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Query: UNIPROT:P10415 (
Bcl-2
)
33,771
document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)
Hepatocyte growth factor, which is now known to be the same protein as scatter factor, induced oligonucleosomal fragmentation of nuclear DNA of Sarcoma 180 cells and increased the activity of
caspase-3
, a key component in control of the apoptotic cell death pathway to about 2.6 times that in control cells on 48 hr incubation, but did not increase the activity of caspase-1. Both HGF-induced DNA fragmentation and
caspase-3
activity were completely inhibited by co-incubation with an inhibitor of
caspase-3
, Ac-DEVD-H. In contrast, HGF did not affect the expression of the apoptosis suppressors
Bcl-2
and Bcl-x. These results indicate that HGF activates the apoptosis signaling pathway by increasing
caspase-3
activity in Sarcoma 180 cells.
...
PMID:Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor activates the apoptosis signaling pathway by increasing caspase-3 activity in sarcoma 180 cells. 953 10
B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) represents a neoplastic disorder caused primarily by defective programmed cell death (PCD), as opposed to increased cell proliferation. Defects in the PCD pathway also contribute to chemoresistance. The expression of several apoptosis-regulating proteins, including the
Bcl-2
family proteins
Bcl-2
, Bcl-XL, Mcl-1, Bax, Bak, and BAD; the Bcl-2-binding protein BAG-1; and the cell death protease
Caspase-3
(CPP32), was evaluated by immunoblotting using 58 peripheral blood B-CLL specimens from previously untreated patients. Expression of
Bcl-2
, Mcl-1, BAG-1, Bax, Bak, and
Caspase-3
was commonly found in circulating B-CLL cells, whereas the Bcl-XL and BAD proteins were not present. Higher levels of the anti-apoptotic protein Mcl-1 were strongly correlated with failure to achieve complete remission (CR) after single-agent therapy (fludarabine or chlorambucil) (P = .001), but the presence of only seven CRs among the 42 patients for whom follow-up data were available necessitates cautious interpretation of these observations. Higher levels of the anti-apoptotic protein BAG-1 were also marginally associated with failure to achieve CR (P = .04). Apoptosis-regulating proteins were not associated with patient age, sex, Rai stage, platelet count, hemoglobin (Hb) concentration, or lymph node involvement, although higher levels of
Bcl-2
and a high
Bcl-2
:Bax ratio were correlated with high numbers (>10(5)/microL) of white blood cells (WBC) (P = .01; .007) and higher levels of Bak were weakly associated with loss of allelic heterozygosity at 13q14 (P = .04). On the basis of measurements of apoptosis induction by fludarabine using cultured B-CLL specimens, in vitro chemosensitivity data failed to correlate with in vivo clinical response rates (n = 42) and expression of the various apoptosis-regulating proteins. Although larger prospective studies are required before firm conclusions can be reached, these studies show the expression in B-CLLs of multiple apoptosis-regulating proteins and suggest that the relative levels of some of these, such as Mcl-1, may provide information about in vivo responses to chemotherapy. In vitro chemosensitivity data, however, do not appear to be particularly useful in predicting responses in B-CLL.
...
PMID:Expression of apoptosis-regulating proteins in chronic lymphocytic leukemia: correlations with In vitro and In vivo chemoresponses. 955 96
It was recently reported that the mitochondrial protein cytochrome c is required for the induction of apoptosis, and that the overexpression of
Bcl-2
caused increased retention of this apoptogenic factor by mitochondria. Several cellular toxins, including H2O2, tBOOH and Ca++, induce the Mitochondrial Permeability Transition (MPT); we tested the possibility that MPT is an intracellular sensor of toxicity that results in the release of cytochrome c. We observe that the release of cytochrome c from purified mitochondria is stimulated by the classical inducers of MPT, and is inhibited by the classical inhibitor of MPT, cyclosporin A (CsA). After induction of MPT, mitochondrial supernatants gained the activity to induce cleavage of
caspase 3
(CPP32) in cytosolic extracts, and this gain of activity was inhibited by CsA pretreatment of mitochondria, and was cancelled by immunodepletion of cytochrome c from the supernatants. After induction of MPT, mitochondrial supernatants mixed with or without cytosolic extract gained the activity to ladder nuclei, and this gain of activity was inhibited by CsA pretreatment of mitochondria, and cancelled by immunodepletion of cytochrome c from the supernatants. These results demonstrate that the induction of MPT causes release of cytochrome c from mitochondria, which is required for the hallmarks of cytosolic and nuclear apoptosis,
caspase 3
activation and nuclear laddering, and identify the MPT as a potential intracellular sensor of oxidants and other toxins, and as a target for the pharmacological inhibition of apoptosis.
...
PMID:Induction of the mitochondrial permeability transition causes release of the apoptogenic factor cytochrome c. 955 74
Physiological cell deaths occur ubiquitously throughout biology and have common attributes, including apoptotic morphology with mitosis-like chromatin condensation and prelytic genome digestion. The fundamental question is whether a common mechanism of dying underlies these common hallmarks of death. Here we describe evidence of such a conserved mechanism in different cells induced by distinct stimuli to undergo physiological cell death. Our genetic and quantitative biochemical analyses of T- and B-cell deaths reveal a conserved pattern of requisite components. We have dissected the role of cysteine proteases (caspases) in cell death to reflect two obligate classes of cytoplasmic activities functioning in an amplifying cascade, with upstream interleukin-1beta-converting enzyme-like proteases activating downstream
caspase 3
-like caspases.
