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)

Apoptosis has been implicated in corpus luteum regression. Prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2alpha) is a luteolytic agent known to induce corpus regression in the rat. We have shown previously that staurosporine, a protein kinase C inhibitor, induces apoptosis in corpora luteal cells. In this study, we hypothesize that PGF2alpha and staurosporine will induce apoptosis in the rat corpus luteum and this process is mediated through the mitochondrial phospholipid cardiolipin and activation of caspase-9. Female prepubertal rats were superovulated and luteal cells were analyzed for apoptosis after treatment with a luteolytic dose of PGF2alpha (in vivo study) or cultured and treated with 10(-5) M PGF2alpha or 1 alphaM staurosporine (in vitro studies). Apoptosis was measured by annexin V and propidium iodide staining, loss of fluorescence of 10-N-nonyl acridine orange (NAO), a cardiolipin specific fluorescent dye, and cleavage of pro-caspase-9 by western blot analysis. PGF2alpha treatment demonstrated evidence of apoptosis in vivo, while staurosporine treatment demonstrated evidence of apoptosis in vitro. We provide, for the first time in the rat ovary, evidence that apoptosis during corpus luteum regression is mediated in part by mitochondria and by cleavage activation of caspase-9.
 ...
PMID:Corpus luteum regression in the rat--in vivo and in vitro studies of apoptotic mechanisms. 1768 15

The release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria to the cytosol is a critical step for downstream caspase-mediated apoptotic signal transduction in ischemia-reperfusion (I/R)-induced myocardial tissue injury. 10-N-nonyl acridine orange (NAO), a cardiolipin-specific dye, has been shown to inhibit Bid-mediated cytochrome c release from isolated mitochondria in vitro; however, the possible protective effects of NAO and the mechanisms underlying the protection from myocardial I/R-induced tissue injury in a rat model are unknown. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to a 30-min coronary arterial occlusion followed by reperfusion. All rats received either vehicle or NAO (100 microg/kg iv) 10 min before the occlusion. The infarct size in the heart at 24 h after reperfusion was significantly reduced in NAO-treated rats compared with vehicle-treated rats. NAO treatment significantly reduced the cytosolic cytochrome c contents and caspase-9 activity in the ischemic region but did not affect caspase-8 activity. Furthermore, NAO treatment markedly suppressed the translocation of truncated Bid, a proapoptotic Bcl-2 family member, to the mitochondrial fraction. NAO also suppressed the mitochondrial swelling and oxygen uptake stimulated by calcium overload. The results suggest that NAO possesses protective effects against myocardial I/R injury, which may be due to the suppression of cytochrome c release through blockade of truncated Bid translocation to mitochondria and inhibition of the opening of mitochondrial permeability transition pores.
 ...
PMID:Inhibition of cytochrome c release by 10-N-nonyl acridine orange, a cardiolipin-specific dye, during myocardial ischemia-reperfusion in the rat. 1994 77

We have reported previously that phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) induces apoptosis in human osteosarcoma U-2 OS cells. Cytotoxic activity of PEITC towards other cancer cells such as human malignant melanoma and skin cancer cells has not been reported. In this study, the anticancer activity of PEITC towards human malignant melanoma cancer A375.S2 cells was investigated. To determine the mechanisms of PEITC inhibition of cell growth, the following end points were determined in A375.S2 cells: cell morphological changes, cell cycle arrest, DNA damage and fragmentation assays and morphological assessment of nuclear change, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and Ca(2+) generations, mitochondrial membrane potential disruption, and nitric oxide and 10-N-nonyl acridine orange productions, expression and activation of caspase-3 and -9, B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2)-associated X protein (Bax), Bcl-2, poly (adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase, and cytochrome c release, apoptosis-inducing factor and endonuclease G. PEITC induced morphological changes in time- and dose-dependent manner. PEITC induced G2/M phase arrest and induced apoptosis via endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated mitochondria-dependent pathway. Western blot analysis showed that PEITC promoted Bax expression and inhibited Bcl-2 expression associated with the disintegration of the outer mitochondrial membrane causing cytochrome c release, and activation of caspase-9 and -3 cascade leading to apoptosis. We conclude that PEITC-triggered apoptotic death in A375.S2 cells occurs through ROS-mediated mitochondria-dependent pathways.
...
PMID:Phenethyl isothiocyanate triggers apoptosis in human malignant melanoma A375.S2 cells through reactive oxygen species and the mitochondria-dependent pathways. 2376 Feb 57