Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UNIPROT:P10415 (Bcl-2)
 33,771 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Ara-C has been shown to induce apoptosis of human acute myelogenous leukemia HL-60 cells. The DNA repair enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) is known to be degraded during apoptosis. PARP as a substrate is cleaved by the Yama protease, encoded by the CPP32beta/Yama gene. Yama belongs to the interleukin 1beta converting enzyme/ced-3 family of cysteine proteases that are activated as a cascade, producing proteolytic cleavage of specific substrates that results in the morphological and biochemical features of apoptosis. In the present studies, we determined the effect of high intracellular levels of the antiapoptosis Bcl-2 or Bcl-xL protein on Yama protease activation and PARP degradation during Ara-C-induced apoptosis. For this, we utilized HL-60/Bcl-2, HL-60/Bcl-xL, or control HL-60/neo cells, which were created by transfection of the cDNA of the bcl-2, bcl-xL, or the neomycin-resistant genes, respectively. As compared to HL-60/neo, HL-60/Bcl-2 and HL-60/Bcl-xL cells have 5-fold greater expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, respectively. However, these cell lines have similar levels of p32Yama and PARP. Treatment with 10 or 100 microM Ara-C for 4 h produced DNA fragmentation and morphological features of apoptosis in HL-60/neo cells. This was associated with the cleavage and activation of p32Yama and PARP degradation but not with the induction of Yama mRNA. In contrast, in HL-60/Bcl-2 and HL-60/ Bcl-xL cells, Ara-C-induced p32Yama activation by its cleavage, PARP degradation and apoptosis were significantly inhibited. High Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL levels in these cells also inhibited Yama protease activity, PARP degradation, and apoptosis due to clinically relevant concentrations of etoposide and mitoxantrone. These results suggest that the activation of the Yama protease and PARP degradation are involved in Ara-C-, etoposide-, or mitoxantrone-induced apoptosis. In addition, they suggest that Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL antagonize drug-induced apoptosis by a mechanism that interferes in the activity of a key cysteine protease that is involved in the execution of apoptosis.
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PMID:Overexpression of Bcl-2 or Bcl-xL inhibits Ara-C-induced CPP32/Yama protease activity and apoptosis of human acute myelogenous leukemia HL-60 cells. 884 Sep 93

Bcl-2 is a cytoplasmic integral membrane protein with potent anti-apoptotic activity but whose mechanism of action is poorly understood. The purpose of this paper was to obtain large amounts of soluble Bcl-2 protein for structural and functional studies. Mouse Bcl-2(1-203) (missing the COOH-terminal hydrophobic tail) was produced in bacterial inclusion bodies, solubilized in guanidine, and refolded by dialysis. The resulting protein was monomeric in nondenaturing solution and was active in protecting mouse T hybridoma cells from glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis. Refolded Bcl-2(1-203) showed no tendency to homodimerize by gel filtration or analytical ultracentrifugation. Limited proteolysis experiments identified a region between the BH3 and BH4 homology domains of Bcl-2(1-203) which was extremely susceptible to digestion by several common proteases, but not by a cell extract known to contain CPP-32-like (interleukin-1beta-converting enzyme family) protease activity. The protease-sensitive sites were located within a 50-residue stretch that contained most of the nonconserved and proline residues of Bcl-2(1-203). Trypsin-cleaved Bcl-2(1-203) eluted in the same position as the undigested protein on gel filtration in nondenaturing solution, indicating that the two portions of the molecule connected by the protease-sensitive region associate stably and noncovalently. The solution properties of Bcl-2(1-203) suggest that it consists of two noncovalently associated domains connected by a long protease-sensitive linker and that its structure is similar to that of Bcl-xL, which has been determined by x-ray and NMR analysis.
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PMID:Recombinant mouse Bcl-2(1-203). Two domains connected by a long protease-sensitive linker. 894 62

Activation of the type I insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF-IR) blocks osmotic mediated programmed cell death (PCD) in neurons. We speculated that IGF-IR activation could afford neuroprotection either by effecting the negative regulators of the death pathway, Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, or by altering activity of the ced-3/ICE-like proteases. Here we report that osmotic stress decreases total neuronal Bcl-2 by 4-fold and that hyperosmotic PCD correlates with proteolytic processing of neuronal ced-3/ICE-like proteases. IGF-IR activation maintains normal Bcl-2 levels, and signaling via the IGF-IR:phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway prevents ICE/LAP-3 and Yama/CPP32 processing. Finally, increased neuronal IGF-IR expression enhances the negative death regulator Bcl-xL. We suggest that IGF-IR signaling exerts its short-term inhibitory effects upon PCD "upstream" of both Bcl proteins and ced-3/ICE-like proteases, while chronic increased IGF-IR expression may modulate susceptibility to death signals by mediating the negative death regulator, Bcl-xL.
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PMID:Type I insulin-like growth factor receptor activation regulates apoptotic proteins. 894 17

