Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts: Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound   Target Concepts: 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)

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is an important cause of respiratory tract disease worldwide, especially in the pediatric population. For viruses in general, apoptotic death of infected cells is a mechanism for reducing virus replication. Apoptosis can also be an important factor in augmenting antigen presentation and the host immune response. We examined apoptosis in response to RSV infection of primary small airway cells, primary tracheal-bronchial cells, and A549 and HEp-2 cell lines. The primary cells and the A549 cell line gave generally similar responses, indicating their appropriateness as models in contrast to HEp-2 cells. With the use of RNase protection assays with probes representing 33 common apoptosis factors, we found strong transcriptional activation of both pro- and antiapoptotic factors in response to RSV infection, which were further studied at the protein level and by functional assays. In particular, RSV infection strongly up-regulated the expression of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and its functional receptors death receptor 4 (DR4) and DR5. Furthermore, RSV-infected cells became highly sensitive to apoptosis induced by exogenous TRAIL. These findings suggest that RSV-infected cells in vivo are susceptible to killing through the TRAIL pathway by immune cells such as natural killer and CD4(+) cells that bear membrane-bound TRAIL. RSV infection also induced several proapoptotic factors of the Bcl-2 family and caspases 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, representing both the death receptor- and mitochondrion-dependent apoptotic pathways. RSV also mediated the strong induction of antiapoptotic factors of the Bcl-2 family, especially Mcl-1, which might account for the delayed induction of apoptosis in RSV-infected cells in the absence of exogenous induction of the TRAIL pathway.
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PMID:Respiratory syncytial virus infection sensitizes cells to apoptosis mediated by tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand. 1291 32

Perinatal exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) causes thymic atrophy, but the precise mechanism of such toxicity remains unresolved. The current study investigated the role of apoptosis in TCDD-induced thymic involution following perinatal exposure to TCDD. To this end, C57BL/6 pregnant mice were injected intraperitoneally on gestational day (GD) 14 with a single dose of 10 microg/kg TCDD. Analysis of the thymus on GDs 15, 16, 17, and 18, and on postnatal day (PD) 1, showed a remarkable reduction in thymic cellularity 3-7 days post-TCDD exposure. TCDD treatment also caused marked changes in the proportions of T-cell subsets, particularly on GD 17 and GD 18 thymocytes. In vitro culture of thymocytes from mice exposed perinatally to TCDD showed increased apoptosis when compared to the controls, which peaked on day 3 post-TCDD exposure. Triple-color staining showed that TCDD induced apoptosis in all four subpopulations of T cells, with the double-positive T cells undergoing the highest level. Moreover, increased cleavage of caspase-3 was seen when TCDD-exposed GD 17 thymocytes were directly tested. Furthermore, apoptosis-associated phenotypic changes were found in thymocytes of mice perinatally exposed to TCDD, characterized by an increase in expression of CD3, alphabetaTCR, IL-2R, and CD44, and a decrease in CD4, CD8, and J11d markers. Finally, thymocytes from mice exposed perinatally to TCDD showed higher levels of Fas, TRAIL, and DR5 mRNA, but the levels of Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, and Bax were either unaltered or changed moderately. Taken together, these results suggest that TCDD-induced thymic atrophy following perinatal exposure may result, at least in part, from increased apoptosis mediated by death receptor pathway involving Fas, TRAIL, and DR5.
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PMID:Evidence for induction of apoptosis in T cells from murine fetal thymus following perinatal exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). 1471 43

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL/APO-2L), a member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) gene family, is considered as one of the most promising cancer therapeutic agents due to its ability to selectively kill tumor cells. Although microenvironments of solid tumors (hypoxia, nutrient deprivation, and low pH) often affect the effectiveness of chemotherapy, few studies have been reported on the relationship between tumor microenvironments and TRAIL. In this study, we investigated whether low extracellular pH affects TRAIL-induced apoptotic death. When human prostate carcinoma DU145 cells were treated with 200 ng/ml His-tagged TRAIL for 4 h, the survival was approximately 10% at pH 6.3-6.6 and 61.3% at pH 7.4. Similar results were observed in human colorectal carcinoma CX-1 cell line. The TRAIL-mediated activation of caspase, cytochrome c release, and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage was promoted at low extracellular pH. Immunoprecipitation followed by western blot analysis shows that low extracellular pH enhances the association of truncated Bid with Bax during treatment with TRAIL. Western blot analysis also shows that the low extracellular pH-enhanced TRAIL cytotoxicity does not involve modulation of the levels of TRAIL receptors (DR4, DR5, and DcR2), FLIP, inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP), and Bcl-2. Overexpression of Bcl-2 effectively prevented low extracellular pH-augmented TRAIL cytotoxicity. Taken together, we propose that TRAIL-mediated cytotoxicity is greatly enhanced in low pH environments by promoting caspase activation.
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PMID:Low extracellular pH augments TRAIL-induced apoptotic death through the mitochondria-mediated caspase signal transduction pathway. 1472 63

