Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0027651 (tumor)
685,946 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Our recent studies suggest that human squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) is capable of activating an intrinsic mechanism of programmed-cell death in interacting lymphocytes in situ and in vitro. The current study used Jurkat T-cell line as a model to investigate intracellular apoptotic events in T cells interacting with SCCHN. Apoptosis induced in T lymphocytes by tumor cells was in part Fas-mediated, since it was partially, but significantly, inhibited in the presence of anti-Fas ligand Ab or in Fas-resistant Jurkat cells. The synthetic caspase inhibitors, N-benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethyl ketone (Z-VAD-FMK) and N-benzyloxycarbonyl-Asp-glu-Val-Asp-fluoromethyl ketone (Z-DEVD-FMK), effectively blocked apoptosis of Jurkat cells co-incubated with SCCHN cell lines, suggesting the involvement of caspases in tumor-induced apoptosis of lymphocytes. Overexpression of CrmA, an inhibitor of caspase-1 and caspase-8, partially inhibited tumor-induced T-cell death. Caspase-8 and caspase-3 were identified as effector molecules in the execution of tumor-induced T-cell death, since the proform enzymes were processed into active subunits during co-incubation of T cells with tumor cells. Furthermore, co-incubation with tumor cells resulted in cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), a common caspase-3 substrate, and in cleavage of TcR-zeta chain, shown by us to be a T-cell specific caspase-3 substrate. Overexpression of Bcl-2 did not provide protection of T cells from SCCHN-induced DNA degradation. Instead, the Bcl-2 protein was cleaved in the target T cells during their co-incubation with tumor cells. These findings demonstrate that tumor cells can trigger in T lymphocytes caspase-dependent apoptotic cascades, which are not effectively protected by Bcl-2. (Blood. 2000;95:2015-2023)
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PMID:Tumor-induced apoptosis of T lymphocytes: elucidation of intracellular apoptotic events. 1070 69

We found that antitumor drugs such as cytotrienin A, camptothecin, taxol, and 5-fluorouracil induced the activation of a 36-kDa protein kinase (p36 myelin basic protein (MBP) kinase) during apoptosis in human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells. This p36 MBP kinase, which phosphorylates MBP in an in-gel kinase assay, results from the caspase-3-mediated proteolytic cleavage of MST/Krs protein, a mammalian Ste20-like serine/threonine kinase. Herein the correlation between cytotrienin A-induced apoptosis and the activation of MST/Krs proteins was examined in human tumor cell lines, including leukemia-, lung-, epidermoid-, cervix-, stomach-, and brain-derived cell lines. In cytotrienin A-sensitive cell lines, we observed a strong activation of p36 MBP kinase by cleavage of the C-terminal regulatory domain of full-length MST/Krs proteins by caspase-3. When the kinase-inactive mutant form of MST/Krs protein was overexpressed in cytotrienin A-sensitive HL-60 cells, the cytotrienin A-induced apoptosis was partially inhibited. Because cytotrienin A also activated c-Jun N-terminal kinase, we examined the effect of the expression of dominant negative c-Jun on cytotrienin A-induced apoptosis. The expression of dominant negative c-Jun also partially inhibited cytotrienin A-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, coexpression of kinase-inactive MST/Krs protein and dominant negative c-Jun completely suppressed cytotrienin A-induced apoptosis. These findings suggest that the proteolytic activation of MST/Krs and c-Jun N-terminal kinase activation are involved in cytotrienin A-induced apoptosis in human tumor cell lines.
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PMID:Activation of MST/Krs and c-Jun N-terminal kinases by different signaling pathways during cytotrienin A-induced apoptosis. 1072 20

Autoantibodies directed to nuclear antigens are serological hallmarks of autoimmune rheumatic diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus. Although much more is known about the molecular identity and functions of targeted self-antigens, with few exceptions, evidence that autoantibodies to these targets have a particular function and contribute directly to the pathological process is lacking. Here we show that human autoantibodies reacting with the zinc fingers of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase involved in the recognition of damaged DNA totally prevent the cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase by caspase-3, a process that normally occurs during early apoptosis. Furthermore, these antibodies, which are frequent in certain autoimmune rheumatic and bowel diseases, affect the characteristic features of apoptosis and increase cell survival ex vivo. This new observation is important, because failure to remove autoimmune or abnormal cells can give rise to prolonged autoimmune stimulation and tumor formation.
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PMID:Inhibition of caspase-3-mediated poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) apoptotic cleavage by human PARP autoantibodies and effect on cells undergoing apoptosis. 1072 54

