Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UNIPROT:P04637 (p53)
 77,613 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The mechanisms of human mutant superoxide dismutase-1 (mSOD1) toxicity to motor neurons (MNs) are unresolved. We show that MNs in G93A-mSOD1 transgenic mice undergo slow degeneration lacking similarity to apoptosis structurally and biochemically. It is characterized by somal and mitochondrial swelling and formation of DNA single-strand breaks prior to double-strand breaks occurring in nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. p53 and p73 are activated in degenerating MNs, but without nuclear import. The MN death is independent of activation of caspases-1, -3, and -8 or apoptosis-inducing factor within MNs, with a blockade of apoptosis possibly mediated by Aven up-regulation. MN swelling is associated with compromised Na,K-ATPase activity and aggregation. mSOD1 mouse MNs accumulate mitochondria from the axon terminals and generate higher levels of superoxide, nitric oxide, and peroxynitrite than MNs in control mice. Nitrated and aggregated cytochrome c oxidase subunit-I and alpha-synuclein as well as nitrated SOD2 accumulate in mSOD1 mouse spinal cord. Mitochondria in mSOD1 mouse MNs accumulate NADPH diaphorase and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)-like immunoreactivity, and iNOS gene deletion extends significantly the life span of G93A-mSOD1 mice. Prior to MN loss, spinal interneurons degenerate. These results identify novel mechanisms for mitochondriopathy and MN degeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) mice involving blockade of apoptosis, accumulation of MN mitochondria with enhanced toxic potential from distal terminals, NOS localization in MN mitochondria and peroxynitrite damage, and early degeneration of alpha-synuclein(+) interneurons. The data support roles for oxidative stress, protein nitration and aggregation, and excitotoxicity as participants in the process of MN degeneration caused by mSOD1.
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PMID:Motor neuron degeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis mutant superoxide dismutase-1 transgenic mice: mechanisms of mitochondriopathy and cell death. 1709 94

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is important for maintaining the quality of cellular proteins. Various stimuli can disrupt ER homeostasis and cause the accumulation of unfolded or misfolded proteins, i.e., a state of ER stress. Recently, ER stress has been reported to play an important role in the pathogenesis of neurological disorders such as cerebral ischemia and neurodegenerative diseases, but its involvement in the spinal cord diseases has not been fully discussed. We conducted this study using tunicamycin (Tm) as an ER stress inducer for rat spinal cord in organotypic slice culture, a system that we have recently established. Tm was shown to induce ER stress by increased expression of GRP78. The viability rate of spinal cord neurons decreased in a dose-dependent manner with Tm treatment, and dorsal horn interneurons were more vulnerable to Tm-induced neurotoxicity. A p53 inhibitor significantly increased the viability of dorsal horn interneurons, and immunofluorescence studies showed nuclear accumulation of p53 in the dorsal horns of Tm-treated spinal cord slices. These findings suggest that p53 plays an important role in the killing of dorsal horn interneurons by Tm. In contrast, motor neurons were not protected by the p53 inhibitor, suggesting that the role of p53 may vary between different cell types. This difference might be a clue to the mechanism of the stress-response pathway and might also contribute to the potential application of p53 inhibitors for the treatment of spinal cord diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
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PMID:Role of p53 in neurotoxicity induced by the endoplasmic reticulum stress agent tunicamycin in organotypic slice cultures of rat spinal cord. 1713 18

A novel class of platinum(II) complexes of pyridine sulfide derivatives of triazine was synthesized, characterized, and investigated using the human breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-468. S-30 was one of the most potent derivatives of its class (IC(50), 0.39 microM) eliciting the greatest biological response. S-30 induced arrest in the G1 phase and apoptosis (TUNEL assay) in a p53/p21(WAF1/CIP1)-consistent manner. Modeling and docking experiments were performed for three known targets for cisplatin, d(GpG), d(ApG), and a protein (Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase, SOD) from bovine origin. A Blast search of bovine SOD was performed to identify analogous human protein targets resulting in about 22 human proteins. A multi-sequence alignment of those targets showed >80% sequence identity and >88% similarity. One of them is SOD1 that is differentially expressed (based on global gene expression pattern) in various forms of cancer and other diseases. SOD1 controls apoptosis via p53/BAD/BAX/BCL2 in the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) pathway and is also involved in various other KEGG's pathways. Results suggest that the S-30 is a potential cytotoxic agent.
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PMID:A new platinum complex of triazine demonstrates G1 arrest with novel biological profile in human breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-468. 1732 43

