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

---

Query: UNIPROT:P42574 (caspase-3)
45,978 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the principal psychoactive component of marijuana, exerts a variety of effects on the CNS, including impaired cognitive function and neurobehavioural deficits. The mechanisms underlying these neuronal responses to tetrahydrocannabinol are unclear but may involve alterations in neuronal viability. Tetrahydrocannabinol has been shown to influence neuronal survival but the role of the cannabinoid receptors in the regulation of neuronal viability has not been fully clarified. In this study we demonstrate that tetrahydrocannabinol promotes the release of cytochrome c, activates caspase-3, promotes cleavage of the DNA repair enzyme poly-ADP ribose polymerase and induces DNA fragmentation in cultured cortical neurones. These effects of tetrahydrocannabinol were completely abrogated by the CB(1) receptor antagonist AM-251. The findings of this study demonstrate that tetrahydrocannabinol induces apoptosis in cortical neurones in a manner involving the CB1 subtype of cannabinoid receptor.
...
PMID:Delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol induces the apoptotic pathway in cultured cortical neurones via activation of the CB1 receptor. 1174 22

Microvascular endothelial cell (EC) apoptosis or programmed cell death (PCD) during free radical injury may be involved in the development of cerebral ischemic and degenerative diseases. Yet, the cellular mechanisms that mediate cerebral EC injury require further definition. We therefore used the agent nicotinamide as an investigative tool in EC cultures to examine the role of free radical nitric oxide (NO)-induced PCD. EC injury was evaluated by the trypan blue dye exclusion method, DNA fragmentation, membrane phosphatidylserine (PS) exposure, cysteine protease activity, mitochondrial membrane potential, and mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation. We demonstrate that cerebrovascular PCD consists of two distinct pathways that involve the degradation of genomic DNA and the exposure of membrane PS residues. Each of these pathways is reversible in nature and is controlled independently by caspase 8, caspase 1, and caspase 3. As a cytoprotectant, nicotinamide is novel in the vascular system and functions at two levels. Nicotinamide not only maintains the mitochondrial membrane potential and the prevention of cytochrome c release, but also prevents the induction of caspase-8-, caspase-1- and caspase-3-like activities linked to the DNA repair enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase through mechanisms that are independent from the MAP kinase systems of p38 and JNK. The work begins to identify therapeutic strategies for the protection of the cerebral vasculature during both acute and chronic degenerative disorders.
...
PMID:Nicotinamide modulates mitochondrial membrane potential and cysteine protease activity during cerebral vascular endothelial cell injury. 1201 85

Deprivation of tyrosine (Tyr) and phenylalanine (Phe) inhibits growth and induces programmed cell death (apoptosis) of human A375 melanoma cells. Herein, we found that activation of caspases and release of mitochondrial cytochrome c are required for this process. Culturing A375 cells in Tyr/Phe-free medium, containing 10% dialyzed fetal bovine serum, results in activation of caspase-3-like activity. This is accompanied by decreased cell viability and increased apoptosis. Tyr/Phe deprivation also stimulates proteolytic cleavage of the DNA repair enzyme, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Western blot analysis showed that caspases 3, 7, 8, and 9 are activated by deprivation of Tyr/Phe. Tyr/Phe deprivation decreases mitochondrial membrane potential, induces cleavage of Bid, increases translocation of Bax from the cytosol to mitochondria, and results in release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria to the cytosol. Apoptosis due to Tyr/Phe deprivation is almost completely inhibited by the broad-spectrum cell-permeable caspase inhibitor, benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethyl ketone (Z.VAD.fmk). This inhibitor suppresses the cleavage of Bid, the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria to the cytosol, and the cleavage of PARP. Decylubiquinone, a mitochondrial permeability transition pore inhibitor, does not suppress the activation of caspase 8 but suppresses release of cytochrome c, activation of caspase 9, and induction of apoptosis. These results indicate that activation of caspases, cleavage of Bid, and mitochondrial release of cytochrome c are required for apoptosis induced by Tyr/Phe deprivation.
...
PMID:Activation of caspases and cleavage of Bid are required for tyrosine and phenylalanine deficiency-induced apoptosis of human A375 melanoma cells. 1206 1

Toxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as hydrogen peroxide, nitric oxide, superoxide, and the hydroxyl radical are generated in a variety of neuropathological conditions and cause significant DNA damage. We determined the effects of 3-aminobenzamide (AB), an inhibitor of the DNA repair enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), on cell death in differentiated PC12 cells, a model of sympathetic neurons, after H(2) O(2) injury. Exposure to 0.5 mm H(2) O(2) resulted in a significant decrease in intracellular NAD(H), NADP(H), and ATP levels. This injury resulted in the death of 90% of the cells with significant necrosis early (2 h) after injury and increased apoptosis (12-24 h after injury), as measured by PS exposure and the presence of cytoplasmic oligonucleosomal fragments. Treatment with 2.5 mm AB restored pyridine nucleotide and ATP levels and ameliorated cell death (65% versus 90%) by decreasing the extent of both necrosis and apoptosis. Interestingly, we observed that H(2) O(2) -induced injury caused a delayed cell death exhibiting features of apoptosis but in which caspase-3 like activity was absent. Moreover, pretreatment with AB restored caspase-3-like activity. Our results suggest that apoptosis and necrosis are both triggered by PARP overactivation, and that maintenance of cellular energy levels after injury by inhibiting PARP shifts cell death from necrosis to apoptosis.
...
PMID:Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibition prevents both apoptotic-like delayed neuronal death and necrosis after H(2)O(2) injury. 1209 61

Previous studies have shown that the liver is the first organ to display signs of injury during hemorrhagic shock. We examined the mechanism by which pyruvate can prevent liver damage during hemorrhagic shock in swine anesthetized with halothane. Thirty minutes after the induction of a 240-min controlled arterial hemorrhage targeted at 40 mmHg, hypertonic sodium pyruvate (0.5 g. kg(-1). h(-1)) was infused to achieve an arterial concentration of 5 mM. The volume and osmolality effects of pyruvate were matched with 10% saline (HTS) and 0.9% saline (NS). Although the peak hemorrhage volume increased significantly in both the pyruvate and HTS group, only the pyruvate treatment was effective in delaying cardiovascular decompensation. In addition, pyruvate effectively maintained the NADH/NAD redox state, as evidenced by increased microdialysate pyruvate levels and a significantly lower lactate-to-pyruvate ratio. Pyruvate also prevented the loss of intracellular antioxidants (GSH) and a reduction in the GSH-to-GSSG ratio. These beneficial effects on the redox environment decreased hepatic cellular death by apoptosis. Pyruvate significantly increased the ratio of Bcl-Xl (antiapoptotic molecule)/Bax (proapoptotic molecule), prevented the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria, and decreased the fragmentation of caspase 3 and poly(ADP ribose) polymerase (DNA repair enzyme). These beneficial findings indicate that pyruvate infused 30 min after the onset of severe hemorrhagic shock is effective in maintaining the redox environment, preventing the loss of the key antioxidant GSH, and decreasing early apoptosis indicators.
...
PMID:Pyruvate improves redox status and decreases indicators of hepatic apoptosis during hemorrhagic shock in swine. 1223 18

Resveratrol, an edible polyphenolic stilbene, has been reported to possess substantial antileukemic activities in different leukemia cell lines. We investigated whether resveratrol is active against fresh acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells and its mechanism of action. Because interleukin 1beta(IL-1beta) plays a key role in proliferation of AML cells, we first tested the effect of resveratrol on the AML cell lines OCIM2 and OCI/AML3, both of which produce IL-1beta and proliferate in response to it. Resveratrol inhibited proliferation of both cell lines in a dose-dependent fashion (5-75 microM) by arresting the cells at S phase, thus preventing their progression through the cell cycle; IL-1beta partially reversed this inhibitory effect. Resveratrol significantly reduced production of IL-1beta in OCIM2 cells. It also suppressed the IL-1beta-induced activation of transcription factor nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB), which modulates an array of signals controlling cellular survival, proliferation, and cytokine production. Indeed, incubation of OCIM2 cells with resveratrol resulted in apoptotic cell death. Because caspase inhibitors Ac-DEVD-CHO or z-DEVD-FMK partially reversed the antiproliferative effect of resveratrol, we tested its effect on the caspase pathway and found that resveratrol induced the activation of the cysteine protease caspase 3 and subsequent cleavage of the DNA repair enzyme poly (adenosine diphosphate [ADP]-ribose) polymerase. Finally, resveratrol suppressed colony-forming cell proliferation of fresh AML marrow cells from 5 patients with newly diagnosed AML in a dose-dependent fashion. Taken together, our data showing that resveratrol is an effective in vitro inhibitor of AML cells suggest that this compound may have a role in future therapies for AML.
...
PMID:Resveratrol blocks interleukin-1beta-induced activation of the nuclear transcription factor NF-kappaB, inhibits proliferation, causes S-phase arrest, and induces apoptosis of acute myeloid leukemia cells. 1268 43