Mouse malignant T-lymphoma CS-21 cells grow in vitro in the presence of CA-12 lymph node stromal cells, but they undergo apoptotic cell death when separated from CA-12 stromal cells. In the course of examining the nursing effects of CA-12 stromal cells, we found that these cells provided some soluble factors that suppressed CS-21 cell apoptosis. We recently found that cysteine was an antiapoptotic soluble factor. In this report, we identify interleukin-7 (IL-7) as another antiapoptotic soluble factor secreted by CA-12 stromal cells. Although the activity of CPP32-like protease was increased in induction of CS-21 cell apoptosis, the addition of IL-7 suppressed the activity. The expression of Bcl-2 protein was down-regulated when CS-21 cells were cultured alone, but the addition of IL-7 recovered the expression of Bcl-2. These results indicate that CA-12 stromal cells inhibit CS-21 cell apoptosis by producing IL-7, which leads to the suppression of CPP32-like protease activation and the expression of Bcl-2 protein.
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PMID:Interleukin-7 inhibits apoptosis of mouse malignant T-lymphoma cells by both suppressing the CPP32-like protease activation and inducing the Bcl-2 expression. 895 Sep 80

DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) consists of a 460 kDa subunit that contains the catalytic domain (DNA-PKcs) complexed with two polypeptides of 70 kDa and 80 kDa (Ku70 and Ku80) which comprise the Ku autoantigen. DNA-PKcs requires association with DNA via Ku for catalytic activation and is implicated in double strand break repair, V(D)J recombination and transcription. We have utilised a cell-free system of concentrated Xenopus laevis egg extracts to investigate the regulation and possible functions of DNA-PK. Recently, we have shown that this system can reproduce events of apoptosis, including activation of an apoptotic protease that cleaves poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. Here, we report that DNA-PK is rapidly inactivated with the onset of apoptosis in this system. Loss of activity is concomitant with cleavage of the catalytic subunit, whereas the Ku subunits are stable. Cleavage and inactivation of DNA-PKcs is prevented by prior addition of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 or inhibition of an apoptotic protease that has characteristics of the CPP-32/Ced-3 family of cysteine proteases that cleave poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. These results suggest that cleavage and inactivation of DNA-PKcs prevents this factor from functioning in DNA repair, recombination or transcriptional regulation during apoptosis.
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PMID:Cleavage and inactivation of DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit during apoptosis in Xenopus egg extracts. 900 46

Paclitaxel has been shown to activate Raf-1 and cause phosphorylation of Bcl-2, which has been correlated with paclitaxel-induced apoptosis of cancer cells. In the present studies, we demonstrate that in human AML HL-60 cells that express Bcl-2 but little Bcl-xL (HL-60/neo cells), paclitaxel-induced phosphorylation of Bcl-2 is followed by increased intracellular free Bax levels. This, in turn, is followed by the cleavage and activation of the key cysteine protease, CPP32beta/Yama, and cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, resulting in the DNA fragmentation of apoptosis. Cotreatment with the benzoquinone ansamycin Geldanamycin depleted Raf-1 but did not decrease Bcl-2 levels or impair paclitaxel-induced Bcl-2 phosphorylation in HL-60/neo cells. Also, Geldanamycin did not affect paclitaxel-induced apoptosis of HL-60/neo cells. As compared to the control HL-60/neo, HL-60/Bcl-xL cells contain Bcl-2 as well as an enforced overexpression of Bcl-xL. Immunoprecipitation studies with anti-Bcl-2 and/or anti-Bcl-x antibodies demonstrated that HL-60/Bcl-xL cells possess lower free Bax but higher levels of Bax heterodimerized to Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL. Following treatment of HL-60/Bcl-xL cells with paclitaxel, although Bcl-2 phosphorylation was observed, it was not followed by increased free Bax levels, cleavage of CPP32beta/Yama and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, or induction of the DNA fragmentation of apoptosis. These findings indicate the order of molecular events leading to paclitaxel-induced apoptosis and show that Raf-1 may not be involved in paclitaxel-induced phosphorylation of Bcl-2 or apoptosis of HL-60 cells.
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PMID:Bcl-xL overexpression inhibits progression of molecular events leading to paclitaxel-induced apoptosis of human acute myeloid leukemia HL-60 cells. 906 80

