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)

Previously, we showed that monensin, Na+ ionophore, potently inhibited the growth of acute myelogenous leukemia and lymphoma cells. Here, we investigated the antiproliferative effect of monensin on human myeloma cell lines. Monensin significantly inhibited the proliferation of myeloma cell lines examined with IC50 of about 1 micro M. Cell cycle analysis indicated that monensin induced a G1 and/or a G2-M phase arrest in these cell lines. To address the mechanism of the antiproliferative effect of monensin, we examined the effect of this drug on cell cycle-related proteins in NCI-H929 cells. Monensin decreased the levels of CDK2, CDK6, cdc2, cyclin A, cyclin B1, cyclin D1 and cyclin E proteins but did not alter CDK4 protein. While p21 was increased by monensin, p27 was not. In addition, monensin markedly enhanced the binding of p21 with CDK6 and cdc2. Furthermore, the activities of CDK2- and CDK6-associated kinases were reduced in association with hypophosphorylation of Rb protein. The activity of cdc2-associated kinase was decreased, which was accompanied by reduction of cdc25C phosphatase. Also, monensin induced apoptosis in myeloma cells, as evidenced by annexin V binding assay and flow cytometric detection of sub-G1 DNA content. This apoptotic process was associated with down-regulation of Bcl-2, loss of mitochondria transmembrane potential (Deltapsim) and an increase of caspase-3 activity. In addition, monensin caused the up-regulation of ERK and p38 kinase activities. Taken together, these results have demonstrated for the first time that monensin potently inhibited the proliferation of human myeloma cell lines, especially NCI-H929 cells, via cell cycle arrest in association with p21 and apoptosis.
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PMID:Monensin-mediated growth inhibition in NCI-H929 myeloma cells via cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. 1279 94

Bisphosphonates (BPs) are an emerging class of drugs mostly used in the palliative care of cancer patients. We investigated the in vitro activity of the most potent antiresorptive BP, zoledronic acid (ZOL), on the growth and survival of three human pancreatic cancer (PC) cell lines (BxPC-3, CFPAC-1 and PANC-1). Pancreatic cancer frequently has a dysregulated p21(ras) pathway and therefore appears to be a suitable target for BPs that interfere with the prenylation of small GTP-binding proteins such as p21(ras). We found that ZOL induces growth inhibition (IC(50):10-50 micro M) and apoptotic death of PC cells. The proapoptotic effect was correlated to cleavage/activation of caspase-9 and poly(ADP)-ribose polymerase, but not of caspase-3. Moreover, we studied the p21(ras) signalling in cells exposed to ZOL and detected a reduction of p21(ras) and Raf-1 content and functional downregulation of the terminal enzyme ERK/MAPkinase and of the pKB/Akt survival pathway. Finally, we observed that ZOL induces significant cytoskeletal rearrangements. In conclusion, we demonstrated that ZOL induces growth inhibition and apoptosis on PC cells and interferes with growth and survival pathways downstream to p21(ras). These findings might be relevant for expanding application of BPs in cancer treatment.
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PMID:Zoledronic acid induces antiproliferative and apoptotic effects in human pancreatic cancer cells in vitro. 1279 45

Much recent interest has focused on the potential of flavonoids to interact with intracellular signaling pathways such as with the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade. We have investigated whether the observed strong neurotoxic potential of quercetin in primary cortical neurons may occur via specific and sensitive interactions within neuronal mitogen-activated protein kinase and Akt/protein kinase B (PKB) signaling cascades, both implicated in neuronal apoptosis. Quercetin induced potent inhibition of both Akt/PKB and ERK phosphorylation, resulting in reduced phosphorylation of BAD and a strong activation of caspase-3. High quercetin concentrations (30 microM) led to sustained loss of Akt phosphorylation and subsequent Akt cleavage by caspase-3, whereas at lower concentrations (<10 microM) the inhibition of Akt phosphorylation was transient and eventually returned to basal levels. Lower levels of quercetin also induced strong activation of the pro-survival transcription factor cAMP-responsive element-binding protein, although this did not prevent neuronal damage. O-Methylated quercetin metabolites inhibited Akt/PKB to lesser extent and did not induce such strong activation of caspase-3, which was reflected in the lower amount of damage they inflicted on neurons. In contrast, neither quercetin nor its O-methylated metabolites had any measurable effect on c-Jun N-terminal kinase phosphorylation. The glucuronide of quercetin was not toxic and did not evoke any alterations in neuronal signaling, probably reflecting its inability to enter neurons. Together these data suggest that quercetin and to a lesser extent its O-methylated metabolites may induce neuronal death via a mechanism involving an inhibition of neuronal survival signaling through the inhibition of both Akt/PKB and ERK rather than by an activation of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase-mediated death pathway.
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PMID:Modulation of pro-survival Akt/protein kinase B and ERK1/2 signaling cascades by quercetin and its in vivo metabolites underlie their action on neuronal viability. 1282 65