Bcl-2
spares cells from death by punctuating this cascade, preventing the activation of downstream caspases while leaving upstream activity undisturbed. This observation permits an operational definition of the stages of the cell death process. Upstream steps, which are necessary but not themselves lethal, are modulators of the death process. Downstream steps are effectors of, and not dissociable from, actual death; the irreversible commitment to cell death reflects the initiation of this downstream phase. In addition to
caspase 3
-like proteases, the effector phase of death involves the activation in the nucleus of cell cycle kinases of the cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) family. Nuclear recruitment and activation of Cdk components is dependent on the caspase cascade, suggesting that catastrophic Cdk activity may be the actual effector of cell death. The conservation of the cell death mechanism is not reflected in the molecular identity of its individual components, however. For example, we have detected different cyclin-Cdk pairs in different instances of cell death. The ordered course of events that we have observed in distinct cases reflects essential thematic elements of a conserved sequence of modulatory and effector activities comprising a common pathway of physiological cell death.
...
PMID:Commitment and effector phases of the physiological cell death pathway elucidated with respect to Bcl-2 caspase, and cyclin-dependent kinase activities. 956 10
Previously, we demonstrated that inostamycin, an inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol turnover, caused cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase, inhibiting the expression of cyclins D1 and E in normal cells. In the present study, we examined the effects of inostamycin on cell cycle progression and apoptosis in human small cell lung carcinoma Ms-1 cells. Treatment of exponentially proliferating Ms-1 cells with low concentrations of inostamycin caused cells to accumulate in the G1 phase. We found that inostamycin decreased cyclin D1, and increased cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors such as p21WAF1 and p27KIP1 in Ms-1 cells. On the other hand, higher concentrations of inostamycin induced morphological apoptosis and DNA fragmentation in Ms-1 cells without affecting the expression of p53,
Bcl-2
and Bax. Inostamycin-induced apoptosis was suppressed by an inhibitor of
caspase-3
, and a 17 kDa fragment of activated
caspase-3
was detected following inostamycin treatment. Therefore,
caspase-3
(-like) would appear to be involved in inostamycin-induced apoptosis. On the other hand, an inhibitor of
caspase-3
(-like) proteases did not affect the inhibitory effect of inostamycin on cyclin D1 expression, suggesting that
caspase-3
(-like) proteases were not responsible for inostamycin-induced G1 arrest.
...
PMID:Inhibition of cyclin D1 expression and induction of apoptosis by inostamycin in small cell lung carcinoma cells. 960 Jan 26
Apoptosis is cellular suicide functionally opposite of mitosis. It plays an important role in tissue growth control and removal of damaged and premalignant cells. The decrease in death suppressor
Bcl-2
protein level was implicated in the many types of apoptotic cell death. Because
Bcl-2
protein was recently found to be cleaved during apoptosis induced by Fas ligation, IL-3 withdrawal, and alphavirus infection, we assessed whether
Bcl-2
protein was also cleaved during the anticancer drug (VP-16)-induced apoptotic cell death in U937 cells. We found that
Bcl-2
protein was cleaved in vivo and in vitro after the treatment of VP-16. We also found that
caspase-3
/CPP32, which was activated after VP-16 treatment, was responsible for the direct cleavage of
Bcl-2
protein. The overexpression of the cleaved
Bcl-2
fragment increased the sensitivity to VP-16 and promoted apoptotic cell death. Therefore,
caspase-3
/CPP32 accelerates VP-16-induced U937 cell apoptosis by cleaving death suppressor
Bcl-2
protein to produce a death promoter
Bcl-2
fragment.
...
PMID:Involvement of Bcl-2 cleavage in the acceleration of VP-16-induced U937 cell apoptosis. 961 Mar 88
Viruses have evolved different strategies to interfere with host cell apoptosis. Herpesvirus saimiri (HVS) and other lymphotropic herpesviruses code for proteins that are homologous to the cellular antiapoptotic
Bcl-2
. In this study HVS-
Bcl-2
was stably expressed in the human leukemia cell line Jurkat and in the murine T-cell hybridoma DO to assess its antiapoptotic spectrum and to gain further insight into its mode of action. HVS-
Bcl-2
prevented apoptosis that occurs as a result of a disturbance of intracellular homeostasis by, for example, DNA damage or menadione, which gives rise to oxygen radicals. In Jurkat cells, HVS-
Bcl-2
also inhibited apoptosis mediated by the death receptor CD95. In DO cells, HVS-
Bcl-2
did not interfere with CD95-mediated apoptosis but blocked dexamethasone-induced cell death. Mitochondrial damage is a central coordinating event in apoptosis induced by different stimuli. To assess the integrity of mitochondria, we used rhodamine 123, which is released upon disturbance of the mitochondrial membrane potential, and determined the release of cytochrome c into the cytosol. Both signs of mitochondrial damage were prevented by HVS-
Bcl-2
. This viral protein also inhibited the generation of
caspase-3
-like DEVDase activity and blocked the cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, a natural substrate of
caspase-3
-like proteases. In conclusion, HVS-
Bcl-2
protects against a great variety of apoptotic stimuli, stabilizes mitochondria, and acts upstream of the generation of
caspase-3
-like activity.