Ubiquitin inhibitors act at many levels to enhance apoptosis signaling. For TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-mediated apoptosis signaling, there are at least five mechanisms by which apoptosis are regulated by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. First, proteasome inhibitors can decrease Fas-like inhibitor protein (FLIP) protein levels in tumors, resulting in increased apoptosis signaling due to increased caspase-8 activation. This appears to involve the ubiquitin ligase TNF receptor activation factor-2 (TRAF2) and acts indirectly by causing cell-cycle arrest at a stage where there is high degradation of the FLIP-TRAF2 complex. Second, the regulation of the proapoptotic Bcl-2 family member BAX occurs indirectly. Apoptosis signaling and caspase activation results in a confirmation change in the normally monomeric BAX, which exposes the BH3 domain of BAX, leading to dimerization and resistance to ubiquitin degradation. BAX then translocates into the mitochondria, resulting in the release of proapoptotic mitochondrial factors such as cytochrome c and second mitochondria-derived activator of caspase (SMAC). This results in the activation of caspase-9 and formation of the apoptosome and efficient apoptosis signaling. A third mechanism of the regulation of TRAIL signaling in the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway is mediated by the inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAP) E3 ligases. These IAPs can directly bind to caspases but also can act as ubiquitin ligases for caspases, resulting in the degradation of these caspases. IAP binding to caspases can be inhibited by SMAC, which exhibits a caspase-9 homology domain. The fourth mechanism for apoptosis activation by proteasome inhibitors is through the stabilization of the inhibitor of the kappaB (IkappaB)/NF-kappaB complex and prevention of nuclear translocation of the antiapoptosis transcription factor NF-kappaB. During TRAIL-DR4, DR5 signaling, this pathway is activated by interactions of activated Fas-associated death domain with activated receptor-interacting protein (RIP), which in turn activates NF-kappaB-inducing kinase and phosphorylates IkappaB. Therefore, the inhibition of IkappaB degradation blocks this RIP-mediated antiapoptosis signaling event. Last, p53 protein levels, and susceptibility to apoptosis, can be deregulated by the human homolog Hdm2 (Mdm2) E3 ligase. This process is inhibited by p53 phosphorylation and by sequestration of Mdm2 by ARF. Better mechanisms to inhibit the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway targeted at the ubiquitin-proteasome degradation process itself, or more specifically at the E3 ligases known to modulate and downregulate proapoptosis pathways will lead to the enhancement of TRAIL apoptosis signaling and better cancer therapeutic outcomes act through this pathway.
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PMID:Regulation of apoptosis proteins in cancer cells by ubiquitin. 1502 88