H11, the eukaryotic homologue of a herpes simplex virus protein, has the crystallin motif of heat shock proteins (Hsp), but it differs from canonical family members in that mRNA and protein levels were reduced in various tumor tissues and cell lines (viz. melanoma, prostate cancer and sarcoma) relative to their normal counterparts. In these cells, expression was not restored by heat shock, but rather by the demethylating agent 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (Aza-C). Forced H11 expression by Aza-C treatment, transient transfection with H11 expression vectors, or retrovirus-mediated delivery of H11 under the control of a tetracycline-sensitive promoter triggered apoptosis. This is evidenced by a significant (p < 0.001) increase in the percentage of cells positive for terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) and for activation of caspase-3 and p38MAPK and by the co-localization of TUNEL+ nuclei with increased H11 levels. Apoptosis was partially inhibited by the pancaspase inhibitor benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethyl ketone or the p38MAPK inhibitor SB203580. It was abrogated by co-treatment with both inhibitors, suggesting that H11-triggered apoptosis is both caspase- and p38MAPK-dependent. A single site mutant (H11-W51C) had cytoprotective activity related to MEK/ERK activation, and it blocked H11-induced apoptosis in co-transfected and Aza-C-treated cells, indicating that it is a dominant negative mutant. This is the first report of a heat shock protein with proapoptotic activity.
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PMID:Forced expression of the H11 heat shock protein can be regulated by DNA methylation and trigger apoptosis in human cells. 1283 17

Assessment of specific apoptosis and survival pathways implicated in anticancer drug action is important for understanding drug mechanisms and modes of resistance in order to improve the benefits of chemotherapy. In order to better examine the role of mitogen-activated protein kinases, including JNK and ERK, as well as the tumor suppressor p53, in the response of tumor cells to chemotherapy, we compared the effects on these pathways of three structurally and functionally distinct antitumor agents. Drug concentrations equal to 50 times the concentration required to reduce cell proliferation by 50% were used. Vinblastine, doxorubicin, or etoposide (VP-16) induced apoptotic cell death in KB-3 carcinoma cells, with similar kinetic profiles of PARP cleavage, caspase 3 activation, and mitochondrial cytochrome c release. All three drugs strongly activated JNK, but only vinblastine induced c-Jun phosphorylation and AP-1 activation. Inhibition of JNK by SP600125 protected cells from drug-induced cytotoxicity. Vinblastine caused inactivation of ERK whereas ERK was unaffected in cells exposed to doxorubicin or VP-16. Inhibition of ERK signaling by the MEK inhibitor, U0126, potentiated the cytotoxic effects of vinblastine and doxorubicin, but not that of VP-16. Vinblastine induced p53 downregulation, and chemical inhibition of p53 potentiated vinblastine-induced cell death, suggesting a protective effect of p53. In contrast, doxorubicin and VP-16 induced p53, and inhibition of p53 decreased drug-induced cell death, suggesting a pro-apoptotic role for p53. These results highlight the differential roles played by several key signal transduction pathways in the mechanisms of action of key antitumor agents, and suggest ways to specifically potentiate their effects in a context-dependent manner. In addition, the novel finding that JNK activation can occur without c-Jun phosphorylation or AP-1 activation has important implications for our understanding of JNK function.
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PMID:The JNK, ERK and p53 pathways play distinct roles in apoptosis mediated by the antitumor agents vinblastine, doxorubicin, and etoposide. 1290 45