...
PMID:Antiapoptotic activity of the herpesvirus saimiri-encoded Bcl-2 homolog: stabilization of mitochondria and inhibition of caspase-3-like activity. 962 Oct 51
The polyamine analogue, N1-ethyl-N11-[(cycloheptyl)methyl]-4,8-diazaundecane (CHENSpm)-induced programmed cell death in NCI H157 cells is accompanied by cytochrome c release, the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, activation of
caspase-3
, caspase-mediated poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage, G2-M arrest, and DNA and nuclear fragmentation. Overexpression of
Bcl-2
completely inhibits CHENSpm-induced cytochrome c release,
caspase-3
activation, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage. However,
Bcl-2
does not abrogate CHENSpm-induced programmed cell death. These results suggest that although cytochrome c release and activation of the
caspase-3
protease cascade contribute to the rapid and efficient execution of apoptosis, a caspase cascade-independent pathway also exists and can be activated by CHENSpm treatment.
...
PMID:Unsymmetrically substituted polyamine analogue induces caspase-independent programmed cell death in Bcl-2-overexpressing cells. 966 78
Osteoclast-like multinucleated cells (OCLs) were prepared on collagen gels in a coculture system of mouse bone marrow cells and osteoblasts, and purified by collagenase and a subsequent pronase treatment. More than 80% of the purified OCLs were found to undergo apoptotic cell death by 48 h during the culture in a culture medium containing 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS). Withdrawal of FBS from the culture medium accelerated the cell death, which induced more than 80% of OCLs to undergo apoptotic cell death by as early as 18 h. Two peptide inhibitors of caspases (interleukin-1beta-converting enzyme family proteases), benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp (OMe)-fluoromethyl ketone (Z-VAD-FMK) and benzyloxycarbonyl-Asp-Glu-Val-Asp (OMe)-fluoromethyl ketone (Z-DEVD-FMK), extended the survival time of OCLs in the presence and absence of 10% FBS, but the effect was rather limited in the absence of FBS. Because interleukin-1alpha (IL-1alpha) and the macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) are known to promote the survival of osteoclasts, we examined the effect of the peptide inhibitors and these cytokines. Combinations of the peptide inhibitors and IL-1alpha, or the peptide inhibitors and M-CSF, were more effective than the inhibitors alone. When endogenous caspase activities of OCLs were analyzed using fluorescence peptide substrates, the activities, in particular,
caspase-3
(CPP32)-like activity, were markedly increased in OCLs by the withdrawal of FBS from the culture medium. IL-1alpha and M-CSF suppressed the activation of the caspases. In addition, western blot analysis revealed that the expression of
Bcl-2
, which inhibits the activation of caspases, was very weak or even negligible in OCLs. Taken together, these results suggest that the caspases are involved in the regulation of survival and apoptotic cell death of osteoclasts.
...
PMID:Caspases (interleukin-1beta-converting enzyme family proteases) are involved in the regulation of the survival of osteoclasts. 966 28
Sulfur mustard (SM) induces vesication via poorly understood pathways. The blisters that are formed result primarily from the detachment of the epidermis from the dermis at the level of the basement membrane. In addition, there is toxicity to the basal cells, although no careful study has been performed to determine the precise mode of cell death biochemically. We describe here two potential mechanisms by which SM causes basal cell death and detachment: namely, induction of terminal differentiation and apoptosis. In the presence of 100 microM SM, terminal differentiation was rapidly induced in primary human keratinocytes that included the expression of the differentiation-specific markers K1 and K10 and the cross-linking of the cornified envelope precursor protein involucrin. The expression of the attachment protein, fibronectin, was also reduced in a time- and dose-dependent fashion. Features common to both differentiation and apoptosis were also induced in 100 microM SM, including the rapid induction of p53 and the reduction of
Bcl-2
. At higher concentrations of SM (i.e., 300 microM), formation of the characteristic nucleosome-sized DNA ladders, TUNEL-positive staining of cells, activation of the cysteine protease
caspase-3
/apopain, and cleavage of the death substrate poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, were observed both in vivo and in vitro. Both the differentiation and the apoptotic processes appeared to be calmodulin dependent, because the calmodulin inhibitor W-7 blocked the expression of the differentiation-specific markers, as well as the apoptotic response, in a concentration-dependent fashion. In addition, the intracellular Ca2+ chelator, BAPTA-AM, blocked the differentiation response and attenuated the apoptotic response. These results suggest a strategy for designing inhibitors of SM vesication via the Ca2+-calmodulin or
caspase-3
/PARP pathway.
...
PMID:Sulfur mustard induces markers of terminal differentiation and apoptosis in keratinocytes via a Ca2+-calmodulin and caspase-dependent pathway. 966 88
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