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)

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) is a transcription factor specifically activated by hypoxia. Activation of proapoptotic caspase-9 and caspase-3 pathways, by binding with tumor suppressor p53, HIF-1alpha could lead to harmful actions such as apoptosis. We examined whether increasing oxygen levels by hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) offers neuroprotection, at least partially by suppression of HIF-1alpha and apoptotic genes. Male SD rats (n = 78) were randomly divided into 13 groups: 1 sham group, 6 groups of global ischemia-hypotension (GI), and 6 groups of HBO treatment after global ischemia-hypotension (GI + HBO). HBO (3 ATA for 2 h) was applied at 1 h after global ischemia-hypotension. Rats were sacrificed at 6, 12, 24, 48, and 96 h and 7 days. Global ischemia-hypotension (10 min ischemia, 30-35 mm Hg) produced a marked increase of HIF-1alpha expressions in the hippocampus and cortex at 6 h and peaked at 48-96 h. The expressions of p53, caspase-9, and caspase-3 were all increased in a similar time course. These molecular changes were accompanied by massive cell loss in the hippocampal regions and to a lesser degree in the cortex, with features of apoptosis. HBO treatment reduced expressions of HIF-1alpha, p53, caspase-9, and caspase-3 and decreased cell death. The protein levels of proapoptotic caspase-8 and antiapoptotic bcl-2 were increased after global ischemia-hypotension and HBO potentiated the expression of caspase-8 and decreased expression of bcl-2. These results indicate that HBO has multiple actions on apoptotic genes even though the overall effect of HBO was decreased HIF-1alpha expression and reduced apoptosis after global ischemia-hypotension.
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PMID:Multiple effects of hyperbaric oxygen on the expression of HIF-1 alpha and apoptotic genes in a global ischemia-hypotension rat model. 1558 27

We have previously reported that gypenosides induce apoptosis in human hepatocarcinoma Huh-7 cells through a mitochondria-dependent caspase-9 activation cascade. In order to further explore the critical events leading to apoptosis in gypenosides-treated cells, the following effects of gypenosides on components of the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway were examined: generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), alteration of the mitochondrial membrane potential (MPT), and the subcellular distribution of Bcl-2 and Bax. We show that gypenosides-induced apoptosis was accompanied by the generation of intracellular ROS, disruption of MPT, and inactivation of ERK, as well as an increase in mitochondrial Bax and a decrease of mitochondrial Bcl-2 levels. Ectopic expression of Bcl-2 or treatment with furosemide attenuated gypenosides-triggered apoptosis. Treatment with ATA caused a drastic prevention of apoptosis and the gypenosides-mediated mitochondrial Bcl-2 decrease and Bax increase, but failed to inhibit ROS generation and MPT dysfunction. Incubation with antioxidants significantly inhibited gypenosides-mediated ROS generation, ERK inactivation, MPT and apoptosis. Moreover, an increase of the intracellular calcium ion (Ca(2+)) concentration rapidly occurred in gypenosides-treated Huh-7 cells. Buffering of the intracellular Ca(2+) increase with a Ca(2+) chelator BAMTA/AM blocked the gypenosides-elicited ERK inactivation, ROS generation, Bcl-2/Bax redistribution, mitochondrial dysfunction, and apoptosis. Based on these results, we propose that the rise in intracellular Ca(2+) concentration plays a pivotal role in the initiation of gypenosides-triggered apoptotic death.
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PMID:Gypenosides induce apoptosis in human hepatoma Huh-7 cells through a calcium/reactive oxygen species-dependent mitochondrial pathway. 1752 May 21