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (Apo2L/TRAIL) belongs to the family of programmed cell death-inducing cytokines. Apo2L/TRAIL induces apoptosis in a wide variety of tumor cells. Tumor cells that are resistant to Apo2L/TRAIL-induced apoptosis can be sensitized by chemotherapeutic drugs and other agents via an unknown mechanism. Here we report that PG490 (triptolide), a diterpene triepoxide extracted from the Chinese herb Tripterygium wilfordii and used in traditional Chinese medicine, sensitizes lung cancer but not normal human bronchial epithelial cells to Apo2L/TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Sensitization was accompanied by caspase-3 and caspase-8 activation, whereas no cleavage of caspase-9 was observed. Determination of cell surface receptors by flow cytometry demonstrated no difference in Apo2L/TRAIL-R1 and -R2 expression, the two receptors with functional death domains, between resistant and sensitized cells. In cells treated with the combination of Apo2L/TRAIL and PG490, we observed activation of ERK2, a member of the mitogen-activated protein kinase family. Furthermore, sensitization could be blocked by the ERK inhibitor U0126 but not the p38 inhibitor SB203580, suggesting that activation of ERK2 is required for this effect. In addition, sensitization of lung cancer cells was also seen in ex vivo culture of lung cancer tissue from four patients who underwent surgery. Immunohistochemical staining showed a clear reduction in proliferation cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in tissue treated with Apo2L/TRAIL and PG490. In conclusion, apoptosis induced by the combination of Apo2L/TRAIL and PG490 warrants further evaluation as a potential new strategy for the treatment of lung cancer.
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PMID:PG490-mediated sensitization of lung cancer cells to Apo2L/TRAIL-induced apoptosis requires activation of ERK2. 1293 2

Ginseng (the root of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer, Araliaceae) has been used as a crude drug taken orally for preventive and therapeutic purposes in Asian countries as a traditional medicine. In the current study, we have investigated the antitumor effect of a novel ginseng protopanaxadiol saponin bacterial metabolic derivative, 20-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-20(S)-protopanaxadiol (IH-901), in eight human myeloma cell lines. IH-901 inhibited the proliferation of all myeloma cell lines examined. Despite the fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) overexpression due to a chromosomal translocation t(4;14)(q16.3;q32.3) in KMS-11 myeloma cells, IH-901 induced apoptosis in a dose- and time-dependent way in this cell line. Treatment of KMS-11 with IH-901 resulted in the formation of internucleosomal DNA fragments, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage, and the activation of caspase-3. IH-901 also caused the down-regulation of FGFR3 mRNA and protein expression and inhibited ERK activity in KMS-11 cells. Our results demonstrate that IH-901 induces apoptosis and inhibits FGFR3 expression and signaling in KMS-11 cells, suggesting candidacy for the chemoprevention and the treatment of myeloma.
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PMID:A novel ginseng saponin metabolite induces apoptosis and down-regulates fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 in myeloma cells. 1296 89

It is believed that bisphosphonates (BPs) induce apoptosis in cells such as myeloma cells, as they inhibit prenylation of G-proteins. However, the details of the apoptosis-inducing mechanism remain obscure. In the present study, we attempted to clarify the mechanism by which YM529, a new bisphosphonate, induces apoptosis. YM529 induced cell deaths in HL60 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. At that time, we observed an increase in Caspase-3 activity and morphological fragmentation of the nuclei. We could confirm that these cell deaths were evidence of apoptosis. The apoptosis induced by YM529 was not inhibited by the addition of farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP), but was by the addition of geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP). When we examined the survival signals at the time of apoptotic induction, we also observed that the administration of YM529 caused a remarkable decrease in the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2). However, other survival signals such as nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB), protein kinase B (Akt), and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38) exhibited no change. In addition, no quantitative change was observed in Bcl-2, which is an anti-apoptosis protein. It was also observed that apoptosis was induced when U0126, an MEK inhibitor, was added to the cells to inhibit ERK. These results suggest that YM529, the new bisphosphonate, induced apoptosis when inhibit GGPP synthase and consequently decreased the levels of phosphorylated ERK, which is a survival signal; moreover, during this process, there is no influence on NF-kappaB, Akt, p38, and Bcl-2. The results of this study also suggest that YM529 can be used as an anticancer agent, in addition to its use as a therapeutic agent to treat osteoporosis.
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PMID:A new bisphosphonate, YM529 induces apoptosis in HL60 cells by decreasing phosphorylation of single survival signal ERK. 1367 34