The causes of spinal cord cell loss in motor neuron disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are currently unknown. A role can be postulated for the transcription factor p53, which can induce apoptosis via upregulation of proapoptotic genes (e.g., Bax) and inhibition of antiapoptotic genes (e.g., Bcl-2). A model of motor neuron loss is the wobbler mouse that exhibits rapid motor neuron cell death as well as motor deficit from 21 days after birth. Affymetrix microarray data from wobbler mice demonstrate a 2.2-fold increase in p53 signal compared with their normal littermates, whereas qRT-PCR of RNA from laser capture microdissected ventral horns of normal and wobbler mice reveals a larger 6.6-fold increase in gene expression and this was supported by western blotting. Human ventral horns obtained from ALS and age-matched normal spinal cords also demonstrated an increase (2.7-fold) in p53 expression as determined by qRT-PCR. Evidence of a causative role for p53 in spinal cord cell death was provided by use of a p53 inhibitor, pifithrin-alpha, in organotypic slice cultures of mouse spinal cord. A 24-h pretreatment with pifithrin-alpha (and continuing in the presence of insult), significantly reduced the toxicity of a 48-h treatment with FeSO(4), tested with the MTT viability assay. These results indicate that p53 plays a functional role in oxidative stress-induced cell death and supports the possibility that elevated p53 could be involved in motor neuron death in ALS and the wobbler mouse.
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PMID:Transcription factor p53 in degenerating spinal cords. 1743 59

A progressive loss of neurons with age underlies a variety of debilitating neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), yet few effective treatments are currently available. The SIR2 gene promotes longevity in a variety of organisms and may underlie the health benefits of caloric restriction, a diet that delays aging and neurodegeneration in mammals. Here, we report that a human homologue of SIR2, SIRT1, is upregulated in mouse models for AD, ALS and in primary neurons challenged with neurotoxic insults. In cell-based models for AD/tauopathies and ALS, SIRT1 and resveratrol, a SIRT1-activating molecule, both promote neuronal survival. In the inducible p25 transgenic mouse, a model of AD and tauopathies, resveratrol reduced neurodegeneration in the hippocampus, prevented learning impairment, and decreased the acetylation of the known SIRT1 substrates PGC-1alpha and p53. Furthermore, injection of SIRT1 lentivirus in the hippocampus of p25 transgenic mice conferred significant protection against neurodegeneration. Thus, SIRT1 constitutes a unique molecular link between aging and human neurodegenerative disorders and provides a promising avenue for therapeutic intervention.
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PMID:SIRT1 deacetylase protects against neurodegeneration in models for Alzheimer's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. 1758 37