Present studies demonstrate that treatment with the histone deacetylases inhibitor LAQ824, a cinnamic acid hydroxamate, increased the acetylation of histones H3 and H4, as well as induced p21(WAF1) in the human T-cell acute leukemia Jurkat, B lymphoblast SKW 6.4, and acute myelogenous leukemia HL-60 cells. This was associated with increased accumulation of the cells in the G(1) phase of the cell cycle, as well as accompanied by the processing and activity of caspase-9 and -3, and apoptosis. Exposure to LAQ824 increased the mRNA and protein expressions of the death receptors DR5 and/or DR4, but reduced the mRNA and protein levels of cellular FLICE-inhibitory protein (c-FLIP). As compared with treatment with Apo-2L/tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) or LAQ824 alone, pretreatment with LAQ824 increased the assembly of Fas-associated death domain and caspase-8, but not of c-FLIP, into the Apo-2L/TRAIL-induced death-inducing signaling complex. This increased the processing of caspase-8 and Bcl-2 interacting domain (BID), augmented cytosolic accumulation of the prodeath molecules cytochrome-c, Smac and Omi, as well as led to increased activity of caspase-3 and apoptosis. Treatment with LAQ824 also down-regulated the levels of Bcl-2, Bcl-x(L), XIAP, and survivin. Partial inhibition of apoptosis due to LAQ824 or Apo-2L/TRAIL exerted by Bcl-2 overexpression was reversed by cotreatment with LAQ824 and Apo-2L/TRAIL. Significantly, cotreatment with LAQ824 increased Apo-2L/TRAIL-induced apoptosis of primary acute myelogenous leukemia blast samples isolated from 10 patients with acute myelogenous leukemia. Taken together, these findings indicate that LAQ824 may have promising activity in augmenting Apo-2L/TRAIL-induced death-inducing signaling complex and apoptosis of human acute leukemia cells.
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PMID:Cotreatment with histone deacetylase inhibitor LAQ824 enhances Apo-2L/tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand-induced death inducing signaling complex activity and apoptosis of human acute leukemia cells. 1505 15

Calcium (Ca(2+)) is one of the highly versatile second messengers critical in cellular pathophysiology. Alterations in Ca(2+) homeostasis affect many cellular processes, including apoptosis. Recent studies have started to unravel the molecular mechanisms of apoptosis regulation in context to intracellular Ca(2+) pools. In this regard, Bcl-2 has been reported to mediate its anti-apoptotic effects, partly, by lowering the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca(2+) load and by inhibiting the mitochondrial uptake of Ca(2+). However, the opposite is true for Bax and Bak that promote apoptosis, in part, by increasing the ER Ca(2+) load and Ca(2+) transfer from the ER to mitochondria. Massive ER Ca(2+) depletion coupled with upregulation of DR5 has also been reported to induce apoptosis. The mechanistic details of how some of these molecules affect intracellular Ca(2+) contents and sense perturbations in Ca(2+) homeostasis remain to be elucidated. The recent explosion of information in the fields of cell signaling and apoptosis is likely to facilitate the future investigations aiming to explore these issues.
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PMID:TRAIL death receptors, Bcl-2 protein family, and endoplasmic reticulum calcium pool. 1511 Jan 77

The discovery of an agent that selectively kills tumor cells and not normal cells is the dream of every cancer researcher. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), first discovered in 1995, was heralded as a selective killer of tumor cells, and its potential is still thought to be high. Almost immediately, broad efforts were made to understand its activity at the molecular level. TRAIL has been shown to interact with the cell surface through five distinct receptors, named death receptor (DR) 4, DR5, decoy receptor (Dc)R1, DcR2, and osteoprotegrin. It activates nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB, c-Jun N-terminal kinases, and apoptosis. The apoptotic signals are mediated through Fas-associated death domain protein (FADD)-mediated recruitment of caspase-8 and caspase-3. Additionally, caspase-8 can cleave Bcl-2 homology domain 3 (BH3)-interfering domain death agonist (Bid), and the cleaved Bid then causes the release of mitochondrial cytochrome c, leading to the activation of pro-caspase-9, which can then activate pro-caspase-3. TRAIL-induced apoptosis is negatively regulated by numerous cellular factors including decoy receptors, cellular FADD-like interleukin 1 beta-converting enzyme (FLICE) interacting protein (cFLIP), cellular inhibitor of apoptosis protein (cIAP), X-linked IAP (XIAP), survivin, and NF-kappaB. Second mitochondria-derived activator of caspases (Smac)?direct IAP binding protein with low pI (DIABLO) mediates proapoptotic signals through inaction of IAP. How the TRAIL-induced apoptosis is downregulated by these factors is discussed in detail in this review. Whether TRAIL selectively kills tumor cells without harming normal cells is also discussed.
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PMID:Regulation of TRAIL-induced apoptosis by ectopic expression of antiapoptotic factors. 1511 Jan 90