Using morphological and molecular approaches, we characterized cisplatin-induced cell necrosis and apoptosis in rat kidney. Male Sprague-Dawley rats ( n=5 per group) received a single intraperitoneal injection of either cisplatin (5 mg/kg) or saline, and were killed on day 5. Functionally, cisplatin-treated rats developed polyuric acute renal failure. Morphologically, kidneys of cisplatin-treated rats showed overt tubular necrosis associated with apoptosis in the corticomedullary junction. Cell necrosis was segment-specific and was distributed in radial fashion at the corticomedullary junction. The apoptosis was limited to discrete cells in apparently intact tubules in the vicinity of the necrosed tubules. The apoptotic changes were confirmed by TUNEL (TdT-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling) and staining for cleaved caspase-3. Analysis of outer medullary tissue for apoptosis-related molecules by RNase protection assay revealed a significant increase in the expression of pro-apoptotic mRNAs (caspases 1, 2, and 8, and Bax) in cisplatin-treated rats. On the other hand, the expression of mRNA for the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 did not change, resulting in a decrease in relative ratio of Bcl-2/Bax, and thus favoring apoptosis. The above changes were paralleled by a marked increase in caspase-3 precursor, the executioner protease. Furthermore, these pro-apoptotic molecular changes were associated with a 3-fold increase in the activity of JNK1 in the outer medulla, but not in the cortex, of cisplatin-treated rat kidneys, localizing to the site of maximal apoptosis. Upregulation of JNK1 activity in the outer medulla was not accompanied by changes in the activities of ERK or p38 kinase. In conclusion, these data suggest that cisplatin-induced apoptotic cell death in native kidney may be mediated by cooperative activation of the JNK1 pathway and Bax in the outer medulla.
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PMID:Cellular and molecular studies on cisplatin-induced apoptotic cell death in rat kidney. 1455 73

It has been documented that polyamines play a critical role in the regulation of apoptosis in intestinal epithelial cells. We have recently reported that protection from TNF-alpha/cycloheximide (CHX)-induced apoptosis in epithelial cells depleted of polyamines is mediated through the inactivation of a proapoptotic mediator, JNK. In this study, we addressed the involvement of the MAPK pathway in the regulation of apoptosis after polyamine depletion of IEC-6 cells. Polyamine depletion by alpha-difluromethylornithine (DFMO) resulted in the sustained activation of ERK in response to TNF-alpha/CHX treatment. Pretreatment of polyamine-depleted IEC-6 cells with a cell membrane-permeable MEK1/2 inhibitor, U-0126, significantly inhibited TNF-alpha/CHX-induced ERK phosphorylation and significantly increased DNA fragmentation, JNK activity, and caspase-3 activity in response to TNF-alpha/CHX. Moreover, the dose dependency of U-0126-mediated inhibition of TNF-alpha/ CHX-induced ERK phosphorylation correlated with the reversal of the antiapoptotic effect of DFMO. IEC-6 cells expressing constitutively active MEK1 had decreased TNF-alpha/CHX-induced JNK phosphorylation and were significantly protected from apoptosis. Conversely, a dominant-negative MEK1 resulted in high basal activation of JNK, cytochrome c release, and spontaneous apoptosis. Polyamine depletion of the dominant-negative MEK1 cells did not prevent JNK activation or cytochrome c release and failed to confer protection from both TNF-alpha/CHX and camptothecin-induced apoptosis. Finally, expression of a dominant-negative mutant of JNK significantly protected IEC-6 cells from TNF-alpha/CHX-induced apoptosis. These data indicate that polyamine depletion results in the activation of ERK, which inhibits JNK activation and protects cells from apoptosis.
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PMID:Prevention of TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis in polyamine-depleted IEC-6 cells is mediated through the activation of ERK1/2. 1456 73


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