Dysregulation of normal programmed cell death mechanisms plays an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of breast cancer, as well as in responses of tumors to therapeutic intervention. Overexpression of anti-apoptotic members of the Bcl-2 family such as Bcl-2 and Bcl-X(L) has been implicated in cancer chemoresistance, whereas high levels of pro-apoptotic proteins such as Bax promote apoptosis and sensitize tumor cells to various anticancer therapies. Though the mechanisms by which Bcl-2 family proteins regulate apoptosis are diverse, ultimately they govern decision steps that determine whether certain caspase family cell death proteases remain quiescent or become active. To date, approximately 17 cellular homologs of Bcl-2 and at least 15 caspases have been identified in mammals. Other types of proteins may also modulate apoptotic responses through effects on apoptosis-regulatory proteins, such as BAG-1-a heat shock protein 70 kDa (Hsp70/Hsc70)-binding protein that can modulate stress responses and alter the functions of a variety of proteins involved in cell death and division. In this report, we summarize our attempts thus far to explore the expression of several Bcl-2 family proteins, caspase-3, and BAG-1 in primary breast cancer specimens and breast cancer cell lines. Moreover, we describe some of our preliminary observations concerning the prognostic significance of these apoptosis regulatory proteins in breast cancer patients, contrasting results derived from women with localized disease (with or without node involvement) and metastatic cancer.
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PMID:Prognostic significance of apoptosis regulators in breast cancer. 1073 84

Apomine (SR-45023A) is a new antineoplastic compound which is currently in clinical trials and representative of the family of cholesterol synthesis inhibitors 1,1-bisphosphonate esters. Apomine inhibits growth of a wide variety of tumor cell lines with IC(50) values ranging from 5 to 14 microM. The antiproliferative activity of apomine was studied in comparison with that of other inhibitors of the mevalonate/isoprenoid pathway of cholesterol synthesis, simvastatin, farnesol, and 25-hydroxycholesterol. All these compounds inhibit 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase activity. Apomine (IC(50) = 14 microM), simvastatin (IC(50) = 3 microM), farnesol (IC(50) = 60 microM), and 25-hydroxycholesterol (IC(50) = 2 microM) inhibited HL60 cell growth. Growth inhibition due to simvastatin was reverted by mevalonate, whereas the antiproliferative activity of apomine, farnesol, and 25-hydroxycholesterol was not. Apomine triggered apoptosis in HL60 cells in less than 2 h. Apomine and farnesol induced caspase-3 activity at concentrations similar to their IC(50) values for cell proliferation, whereas a 10-fold excess of simvastatin was necessary to trigger apoptosis compared to its potency on proliferation. Caspase-3 activity was not induced by 25-hydroxycholesterol. The overall similar profile on mevalonate synthesis inhibition, cell growth inhibition, and apoptosis suggests that apomine acts as a synthetic mimetic of farnesol.
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PMID:The mevalonate/isoprenoid pathway inhibitor apomine (SR-45023A) is antiproliferative and induces apoptosis similar to farnesol. 1073 34

