cells. 1739 35

Epidemiological data suggest that epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) possesses chemopreventive properties against cancer. In this study, we examined the molecular mechanisms of EGCG in human pancreatic cancer cells. EGCG caused growth arrest at G1 stage of cell cycle through regulation of cyclin D1, cdk4, cdk6, p21/WAF1/CIP1 and p27/KIP1, and induced apoptosis through generation of reactive oxygen species and activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9. EGCG inhibited expressions of Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL and induced expressions of Bax, Bak, Bcl-XS and PUMA. Mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) derived from Bax and Bak double knockout mice exhibited greater protection against EGCG-induced apoptosis than wild-type or single knockout MEFs. EGCG caused Bax activation in p53 -/- MEFs, suggesting that EGCG can induce apoptosis in the absence of p53. Furthermore, the activities of Ras, Raf-1 and ERK1/2 were inhibited, whereas the activities of MEKK1, JNK1/2 and p38 MAP kinases were induced by EGCG. Inhibition of cRaf-1 or ERK enhanced EGCG-induced apoptosis, whereas inhibition of JNK or p38 MAP kinase inhibited EGCG-induced apoptosis. EGCG inhibited the activation of p90 ribosomal protein S6 kinase, and induced the activation of cJUN. Our results suggest that EGCG induces growth arrest and apoptosis through multiple mechanisms, and can be used for pancreatic cancer prevention.
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PMID:Epigallocatechin-3-gallate inhibits cell cycle and induces apoptosis in pancreatic cancer. 1756 28

The Akt inhibitor, perifosine, is an alkylphospholipid exhibiting antitumor properties and is currently in phase II clinical trials for various types of cancer. The mechanisms by which perifosine exerts its antitumor effects, including the induction of apoptosis, are not well understood. The current study focused on the effects of perifosine on the induction of apoptosis and its underlying mechanisms in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. Perifosine, at clinically achievable concentration ranges of 10 to 15 micromol/L, effectively inhibited the growth and induced apoptosis of NSCLC cells. Perifosine inhibited Akt phosphorylation and reduced the levels of total Akt. Importantly, enforced activation of Akt attenuated perifosine-induced apoptosis. These results indicate that Akt inhibition is necessary for perifosine-induced apoptosis. Despite the activation of both caspase-8 and caspase-9, perifosine strikingly induced the expression of the tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) receptor, death receptor 5, and down-regulated cellular FLICE-inhibitory protein (c-FLIP), an endogenous inhibitor of the extrinsic apoptotic pathway, with limited modulatory effects on the expression of other genes including Bcl-2, Bcl-X(L), PUMA, and survivin. Silencing of either caspase-8 or death receptor 5 attenuated perifosine-induced apoptosis. Consistently, further down-regulation of c-FLIP expression with c-FLIP small interfering RNA sensitized cells to perifosine-induced apoptosis, whereas enforced overexpression of ectopic c-FLIP conferred resistance to perifosine. Collectively, these data indicate that activation of the extrinsic apoptotic pathway plays a critical role in perifosine-induced apoptosis. Moreover, perifosine cooperates with TRAIL to enhance the induction of apoptosis in human NSCLC cells, thus warranting future in vivo and clinical evaluation of perifosine in combination with TRAIL in the treatment of NSCLC.
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PMID:The alkylphospholipid perifosine induces apoptosis of human lung cancer cells requiring inhibition of Akt and activation of the extrinsic apoptotic pathway. 1760 33

Although resveratrol, an active ingredient derived from grapes and red wine, possesses chemopreventive properties against several cancers, the molecular mechanisms by which it inhibits cell growth and induces apoptosis have not been clearly understood. Here, we examined the molecular mechanisms of resveratrol and its interactive effects with TRAIL on apoptosis in prostate cancer PC-3 and DU-145 cells. Resveratrol inhibited cell viability and colony formation, and induced apoptosis in prostate cancer cells. Resveratrol downregulated the expression of Bcl-2, Bcl-X(L) and survivin and upregulated the expression of Bax, Bak, PUMA, Noxa, and Bim, and death receptors (TRAIL-R1/DR4 and TRAIL-R2/DR5). Treatment of prostate cancer cells with resveratrol resulted in generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), translocation of Bax to mitochondria and subsequent drop in mitochondrial membrane potential, release of mitochondrial proteins (cytochrome c, Smac/DIABLO, and AIF) to cytosol, activation of effector caspase-3 and caspase-9, and induction of apoptosis. Resveratrol-induced ROS production, caspase-3 activity and apoptosis were inhibited by N-acetylcysteine. Bax was a major proapoptotic gene mediating the effects of resveratrol as Bax siRNA inhibited resveratrol-induced apoptosis. Resveratrol enhanced the apoptosis-inducing potential of TRAIL, and these effects were inhibited by either dominant negative FADD or caspase-8 siRNA. The combination of resveratrol and TRAIL enhanced the mitochondrial dysfunctions during apoptosis. These properties of resveratrol strongly suggest that it could be used either alone or in combination with TRAIL for the prevention and/or treatment of prostate cancer.
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PMID:Molecular mechanisms of resveratrol (3,4,5-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene) and its interaction with TNF-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) in androgen-insensitive prostate cancer cells. 1763 62


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