Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UNIPROT:P42574 (caspase-3)
 45,978 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor captopril has been shown to inhibit fibrogenesis in the lung, but the mechanisms underlying this action are unclear. Apoptosis of lung epithelial cells is believed to be involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis. For these reasons, we studied the effect of captopril on Fas-induced apoptosis in a human lung epithelial cell line. Monoclonal antibodies that activate the Fas receptor induced epithelial cell apoptosis as detected by chromatin condensation, nuclear fragmentation, DNA fragmentation, and increased activities of caspase-1 and -3. Apoptosis was not induced by isotype-matched nonimmune mouse immunoglobulins or nonactivating anti-Fas monoclonal antibodies. When applied simultaneously with anti-Fas antibodies, 50 ng/ml of captopril completely abrogated apoptotic indexes based on morphology, DNA fragmentation, and inducible caspase-1 activity and significantly decreased the inducible activity of caspase-3. Inhibition of apoptosis by captopril was concentration dependent, with an IC50 of 70 pg/ml. These data suggest that the inhibitory actions of captopril on pulmonary fibrosis may be related to prevention of lung epithelial cell apoptosis.
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PMID:Captopril inhibits apoptosis in human lung epithelial cells: a potential antifibrotic mechanism. 981 21

Glyoxal is a highly reactive glycating agent involved in the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and known to induce apoptosis. AGE-mediated apoptosis may be an important mechanism of alveolar epithelial remodelling in pulmonary fibrosis. In this study, we investigated the cytotoxic effect of glyoxal on the fetal human epithelial lung cell line L132 under serum-free conditions. This type of culture, which forces the cells to grow as spheroids, also excludes effects of preformed AGEs by the reaction of glyoxal with fetal calf serum proteins. Our results showed that in cells treated with 200 microM glyoxal, the intercellular contacts in spheroids were disrupted, i.e. cells became totally dissociated. Immunocytochemical analysis revealed a dose-dependent accumulation of the AGE product epsilonN-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML) in cells detached from cell clusters. The loss of cell attachment was associated with decreased expression of beta1-integrins and CD44 as revealed by laser scanning cytometry (LSC). Increasing concentrations of glyoxal induced an increase in the number of apoptotic cells which were identified by the immunoreactivity for active caspase-3. Remaining cell clusters showed resistance to both CML formation and apoptosis. The present findings demonstrate that cells treated with glyoxal undergo possibly anoikis, a specific mode of apoptosis caused by loss of cell adhesion.
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PMID:Resistance of L132 lung cell clusters to glyoxal-induced apoptosis. 1113 Oct 93

Caspases have been implicated in the effector process of apoptosis in several systems including the Fas-Fas ligand pathway. We previously demonstrated that excessive apoptosis of lung epithelial cells and the Fas-Fas ligand pathway were essential in the pathogenesis of bleomycin-induced pneumopathy in mice. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate whether a caspase inhibitor could prevent the development of this model. The expression of caspase-1 and caspase-3 was upregulated on lung epithelial cells, alveolar macrophages, and infiltrating inflammatory cells in this model. We demonstrated that a broad-spectrum caspase inhibitor, N-benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethylketone, decreased the caspase-1- and caspase-3-like activity, the number of apoptotic cells, the pathological grade of lung inflammation and fibrosis, and the hydroxyproline content in lung tissues in this model. We conclude that caspase inhibitors could be a new therapeutic approach against lung injury and pulmonary fibrosis.
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PMID:Attenuation of bleomycin-induced pneumopathy in mice by a caspase inhibitor. 1115 11

Transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) has important roles in lung fibrosis and the potential to induce apoptosis in several types of cells. We previously demonstrated that apoptosis of lung epithelial cells induced by Fas ligation may be involved in the development of pulmonary fibrosis. In this study, we show that TGF-beta1 induces apoptosis of primary cultured bronchiolar epithelial cells via caspase-3 activation and down-regulation of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21. Concentrations of TGF-beta 1 that were not sufficient to induce apoptosis alone could enhance agonistic anti-Fas Ab or rFas ligand-mediated apoptosis of cultured bronchiolar epithelial cells. Soluble Fas ligand in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) also induced apoptosis of cultured bronchiolar epithelial cells that was significantly attenuated by anti-TGF-beta Ab. Otherwise, BALF from patients with hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) could not induce apoptosis on bronchiolar epithelial cells, despite its comparable amounts of soluble Fas ligand. The concentrations of TGF-beta 1 in BALF from patients with IPF were significantly higher compared with those in BALF from patients with HP or controls. Furthermore, coincubation with the low concentration of TGF-beta 1 and HP BALF created proapoptotic effects comparable with the IPF BALF. In vivo, the administration of TGF-beta 1 could enhance Fas-mediated epithelial cell apoptosis and lung injury via caspase-3 activation in mice. Our results demonstrate a novel role of TGF-beta 1 in the pathophysiology of pulmonary fibrosis as an enhancer of Fas-mediated apoptosis of lung epithelial cells.
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PMID:TGF-beta 1 as an enhancer of Fas-mediated apoptosis of lung epithelial cells. 1205 67

Apoptosis of alveolar epithelial cells (AECs) has been implicated as a key event in the pathogenesis of lung fibrosis. Recent studies demonstrated a role for the synthesis and binding of angiotensin II to receptor AT1 in the induction of AEC apoptosis by bleomycin (BLEO) and other proapoptotic stimuli. On this basis we hypothesized that BLEO-induced apoptosis and lung fibrosis in mice would be inhibited by the AT1 antagonist losartan (LOS) or by targeted deletion of the AT1 gene. Lung fibrosis was induced by intratracheal administration of BLEO (1 U/kg) to wild-type C57BL/6J mice. Co-administration of LOS abrogated BLEO-induced increases in total lung caspase 3 activity detected 6 hours after in vivo administration and reduced by 57% BLEO-induced caspase 3 activity in blood-depleted lung explants exposed to BLEO ex vivo (both P < 0.05). Co-administration of LOS in vivo reduced DNA fragmentation and immunoreactive caspase 3 (active form) in AECs, measured at 14 days after intratracheal BLEO, by 66% and 74%, respectively (both P < 0.05). LOS also inhibited the accumulation of lung hydroxyproline by 45%. The same three measures of apoptosis and lung fibrosis were reduced by 89%, 85%, and 75%, respectively (all P < 0.01), in mice with a targeted disruption of the AT1a receptor gene (C57BL/6J-Agtr1a(tm1Unc)). These data indicate an essential role for angiotensin receptor AT1a in the pathogenesis of BLEO-induced lung fibrosis in mice and suggest that AT1 receptor signaling is required for BLEO-induced apoptosis of AECs in mice as it is in rat and human AECs.
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PMID:Essential roles for angiotensin receptor AT1a in bleomycin-induced apoptosis and lung fibrosis in mice. 1463 24