A variety of gene mutations can cause familial forms of Parkinson's disease (PD) or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Mutations in the synaptic protein alpha-synuclein (alpha-Syn) cause PD. Mutations in the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1) cause ALS. The mechanisms of human mutant a-Syn and SOD1 toxicity to neurons are not known. Transgenic (tg) mice expressing human mutant alpha-Syn or SOD1 develop profound fatal neurologic disease characterized by progressive motor deficits, paralysis, and neurodegeneration. Ala-53-->Thr (A53T)-mutant alpha-Syn and Gly-93-->Ala (G93A)-mutant SOD1 tg mice develop prominent mitochondrial abnormalities. Interestingly, although nigral neurons in A53T mice are relatively preserved, spinal motor neurons (MNs) undergo profound degeneration. In A53T mice, mitochondria degenerate in neurons, and complex IV activity is reduced. Furthermore, mitochondria in neurons develop DNA breaks and have p53 targeted to the outer membrane. Nitrated a-Syn accumulates in degenerating MNs in A53T mice. mSOD1 mouse MNs accumulate mitochondria from the axon terminals and generate higher levels of reactive oxygen/nitrogen species than MNs in control mice. mSOD1 mouse MNs accumulate DNA single-strand breaks prior to double-strand breaks occurring in nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. Nitrated and aggregated cytochrome c oxidase subunit-I and nitrated SOD2 accumulate in mSOD1 mouse spinal cord. Mitochondria in mSOD1 mouse MNs accumulate NADPH diaphorase and inducible NOS (iNOS)-like immunoreactivity, and iNOS gene deletion significantly extends the lifespan of G93A-mSOD1 mice. Mitochondrial changes develop long before symptoms emerge. These experiments reveal that mitochondrial nitrative stress and perturbations in mitochondrial trafficking may be antecedents of neuronal cell death in animal models of PD and ALS.
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PMID:Transgenic mice with human mutant genes causing Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis provide common insight into mechanisms of motor neuron selective vulnerability to degeneration. 1759 75

Loss of intracellular neuronal glutathione (GSH) is an important feature of neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The consequences of GSH depletion include increased oxidative damage to proteins, lipids, and DNA and subsequent cytotoxic effects. GSH is also an important modulator of cellular copper (Cu) homeostasis and altered Cu metabolism is central to the pathology of several neurodegenerative diseases. The cytotoxic effects of Cu in cells depleted of GSH are not well understood. We have previously reported that depletion of neuronal GSH levels results in cell death from trace levels of extracellular Cu due to elevated Cu(I)-mediated free radical production. In this study we further examined the molecular pathway of trace Cu toxicity in neurons and fibroblasts depleted of GSH. Treatment of primary cortical neurons or 3T3 fibroblasts with the glutathione synthetase inhibitor buthionine sulfoximine resulted in substantial loss of intracellular GSH and increased cytotoxicity. We found that both neurons and fibroblasts revealed increased expression and activation of p53 after depletion of GSH. The increased p53 activity was induced by extracellular trace Cu. Furthermore, we showed that in GSH-depleted cells, Cu induced an increase in oxidative stress resulting in DNA damage and activation of p53-dependent cell death. These findings may have important implications for neurodegenerative disorders that involve GSH depletion and aberrant Cu metabolism.
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PMID:Neurotoxicity from glutathione depletion is mediated by Cu-dependent p53 activation. 1804 46

BH3-only proteins couple diverse stress signals to the evolutionarily conserved mitochondrial apoptosis pathway. Previously, we reported that the activation of the BH3-only protein p53-up-regulated mediator of apoptosis (Puma) was necessary and sufficient for endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress- and proteasome inhibition-induced apoptosis in neuroblastoma and other cancer cells. Defects in protein quality control have also been suggested to be a key event in ALS, a fatal neurodegenerative condition characterized by motoneuron degeneration. Using the SOD1(G93A) mouse model as well as human post mortem samples from ALS patients, we show evidence for increased ER stress and defects in protein degradation in motoneurons during disease progression. Before symptom onset, we detected a significant up-regulation of Puma in motoneurons of SOD1(G93A) mice. Genetic deletion of puma significantly improved motoneuron survival and delayed disease onset and motor dysfunction in SOD1(G93A) mice. However, it had no significant effect on lifespan, suggesting that other ER stress-related cell-death proteins or other factors, such as excitotoxicity, necrosis, or inflammatory injury, may contribute at later disease stages. Indeed, further experiments using cultured motoneurons revealed that genetic deletion of puma protected motoneurons against ER stress-induced apoptosis but showed no effect against excitotoxic injury. These findings demonstrate that a single BH3-only protein, the ER stress-associated protein Puma, plays an important role during the early stages of chronic neurodegeneration in vivo.
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PMID:Deletion of the BH3-only protein puma protects motoneurons from ER stress-induced apoptosis and delays motoneuron loss in ALS mice. 1807 68