A tumor-suppressor gene, p16(INK4), which is deleted or mutated in tumors, regulates cell-cycle progression through a G(1)-S restriction point by inhibiting CDK4(CDK6)/cyclin-D-mediated phosphorylation of pRb. We have found that ectopic p16(INK4) expression increased cellular sensitivity of human non-small-cell-lung-cancer (NSCLC) A549 cells to a selective growth-inhibitory effect induced by the topoisomerase-I inhibitor 11, 7-ethyl-10-[4-(1-piperidino)-1-piperidino] carbonyloxy camptothecin (CPT-11) in vitro. In this study, we observed enhanced apoptosis characterized by DNA fragmentation in A549 cells transfected with p16(INK4) cDNA (A549/p16-1) and treated with CPT-11. This apoptosis was suppressed by the inhibitor of interleukin-1beta-converting enzyme (ICE/caspase-1) or ICE-like proteases, Z-Asp-CH2-DCB, as determined by DNA fragmentation and proteolytic cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, a natural substrate for CPP32/caspase-3. In A549/p16-1 cells, cytosolic peptidase activities that cleaved Z-DEVD-7-amino-4-trifluoromethylcoumarin increased during CPT-11-induced apoptosis and were suppressed by a highly specific caspase-3 and caspase-3-like inhibitor, Z-DEVD-fluoromethylketone. These findings indicate that p16(INK) is positively involved in the activation pathway of the caspase-3 induced by CPT-11. The increased delay in S-phase progression and subsequent induction of apoptosis were observed in CPT-11-treated A549/p16-1 cells on the basis of DNA histograms. Specific down-regulation of the cyclin-A protein level in A549/p16-1 cells was observed after CPT-11-treatment, whereas cyclin B, cdk2, and cdc2 protein levels were unaffected. These results suggest that ectopic p16(INK4) expression inappropriately decreases cyclin A and thereby terminates CPT-11-induced G(2)/M accumulation, which is followed by increased apoptosis in p16(INK4)-expressing A549 cells.
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PMID:Ectopic p16(ink4) expression enhances CPT-11-induced apoptosis through increased delay in S-phase progression in human non-small-cell-lung-cancer cells. 1073 46

The second most prevalent urological malignancy in middle aged and elderly men is bladder cancer, with 90% of the cases being transitional cell carcinomas. The success of current systemic and intravesical therapeutic agents, such as cisplatin, thiotepa, Adriamycin, mitomycin C, and bacillus Calmette-Guerin, is limited with recurrence rates reduced to 17-44%. In addition, most of these agents require instrumentation of the urinary tract and are delivered at a significant cost and potential morbidity to the patient. Fluroquinolone antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin, which can be administered p.o., may have a profound effect in bladder cancer management. This is primarily based on limited in vitro studies on tumor cells derived from transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder that revealed a dose- and time-dependent inhibition of cell growth by ciprofloxacin at concentrations that are easily attainable in the urine of patients. However, the mechanism(s) by which ciprofloxacin elicits its biological effects on bladder cancer cells is not well documented. Our experimental data confirm previous studies showing the in vitro cell growth inhibition of the transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder cell line HTB9 and further showed the induction of cell cycle arrest at the S/G2-M checkpoints. In addition, we found down-regulation of cyclin B, cyclin E, and dephosphorylation of cdk2 in ciprofloxacin-treated bladder tumor cells. There was also an up-regulation of Bax, which altered the Bax:Bcl-2 ratio, which may be responsible for mitochondrial depolarization reported to be involved prior to the induction of apoptosis. The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21WAF1 level was found to be decreased within 12 h of ciprofloxacin treatment and disappeared completely when HTB9 cells were treated with 200 microg/ml ciprofloxacin for 24 h. The down-regulation of p21WAF1 closely correlated with poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage and CPP32 activation. Recent studies revealed that p21WAF1 protects cells from apoptosis by arresting them in G1 and further binds to pro-caspase-3, preventing its activation and thus, inhibiting the apoptotic cascade. Hence, the down-regulation of p21WAF1, together with the alterations in Bax and cdk2 as observed in our studies, may define a novel mechanism by which ciprofloxacin inhibits tumor cell growth and induces apoptotic cell death. The results of our current studies provide strong experimental evidence for the use of ciprofloxacin as a potential preventive and/or therapeutic agent for the management of transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.
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PMID:Ciprofloxacin mediated cell growth inhibition, S/G2-M cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis in a human transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder cell line. 1074 13