Fibroblast/myofibroblast expansion is critical in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis. To date, most research has focused on profibrotic mediators, whereas studies on antifibrotic factors are scanty. In this study, we explored the effects of acidic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-1) and FGF-1 plus heparin (FGF-1+H) on fibroblast growth rate, apoptosis, and myofibroblast differentiation. Heparin was used because it participates in FGF-1 signaling. Growth rate was evaluated by WST-1 colorimetric assay, DNA synthesis by [(3)H]thymidine incorporation, and apoptosis by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) and cleaved caspase 3. Expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) was examined by immunocytochemistry, flow cytometry, real-time PCR, and immunoblotting. Despite the induction of DNA synthesis, FGF-1+H significantly reduced fibroblast growth rate. This correlated with a significant increase in apoptosis, evaluated by TUNEL (41.6 +/- 1.4% vs. 12.5 +/- 0.6% from controls; P < 0.01) and cleaved caspase 3 (295 +/- 32 vs. 200 +/- 19 ng/10(6) cells from controls; P < 0.05). Double immunostaining (alpha-SMA-TUNEL) revealed that the levels of induced apoptosis were similar in fibroblasts and myofibroblasts. FGF-1+H inhibited the effect of TGF-beta1 on myofibroblast differentiation. alpha-SMA-positive cells were reduced by immunocytochemistry from 44.5 +/- 6.5% to 10.9 +/- 1.9% and by flow cytometry from 30.6 +/- 2.5% to 7.7 +/- 0.6% (P < 0.01). Also, FGF-1+H significantly inhibited the TGF-beta1 induction of alpha-SMA quantified by real-time PCR and Western blot. This decrease was associated with a 35% reduction in TGF-beta1-induced collagen gel contraction. The effect of FGF-1+H was mediated by a significant decrease of TGF-beta1-induced Smad2 phosphorylation. FGF-1 alone exhibited similar but lower effects. These findings suggest that FGF-1 can have an antifibrogenic role, inducing apoptosis of fibroblasts and inhibiting myofibroblast differentiation.
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PMID:Acidic fibroblast growth factor decreases alpha-smooth muscle actin expression and induces apoptosis in human normal lung fibroblasts. 1676 79

Acute lung injury (ALI) is characterized by an early inflammatory response followed by a late fibroproliferative phase, and by an increase in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) concentrations of bioactive soluble FasL (sFasL). Activation of Fas (CD95) has been associated with the development of lung fibrosis in mice. The goal of this study was to determine the mechanisms that link Fas activation with the development of fibrosis in the lungs. We treated mice with three daily intratracheal instillations of a Fas-activating monoclonal antibody (Jo2) or a control IgG, and studied the animals at sequential times. Mice treated with Jo2 had increased caspase-3 activation in alveolar wall cells on Days 2, 4, and 7; an inflammatory response peaking on Day 7, and increased total lung collagen on Day 21. Gene expression profiling performed on Days 2, 4, and 7 showed sequential activation of co-regulated profibrotic genes, including marked up-regulation of matrix metalloproteinase 12 (MMP-12). Targeted deletion of MMP-12 protected mice from Fas-induced pulmonary fibrosis, even though the inflammatory responses in the lungs were similar to those of wild-type mice. Compared with wild-type mice, the mmp12(-/-) mice showed decreased expression of the profibrotic genes egr1 and cyr61. We conclude that Fas activation in the lungs induces a complex response that includes apoptosis, inflammation, and eventually fibrosis, and that MMP-12 is essential for the fibrotic phenotype. We speculate that MMP-12 activity is required for activation of the profibrotic genes egr1 and cyr61.
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PMID:Essential role of MMP-12 in Fas-induced lung fibrosis. 1819 46

Myofibroblasts play an essential role in the abnormal deposition of extracellular matrix in pulmonary fibrosis. The presence or prolonged survival of these cells may be a key factor in the pathogenesis of progressive pulmonary fibrosis. Found in inflammatory zone (FIZZ)1 can induce myofibroblast differentiation and has an antiapoptotic effect on embryonic lung explant cultures. In this study, we investigated whether FIZZ1 also has an antiapoptotic effect on mouse lung fibroblasts (MLFs). Cells were treated with FIZZ1 for 24 h and then apoptosis was induced by TNFalpha in the presence of cycloheximide (CHX). FIZZ1 exhibited an antiapoptotic effect in MLFs, as assessed by flow cytometric analysis and TUNEL staining. Moreover, the cell number was higher in the FIZZ1-treated group relative to the non-treated control group after treatment with TNFalpha and CHX. FIZZ1 treatment also inhibited the apoptotic agent-induced activities of caspase-3 and caspase-8. Examination of potential signalling pathways revealed that FIZZ1 induced rapid phosphorylation of ERK-1/2, while PD98059, a MEK/ERK inhibitor, markedly induced activation of caspase-3. This anti-apoptotic effect of FIZZ1 was associated with induction of myofibroblast differentiation in response to FIZZ1 stimulation. Taken together, these findings suggest that FIZZ1 is involved in pulmonary fibrosis through both induction of myofibroblast differentiation and increased or prolonged survival of myofibroblasts. This effect of FIZZ1 was mediated by inhibition of caspase-3 and -8, with involvement of the ERK pathway.
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PMID:Antiapoptotic effect of found in inflammatory zone (FIZZ)1 on mouse lung fibroblasts. 1749 27