Oxidative stress and excitotoxicity are both involved in the pathogenesis of neuronal degenerative diseases like ALS. In order to compare their action, some key proteins involved in their respective signaling pathways, particularly ERK and p53, were analyzed in primary cultures of cortical neurons subjected to NMDA or H(2)O(2) treatment. Early ERK activation was detected after NMDA treatment and was maintained during 24 h, but not after H(2)O(2) treatment. Early p53 expression was also found after NMDA treatment but diminished later. On the other hand, it progressively increased from 6 h to 24 h after H(2)O(2) treatment. Blocking ERK1/2 activation with the upstream inhibitor U0126 inhibited NMDA-mediated p53 expression, suggesting that ERK1/2 signals drive the cells to apoptosis under these conditions. In order to identify the initial membrane target of these neurotoxins, PAK1 was analyzed. Early increase of PAK1 expression was measured after NMDA treatment and was still present after 24 h. Conversely increased PAK1 expression was only detected 24 h after H(2)O(2) treatment. In order to define the components through which NMDA or H(2)O(2) induce the final elements of these pathways, p21 and c-jun, we have performed a detailed functional analysis of c-jun and p21 promoters following plasmid transfection. Both p21 and c-jun were activated after NMDA treatment, but this activation was abolished after H(2)O(2) treatment. We conclude that NMDA induces an early effect that involves activation of p53, ERK, PAK1, p21 and c-jun. On the other hand, H(2)O(2) induces long-term p53 expression, late expression of PAK1 without activation of p21 promoter. The timing differences of the action of these neurotoxins may explain why the presence of both compounds is needed to induce neuronal death.
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PMID:Timing differences of signaling response in neuron cultures activated by glutamate analogue or free radicals. 1815 26

A growing body of evidence suggests oxidative stress involvement in neurodegenerative diseases; however, it remains to be determined whether oxidative stress is a cause, result, or epiphenomenon of the pathological processes. This review concerns the current issue, focusing on Alzheimer disease (AD), Parkinson disease (PD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Several studies have indicated that oxidative stress initially occurs in the disease-specific, site-restricted sources such as amyloid-beta in the cerebral cortex of AD brain, alpha-synuclein in the brain stem of PD brain, and glutamate receptor-coupled Ca2+ channel in the motor system of ALS spinal cord. Subsequent events in the neurons common to these diseases are glutamate-induced neurotoxicity and increased cytosolic Ca2+ levels, resulting in activation of Ca2+ -dependent enzymes including NADPH oxidase, cytosolic phospholipase A2, xanthine oxidase, and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (NOS). These enzymes produce reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS), which oxidatively modify nucleic acid, lipid, sugar, and protein, leading to nuclear damage, mitochondrial damage, proteasome inhibition, and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Mitochondrial damage results in both ROS leakage from the electron transport system and Ca2+ release. Nuclear damage induces p53 activation, and proteasome inhibition reduces p53 degradation. The resultant increased p53 levels in the nucleus induce Bax activation and Bcl-2 inhibition, followed by a release of cytochrome c into the cytosol that truncates procaspase-9. ER stress triggers activation of caspase-12 as well as caspase-9 via the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor-associated factor-2 / apoptosis-signaling kinase-1 / c-Jun N-terminal kinase pathway. Oxidative stress also stimulates astrocytes and microglia to yield and secrete cytokines such as TNFa and FasL that cause not only neuronal caspase-8 activation but also glial inflammatory response through induction of nuclear factor-kappaB-mediated, proinflammatory gene products including cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, cell adhesion molecules, and ROS/RNS-producing enzymes. The activated caspases truncate procaspase-3 to exert classical apoptosis. Moreover, oxidative DNA damage leads to the release and nuclear truncation of mitochondrial apoptosis-inducing kinase, which triggers apoptosis-like programmed cell death via cyclophilin A. These observations could indicate crucial implications for oxidative stress in several steps of the pathomechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases.
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PMID:[The role for oxidative stress in neurodegenerative diseases]. 1830 64


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