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)

In TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-resistant glioma cells, co-treatment with nontoxic doses of sodium butyrate and TRAIL resulted in a marked increase of TRAIL-induced apoptosis. This combined treatment was also cytotoxic to glioma cells overexpressing Bcl-2 or Bcl-xL, but not to normal human astrocytes, thus offering an attractive strategy for safely treating resistant gliomas. Cotreatment with sodium butyrate facilitated completion of proteolytic processing of procaspase-3 that was partially blocked by treatment with TRAIL alone. We also found that treatment with sodium butyrate significantly decreased the protein levels of survivin and X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP), two major caspase inhibitors. Overexpression of survivin and XIAP attenuated sodium butyrate-stimulated TRAIL-induced apoptosis, suggesting its involvement in conferring TRAIL resistance to glioma cells. Furthermore, the kinase activities of Cdc2 and Cdk2 were significantly decreased following sodium butyrate treatment, accompanying downregulation of cyclin A and cyclin B, as well as upregulation of p21. Forced expression of Cdc2 plus cyclin B, but not Cdk2 plus cyclin A, attenuated sodium butyrate/TRAIL-induced apoptosis, overriding sodium butyrate-mediated downregulation of survivin and XIAP. Therefore, Cdc2-mediated downregulation of survivin and XIAP by sodium butyrate may contribute to the recovery of TRAIL sensitivity in glioma cells.
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PMID:Sodium butyrate sensitizes human glioma cells to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis through inhibition of Cdc2 and the subsequent downregulation of survivin and XIAP. 1600 42

We describe an antibody chip technology that uses a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) imaging system to examine the conformational change of a protein. In this study, we used Bax protein, a pro-apoptotic member of the Bcl-2 family of proteins, as a model protein to investigate the conformational alteration triggered by a TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), a potent inducer of apoptosis. To develop the antibody chip for detecting the Bax conformational change, we immobilized Bax monoclonal antibody 6A7, which recognizes only a conformationally changed Bax protein on a gold surface. The resultant immobilized Bax antibodies provided specific and accurate measurements of the active conformation-specific epitope in the apoptotic cancer cells treated with the TRAIL; these measurements corresponded to the data obtained by immunoprecipitation analysis using an active conformation-specific Bax antibody (6A7). The results of our study indicated that TRAIL-induced Bax structural change could be monitored quickly and simply using an SPR imaging system, thus demonstrating the potential for using such a system for the analysis of conformational properties of target proteins.
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PMID:Detection of Bax protein conformational change using a surface plasmon resonance imaging-based antibody chip. 1628 12

How tumor microenvironment, more specifically low extracellular pH (6.5), alters cell response to TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-based cancer therapy has yet to be determined. The aim of the current work was to test the effect of acidic extracellular pH on TRAIL-induced cell death in human HT29 colon carcinoma and HepG2 hepatocarcinoma cell lines as well as in human primary hepatocytes. We found an increase in TRAIL sensitivity at low extracellular pH, which is partially inhibited by Bcl-2 expression in HT29 cells. At low extracellular pH, TRAIL induced a new form of cell death, sharing necrotic and apoptotic features in tumor cells. By contrast, human primary hepatocytes were resistant to TRAIL-induced cell death even at acidic extracellular pH.
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PMID:TRAIL (TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand) induces necrosis-like cell death in tumor cells at acidic extracellular pH. 1638 3

Because of unsatisfactory treatment options for prostate cancer (CaP) there is a need to develop novel preventive approaches for this malignancy. One such strategy is through chemoprevention by the use of non-toxic dietary substances and botanical products. We have shown previously that panduratin A isolated from the extract of Kaempferia pandurata (Zingiberaceae) is a strong inhibitor of cyclooxygenase-2 in RAW264.7 cells and induces apoptosis in HT-29 cells. In the present study, we provide evidence that panduratin A treatment to androgen-independent human CaP cells PC3 and DU145 result in a time and dose-dependent inhibition of cell growth with an IC50 of 13.5-14 microM and no to little effect on normal human prostate epithelial cells. To define the mechanism of these anti-proliferative effects of panduratin A, we determined its effect on critical molecular events known to regulate the cell cycle and the apoptotic machinery. Annexin V/propidium iodide staining provided the evidence for the induction of apoptosis which was further confirmed by the observation of cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase and degradation of acinus. Panduratin A treatment to cells was found to result in inhibition of procaspases 9, 8, 6 and 3 with significant increase in the ratio of Bax:Bcl-2, suggesting the involvement of a mitochondrial-dependent apoptotic pathway. Panduratin A-mediated apoptosis was accompanied with upregulation of Fas death receptor and TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL). Furthermore, cell cycle analysis using flow cytometry showed that panduratin A treatment of cells resulted in a G2/M arrest in a dose-dependent manner. The immunoblot analysis data revealed that in both cell lines panduratin A treatment resulted in a dose-dependent (i) induction of p21WAF1/Cip1 and p27Kip1, (ii) downregulation of cdks 2, 4 and 6 and (iii) decrease in cyclins D1 and E. These findings suggest that panduratin A may be an effective chemopreventive or therapeutic agent against CaP.
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PMID:Induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest by a chalcone panduratin A isolated from Kaempferia pandurata in androgen-independent human prostate cancer cells PC3 and DU145. 1649 6

Inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 elicits chemopreventive and therapeutic effects in solid tumors that are coupled with the induction of apoptosis in tumor cells. We investigated the mechanisms by which COX-2 inhibition induces apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. COX-2 inhibition triggered expression of the CD95, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-R, and TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-R1 and TRAIL-R2 death receptors. Addition of the respective specific ligands further increased apoptosis, indicating that COX-2 inhibition induced the expression of functional death receptors. Overexpression of a dominant-negative Fas-associated death domain mutant reduced COX-2 inhibitor-mediated apoptosis. Furthermore, our findings showed a link between COX-2 inhibition and the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway. COX-2 inhibition led to a rapid down-regulation of myeloid cell leukemia-1 (Mcl-1), an antiapoptotic member of the Bcl-2 family, followed by translocation of Bax to mitochondria and cytochrome c release from mitochondria. Consequently, overexpression of Mcl-1 led to inhibition of COX-2 inhibitor-mediated apoptosis. Furthermore, blocking endogenous Mcl-1 function using a small-interfering RNA approach enhanced COX-2 inhibitor-mediated apoptosis. It is of clinical importance that celecoxib acted synergistically with chemotherapeutic drugs in the induction of apoptosis in HCC cells. The clinical relevance of these results is further substantiated by the finding that COX-2 inhibitors did not sensitize primary human hepatocytes toward chemotherapy-induced apoptosis. In conclusion, COX-2 inhibition engages different apoptosis pathways in HCC cells stimulating death receptor signaling, activation of caspases, and apoptosis originating from mitochondria.
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PMID:Cyclooxygenase-2 inhibition induces apoptosis signaling via death receptors and mitochondria in hepatocellular carcinoma. 1754 41

Fumonisin B1 is a mycotoxin prevalent in corn that produces species-, gender-, and organ-specific diseases. Mice lacking TNFalpha receptor (TNFR) 1 or 2 exhibited a diminished hepatotoxic response to fumonisin B1; however, the protection was lost when both TNFRs were deleted. We therefore investigated the constitutive expression of selected apoptotic factors and their response to fumonisin B1 in the liver from mice lacking both TNFRs (DRKO). Compared to their wild-type (WT) counterparts the DRKO strain had a higher constitutive mRNA expression of interferon (IFN)gamma, Fas, and interleukin (IL)-18. The mRNA expression of Bcl-2 was also higher in DRKO than in WT mice. The mRNA expression of IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) was decreased; that of TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) was dramatically reduced. Induction of most apoptotic genes in response to fumonisin B1 was similar in both WT and DRKO strains; except in DRKO mice it was greater for Max and lesser for IL-1Ra than that in WT strain. Fumonisin B1 hepatotoxicity in DRKO mice was reduced by pretreatment with anti-IFNgamma antibody. It appears that in the absence of TNFalpha signaling other apoptotic pathways become operative; particularly the increase of IFNgamma, Fas and IL-18 may compensate for the loss of TNFalpha effects. Fumonisin B1 toxicity therefore appears to be a complex phenomenon that may utilize more than one cytotoxic pathway consequent to sphingoid deregulation; a higher expression of IFNgamma and other apoptotic factors in DRKO may be responsible for the observed fumonisin hepatotoxicity.
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PMID:Mice lacking both TNFalpha receptors show increased constitutive expression of IFNgamma: a possible reason for lack of protection from fumonisin B1 hepatotoxicity. 1688 13

TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a member of the TNF family with potent apoptosis-inducing properties in tumor cells. In particular, TRAIL strongly synergizes with conventional chemotherapeutic drugs to induce tumor cell death. Thus, TRAIL has been proposed as a promising future cancer therapy. Little, however, is known regarding what the role of TRAIL is in normal untransformed cells and whether therapeutic administration of TRAIL, alone or in combination with other apoptotic triggers, may cause tissue damage. In this study, we investigated the role of TRAIL in Fas-induced (CD95/Apo-1-induced) hepatocyte apoptosis and liver damage. While TRAIL alone failed to induce apoptosis in isolated murine hepatocytes, it strongly amplified Fas-induced cell death. Importantly, endogenous TRAIL was found to critically regulate anti-Fas antibody-induced hepatocyte apoptosis, liver damage, and associated lethality in vivo. TRAIL enhanced anti-Fas-induced hepatocyte apoptosis through the activation of JNK and its downstream substrate, the proapoptotic Bcl-2 homolog Bim. Consistently, TRAIL- and Bim-deficient mice and wild-type mice treated with a JNK inhibitor were protected against anti-Fas-induced liver damage. We conclude that TRAIL and Bim are important response modifiers of hepatocyte apoptosis and identify liver damage and lethality as a possible risk of TRAIL-based tumor therapy.
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PMID:TRAIL receptor-mediated JNK activation and Bim phosphorylation critically regulate Fas-mediated liver damage and lethality. 1695 44

TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a promising cancer therapy that preferentially induces apoptosis in cancer cells. However, many neoplasms are resistant to TRAIL by mechanisms that are poorly understood. Here we demonstrated that human prostate cancer cells, but not normal prostate cells, are dramatically sensitized to TRAIL-induced apoptosis and caspase activation by quercetin. Quercetin, a ubiquitous bioactive plant flavonoid, has been shown to inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells. We have shown that quercetin can potentiate TRAIL-induced apoptotic death. Human prostate adenocarcinoma DU-145 and LNCaP cells were treated with various concentrations of TRAIL (10-200 ng/ml) and/or quercetin (10-200 microM) for 4 h. Quercetin, which caused no cytotoxicity by itself, promoted TRAIL-induced apoptosis. The TRAIL-mediated activation of caspase, and PARP (poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase) cleavage were both enhanced by quercetin. Western blot analysis showed that combined treatment with TRAIL and quercetin did not change the levels of TRAIL receptors (death receptors DR4 and DR5, and DcR2 (decoy receptor 2)) or anti-apoptotic proteins (FLICE-inhibitory protein (FLIP), inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP), and Bcl-2). However, quercetin promoted the dephosphorylation of Akt. Quercetin-induced potent inhibition of Akt phosphorylation. Taken together, the present studies suggest that quercetin enhances TRAIL-induced cytotoxicity by activating caspases and inhibiting phosphorylation of Akt.
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PMID:TRAIL apoptosis is enhanced by quercetin through Akt dephosphorylation. 1703 54

The TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand, TRAIL, has been shown to selectively kill tumour cells. This property has made TRAIL and agonistic antibodies against its death inducing receptors (TRAIL-R1 and TRAIL-R2) to some of the most promising novel biotherapeutic agents for cancer therapy. Here we review the signalling pathways initiated by the apoptosis- as well as the non-apoptosis-inducing receptors, TRAIL-R3 and TRAIL-R4. The TRAIL "death-inducing signalling complex" (DISC) transmits the apoptotic signal. DISC formation leads to activation of a protease cascade, finally resulting in cell death. The TRAIL death receptor-mediated "extrinsic" pathway and the "intrinsic" pathway, which is controlled by the interaction of members of the Bcl-2 family, interact with each other in the decision about life or death of a cell. Apoptotic and non-apoptotic signalling is influenced by the NF-kappaB, PKB/Akt and the MAPK signalling pathways. In this review we intend to summarise the most important findings on the TRAIL signalling network and the interplay in the decisions between life and death of a tumor cell.
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PMID:TRAIL signalling: decisions between life and death. 1740 12

Apoptosis pathways provide efficient safeguard mechanisms against cancer that are mediated via cell-intrinsic responses and immune-mediated extrinsic signals. Intrinsic pro-apoptotic pathways are largely controlled by p53 and Bcl-2 proteins, whereas the extrinsic induction of apoptosis is initiated by death ligands, such as tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), CD95L/FasL and TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), or by granzyme B. Initiation of these pathways results in the induction of a caspase cascade leading to cell death. The inactivation of pro-apoptotic pathways is elementary for tumourigenesis and may be responsible for therapy resistance. Thus, apoptosis-based strategies represent important tools for the development of effective tumour therapies. The aim of these therapies is to restore p53 activity, downregulate anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins or NF-kappaB activity, and to upregulate extrinsic, death receptor-mediated pathways. The initial results of apoptosis-based strategies are proving promising. Also, topical treatments for actinic keratosis (AK), such as cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitors (e.g. diclofenac 3% gel), have been shown to trigger pro-apoptotic pathways. There is hope that pro-apoptotic strategies will lead to pronounced therapeutic success against skin cancer. Importantly, the involvement of the different pro-apoptotic pathways in specific tumour types needs to be unravelled and understood in order to evaluate drug effectiveness, as well as to modify and optimise therapeutic approaches.
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PMID:Apoptosis pathways as promising targets for skin cancer therapy. 1748 2


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