Apoptosis of alveolar epithelial cells (AECs) is believed to be critical for the development of bleomycin (BLEO)-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Previous studies showed that apoptosis of alveolar epithelial cells in response to BLEO could be abrogated by antisense oligonucleotides against angiotensinogen (AGT) mRNA and requires angiotensin II (ANG II) synthesis de novo [17]. In this study we hypothesized that blockade of local pulmonary ANG II synthesis by intratracheal (I.T.) administration of antisense oligonucleotides against AGT mRNA might attenuate BLEO-induced apoptosis of AECs and prevent pulmonary fibrosis. In a BLEO-induced rat model of lung fibrosis, endogenous lung AGT was upregulated in vivo as early as 3 hours after BLEO instillation, as detected by RT-PCR, in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. AGT mRNA and angiotensin peptides were localized in type II alveolar epithelial cells and also colocalized with alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA), a marker of myofibroblasts. Tagged antisense administered I.T. was specifically accumulated by the lung relative to liver and kidney, and localized primarily in the epithelium of airways and cells within alveolar walls. The intratracheal AGT antisense reduced BLEO-induced pulmonary fibrosis measured by lung hydroxyproline assay, decreased lung AGT and active caspase-3 proteins, and reduced the number of apoptotic epithelial cells but had no effect on the serum ANG II concentration. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that lung-derived AGT and local pulmonary ANG II are required for BLEO-induced pulmonary fibrosis, and suggest the possibility of antisense-based manipulation of the local angiotensin system as a potential treatment of fibrotic lung diseases.
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PMID:Attenuation of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis by intratracheal administration of antisense oligonucleotides against angiotensinogen mRNA. 1750 34

Given that CD4+ cells are found in the lungs of patients with fibrotic lung diseases such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) we hypothesized that IL-16, a potent chemoattractant for CD4+ cells, may be involved in the pathogenesis of this disease. We found that baseline IL-16 gene expression is greater in fibroblasts isolated from IPF patients compared to non-fibrotic fibroblasts. Furthermore, IL-16 gene expression increased in IPF fibroblasts following stimulation with either of the pro-fibrotic growth factors TGFb1 or PDGF. In contrast, PDGF had no effect on IL-16 gene expression in non-fibrotic lung fibroblasts, whereas TGFb1 down-regulated IL-16 gene expression in non-fibrotic fibroblasts. To gain a better understanding of an association of IL-16 with fibrosis, we used the bleomycin-induced mouse model of fibrosis to examine IL-16 gene expression. Our current study demonstrates that IL-16, and its activator caspase 3, are highly expressed at the mRNA level in the lungs of mice prior to the deposition of collagen following intratracheal bleomycin administration. We then sought to determine the role of IL-16 in the generation of fibrosis in the mouse by using IL-16KO mice. There were no differences observed between IL-16WT and IL-16KO mice (cellular infiltrate, collagen deposition, total lung collagen generation and cytokine expression) following bleomycin instillation. These results indicate that IL-16 is prominently expressed in both murine and human fibrosis however as complete loss of this cytokine did not modulate pulmonary fibrosis, IL-16 is a candidate biomarker for IPF.
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PMID:Generation of bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis is independent of IL-16. 1923 99


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