Cholangiocarcinomas are usually fatal neoplasms originating from bile duct epithelia. Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a promising agent for cancer therapy, including cholangiocarcinoma. However, many cholangiocarcinoma cells are resistant to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis. Thus, our aim was to examine the intracellular mechanisms responsible for TRAIL resistance in human cholangiocarcinoma cell lines. Three TRAIL-resistant human cholangiocarcinoma cell lines were identified. All of the cell lines expressed TRAIL receptor 1/death receptor 4 (TRAIL-R1/DR4) and TRAIL-R2/DR5. Expression of TRAIL decoy receptors and the antiapoptotic cellular FLICE-inhibitory protein (cFLIP) was inconsistent across the cell lines. Of the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 family of proteins profiled (Bcl-2, Bcl-x(L), and Mcl-1), Mcl-1 was uniquely overexpressed by the cell lines. When small-interfering-RNA (siRNA) technology was used to knock down expression of Bcl-2, Bcl-x(L), and Mcl-1, only the Mcl-1-siRNA sensitized the cells to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis. In a cell line stably transfected with Mcl-1-small-hairpin-RNA (Mcl-1-shRNA), Mcl-1 depletion sensitized cells to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis despite Bcl-2 expression. TRAIL-mediated apoptosis in the stably transfected cells was associated with mitochondrial depolarization, Bax activation, cytochrome c release from mitochondria, and caspase activation. Finally, flavopiridol, an anticancer drug that rapidly down-regulates Mcl-1, also sensitized cells to TRAIL cytotoxicity. In conclusion, these studies not only demonstrate that Mcl-1 mediates TRAIL resistance in cholangiocarcinoma cells by blocking the mitochondrial pathway of cell death but also identify two strategies for circumventing this resistance.
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PMID:Mcl-1 mediates tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand resistance in human cholangiocarcinoma cells. 1515 Jan 6

In many mammalian cell types, engagement of the TRAIL/Apo2L death receptors DR4 and DR5 alters mitochondrial physiology, thereby promoting the release of pro-apoptotic proteins normally contained within this organelle. A contemporary view of this process is that in so-called type II cells death receptor-activated caspase-8 cleaves the Bcl-2 family member Bid, which generates a truncated Bid fragment that collaborates with Bax, another Bcl-2 relative, to promote the release of mitochondrial factors necessary for activation of executioner caspases and apoptosis. Here we show that in some type II cells caspase-2 is necessary for optimal TRAIL-mediated cleavage of Bid. Down-regulation of caspase-2 using RNA interference significantly inhibited TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Analysis of the TRAIL proteolytic cascade following gene silencing of specific pathway components revealed that caspase-2 is necessary for efficient cleavage of Bid; however, caspase-2 proteolytic processing, which occurs downstream of Bax, is not necessary for its role in Bid cleavage.
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PMID:Caspase-2 can function upstream of bid cleavage in the TRAIL apoptosis pathway. 1517 76

Interactions between the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor flavopiridol (FP) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL/Apo2L), were examined in human leukemia cells (U937 and Jurkat). Coexposure of cells to marginally toxic concentrations of TRAIL and FP (24 h) synergistically increased mitochondrial injury (eg, cytochrome c, AIF, Smac/DIABLO release), cytoplasmic depletion of Bax, activation of Bid as well as caspase-8 and -3, PARP cleavage, and apoptosis. Coadministration of TRAIL markedly increased FP-induced apoptosis in leukemic cells ectopically expressing Bcl-2, Bcl-x(L), or a phosphorylation loop-deleted form of Bcl-2 (DeltaBcl-2), whereas lethality was substantially attenuated in cells ectopically expressing CrmA, dominant-negative-FADD, or dominant-negative-caspase-8. TRAIL/FP induced no discernible changes in FLIP, DR4, DR5, Mcl-1, or survivin expression, modest declines in levels of DcR2 and c-IAP, but resulted in the marked transcriptional downregulation of XIAP. Moreover, cells stably expressing an XIAP-antisense construct exhibited a pronounced increase in TRAIL sensitivity comparable to degrees of apoptosis achieved with TRAIL/FP. Conversely, enforced XIAP expression significantly attenuated caspase activation and TRAIL/FP lethality. Together, these findings suggest that simultaneous activation of the intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways by TRAIL and FP synergistically induces apoptosis in human leukemia cells through a mechanism that involves FP-mediated XIAP downregulation.
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PMID:Potent antileukemic interactions between flavopiridol and TRAIL/Apo2L involve flavopiridol-mediated XIAP downregulation. 1538 34


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