Emerging evidence suggests that multiple aspartate-specific cysteine proteases (caspases (CASPs)) play a crucial role in programmed cell death. Many cellular proteins have been identified as their substrates and serve as markers to assay the activation of CASPs during the death process. However, no substrate has yet been unambiguously identified as an effector molecule in apoptosis. PITSLRE kinases are a superfamily of Cdc2-like kinases that have been implicated in apoptotic signaling and tumorigenesis. In this paper we report that tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-mediated apoptosis is associated with a CrmA- and Bcl-2-inhibitable cleavage of PITSLRE kinases, indicating a role for CASPs. Testing of seven murine CASPs for their ability to cleave p110 PITSLRE kinase alpha2-1 in vitro revealed that only CASP-1 (ICE (interleukin-1beta-converting enzyme)) and CASP-3 (CPP32) were able to produce the same 43-kDa cleavage product as observed in cells undergoing TNF-induced apoptosis. Mutational analysis revealed that cleavage of p110 PITSLRE kinase alpha2-1 occurred at Asp393 within the sequence YVPDS, which is similar to that involved in the CASP-1-mediated cleavage of prointerleukin-1beta. TNF-induced proteolysis of PITSLRE kinases was still observed in fibroblasts from CASP-1(0/0) mice. These data implicate CASP-3 as a potentially important CASP family protease responsible for the cleavage of PITSLRE kinases during TNF-induced apoptosis.
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PMID:Cleavage of PITSLRE kinases by ICE/CASP-1 and CPP32/CASP-3 during apoptosis induced by tumor necrosis factor. 911 19

Although apoptosis and necrosis are morphologically distinct manifestations of cell death, apoptosis and some necroses share common features in the death signaling pathway involving functional steps of death-driving interleukin 1beta-converting enzyme family proteases and anti-cell death protein Bcl-2. One evident physiological difference in cells undergoing apoptosis versus necrosis is in intracellular levels of ATP. In this study, we specifically addressed the question of whether apoptosis depends on intracellular ATP levels, since longer incubation under ATP-depleting conditions results in necrotic cell death. Incubation of cells in glucose-free medium with an inhibitor of mitochondrial F0F1-ATPases reduces intracellular ATP levels and completely blocks Fas/Apo-1-stimulated apoptosis. ATP supplied through glycolysis or oxidative phosphorylation restores the apoptotic cell death pathway. ATP depletion also leads to a block in Fas-induced activation of CPP32/Yama(-like) proteases, and when ATP is depleted after the activation of the proteases, subsequent apoptosis is significantly blocked. Thus, ATP-dependent steps exist both upstream and downstream of CPP32/Yama(-like) protease activation in apoptotic signal transduction. Treatment with the calcium ionophore induces apoptosis under ATP-supplying conditions but induces necrotic cell death under ATP-depleting conditions, indicating that ATP levels are a determinant of manifestation of cell death.
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PMID:Intracellular ATP levels determine cell death fate by apoptosis or necrosis. 915 70

We have begun to explore the mechanisms of apoptosis using a cell-free system based on extracts from Xenopus eggs. Nuclei assembled or placed in these extracts undergo the morphological changes typical of apoptosis and eventually disintegrate. We used this system to investigate the potential involvement in apoptosis of proteins containing Src homology 2 (SH2) domains, which are known to interact with specific tyrosine-phosphorylated ligands. SH2 domains from a number of signaling proteins, including Lck, Src, and Abl, inhibited apoptosis when present at concentrations of 10-100 nM. The inhibition was dependent on specific interaction with endogenous tyrosine-phosphorylated ligands. A synthetic peptide ligand for Src family SH2 domains also inhibited apoptosis in a phosphotyrosine-dependent manner. Kinetic analysis defined three phases in the apoptotic process occurring in this cell-free system. SH2 domains and ceramide act throughout the first 60-90 min of the process (the "initiation" phase). Next, Bcl-2, interleukin-1beta converting enzyme family(CPP32-like) proteases, and the heavy membrane fraction act in a period occurring approximately 90-120 min after the start of incubation (the "sentencing" phase). In the final phase ("execution"), the process of active nuclear destruction ensues.
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PMID:Temporal phases in apoptosis defined by the actions of Src homology 2 domains, ceramide, Bcl-2, interleukin-1beta converting enzyme family proteases, and a dense membrane fraction. 916 11

Glucocorticoid induces apoptosis in immature lymphocytes which is inhibitable by Bcl-2. Although glucocorticoid-mediated signal transduction is well understood, the mechanism of the induction of apoptosis by the activated glucocorticoid receptor as well as the inhibition of apoptosis by Bcl-2 remains enigmatic. Here we report that overexpressed Bcl-2 relieves the glucocorticoid receptor-mediated repressive function on the AP-1 activity and completely inhibits the activation of CPP32-like cysteine proteases. In contrast, glucocorticoid receptor-mediated transactivation was not affected by Bcl-2. This suggests that glucocorticoid may induce apoptosis by repressing transactivation by AP-1 which is relieved by Bcl-2. Furthermore, we report evidence that, in contrast with CPP32-like proteases, ICE-like proteases are not involved in this apoptotic pathway.
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PMID:Bcl-2 relieves the trans-repressive function of the glucocorticoid receptor and inhibits the activation of CPP32-like cysteine proteases. 916 33


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