The transmissible gastroenteritis coronavirus (TGEV), like many other viruses, exerts much of its cytopathic effect through the induction of apoptosis of its host cell. Apoptosis is coordinated by a family of cysteine proteases, called caspases, that are activated during apoptosis and participate in dismantling the cell by cleaving key structural and regulatory proteins. We have explored the caspase activation events that are initiated upon infection of the human rectal tumor cell line HRT18 with TGEV. We show that TGEV infection results in the activation of caspase-3, -6, -7, -8, and -9 and cleavage of the caspase substrates eIF4GI, gelsolin, and alpha-fodrin. Surprisingly, the TGEV nucleoprotein (N) underwent proteolysis in parallel with the activation of caspases within the host cell. Cleavage of the N protein was inhibited by cell-permeative caspase inhibitors, suggesting that this viral structural protein is a target for host cell caspases. We show that the TGEV nucleoprotein is a substrate for both caspase-6 and -7, and using site-directed mutagenesis, we have mapped the cleavage site to VVPD(359) downward arrow. These data demonstrate that viral proteins can be targeted for destruction by the host cell death machinery.
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PMID:The viral nucleocapsid protein of transmissible gastroenteritis coronavirus (TGEV) is cleaved by caspase-6 and -7 during TGEV-induced apoptosis. 1075 9

Several endogenous or viral inhibitors of apoptosis, including Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, FLIP, p35, and CrmA, have been shown to be cleaved by caspases during apoptosis. In this study, we demonstrate that the endogenous inhibitor of apoptosis, hILP/XIAP, is also cleaved in apoptotic T lymphocytes, generating at least one prominent fragment of 29 kDa. This p29 cleaved fragment was detected in Jurkat cells induced to apoptose by anti-Fas antibody, staurosporin, or VP-16. The cleavage of hILP appears to be caspase mediated because the production of the p29 protein was inhibited by the pan-caspase peptide inhibitor, Z-VAD.FMK. In Jurkat cells engineered to overexpress CrmA, cleavage of hILP in response to anti-Fas antibody or staurosporin was inhibited, whereas overexpression of Bcl-2 abrogated the cleavage in response to VP-16. Cleavage of hILP was also observed in cell-free reactions using in vitro translated hILP and recombinant caspase-3 or -7. Moreover, we found that the p29 hILP fragment retained the ability to bind caspase-3 and -7, as shown previously for full-length or BIR-2 hILP. The p29 cleavage product was also detected during T-cell receptor-mediated apoptosis in peripheral blood lymphocytes from normal donors. Furthermore, tumor-associated T lymphocytes purified from ascites of patients with ovarian cancer expressed fragmented hILP, which was not detected in control T cells purified from peripheral blood of normal donors. Our results suggest that the cleavage of hILP represents an important event in apoptosis of T lymphocytes in both normal and pathological in vivo settings.
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PMID:Inhibitor of apoptosis protein hILP undergoes caspase-mediated cleavage during T lymphocyte apoptosis. 1076 65

Apoptois is an important determinant in the sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents in gastric cancer cells. In this study, we examined whether the introduction of the bax gene into MKN45 gastric cancer cells could enhance the sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents in association with apoptosis. Apoptosis in the bax-transfected gastric cancer cells was enhanced following the treatment of various chemotherapeutic agents including adriamycin (ADM), cisplatin (CDDP), etoposide (VP-16) and taxotere (TXT) as compared to those of neo gene-transfected cells. The enhancement of apoptosis was coincident with the increase of sensitivity in the ratio of IC50 value, that was 1.3-fold in ADM, 4.4-fold in CDDP, 4.6-fold in VP-16 and 2.5-fold in TXT, respectively. Further, the enhancement of apoptosis in the bax-transfected gastric cancer cells was associated with the activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase 1 (JNK 1) and caspase 3 (CPP32). The increases of sensitivities to these agents in the bax-transfected cells were also demonstrated in in vivo experiments using the tumor cells transplanted into nude mice. The tumor growth in the bax-transfected cells was significantly suppressed following the treatment of CDDP or VP-16 compared to that of neo-transfected cells (p < 0.05). These results indicated that, the bax gene might play a critical role in determination of sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agent in gastric cancer cells in vivo, and that the activation of JNK 1 and CPP32 might be involved in the signal transduction pathways leading to apoptosis.
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PMID:Enhancement of chemotherapeutic agents induced-apoptosis associated with activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase 1 and caspase 3 (CPP32) in bax-transfected gastric cancer cells. 1076 93


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