Long-term experimental diabetes may best model the prominent and irreversible sensory deficits of chronic human diabetic polyneuropathy. Whereas irretrievable loss of sensory neurons, if present, would be an unfortunate feature of the disease, systematic unbiased counting has indicated that sensory neurons survive long-term experimental diabetes. In this study, we examined whether incipient cell loss from apoptosis in chronic experimental diabetes might nonetheless be in process, or whether neurons somehow adapt to their chronic insults. We examined sensory neurons in L4 and L5 dorsal root ganglia of long-term experimental streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats using transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL), 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining of nuclear morphology, and electron microscopic appraisal of cell morphology. None provided any evidence for ongoing apoptosis. Despite this confirmation that sensory neurons survive, neurons had elevated expression of activated caspase-3 in unique patterns that included their nuclei, cytoplasm, and proximal axonal segments. Bcl-2 expression, a marker of antiapoptosis signaling, was observed in similar numbers of diabetic and nondiabetic neurons. In contrast, diabetic sensory neurons had elevated expression of the DNA repair enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) in their nuclei, cytoplasm, and proximal axonal segments not overlapping with caspase-3 localization. Diabetic sensory neurons also had an apparent rise in cytoplasmic labeling of nitrotyrosine, a marker of peroxynitrite toxicity reported to activate PARP.
...
PMID:Sensory neurons with activated caspase-3 survive long-term experimental diabetes. 1294 77

To examine involvement of mismatch repair system in alkylation-induced apoptosis and mutagenesis, cell lines defective in the Mgmt gene encoding a DNA repair enzyme, O(6)-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase, and/or the Mlh1 gene encoding a protein involved in mismatch repair were established from gene-targeted mice. Mgmt(-/-) cells are hypersensitive to the killing effect of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) and this effect of MNU was overcome by introducing an additional mutation in the Mlh1 gene. Mgmt(-/-)Mlh1(-/-) cells are more resistant to MNU than are wild-type cells. When the human Mgmt cDNA sequence with a strong promoter was introduced, the wild-type cells acquired the same high level of resistance to MNU as that of Mgmt(-/-)Mlh1(-/-) cells. Although no apparent increase in MNU-induced mutant frequency was observed in such methyltransferase-overproducing wild-type cells, mutant frequency of Mgmt(-/-)Mlh1(-/-) cells became 10-fold higher after being treated with MNU. Mgmt(-/-)Mlh1(+/-) cells carrying approximately half the normal level of MLH1 protein showed a normal level of spontaneous mutant frequency, yet were still highly responsive to the mutagenic effect of the alkylating carcinogen. This haploinsufficient character of Mlh1 mutation was also observed in cell survival assays; Mgmt(-/-)Mlh1(+/-) cells were as resistant to MNU as were Mgmt(-/-)Mlh1(-/-) cells. While caspase-3 was induced in Mgmt(-/-)Mlh1(+/+) cells after treatment with MNU, no induction occurred in Mgmt(-/-)Mlh1(+/-) cells or in Mgmt(-/-)Mlh1(-/-) cells. The cellular content of MLH1 protein seems to be critical for determining if damaged cells enter into either a death or mutation-inducing pathway. The haploinsufficient phenotype of Mlh1-heterozygous cells may be explained by competition in heterodimer formation between MLH1 homologues.
...
PMID:Roles of MGMT and MLH1 proteins in alkylation-induced apoptosis and mutagenesis. 1367 51

Deposition of beta-amyloid protein in the brain is a neuropathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. An additional feature of this disease is an upregulation of the lysosomal system, however, the role of lysosomal proteins in the pathogenesis of this neurodegenerative condition is unclear. In this study, we demonstrate that Abeta increases activity of the lysosomal protease, cathepsin-L, and promotes a transient increase in cytosolic expression of cathepsin-L in cultured cortical neurones. The increase in cathepsin-L activity and concentration in the cytosol is evident 6 h following beta-amyloid treatment. The proclivity of beta-amyloid to induce apoptotic changes, such as activation of caspase-3, cleavage of the DNA repair enzyme, poly-ADP ribose polymerase, and DNA fragmentation, were prevented by the selective cathepsin-L inhibitor Z-FF-FMK. In contrast, beta-amyloid had no effect on expression levels or cellular distribution of cathepsin-D and the cathepsin-D inhibitor peptide failed to protect cortical neurones from beta-amyloid-induced apoptosis. Thus, the results from this study demonstrate that beta-amyloid impacts on cathepsin-L as an upstream event in the neurodegenerative process and this result highlights the potential role of lysosomal components in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease.
...
PMID:Abeta-mediated activation of the apoptotic cascade in cultured cortical neurones: a role for cathepsin-L. 1467 34

Excessive oxidative stress has been implicated in the induction of cell death in a variety of neurodegenerative diseases. In the present study, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced cell death in rat C6 glioma cells was used as a model system for studying the molecular events associated with oxidative stress-induced cell death in glial cells. We demonstrate that exposure of C6 glioma cells to H2O2 results in apoptotic cell death in a concentration-dependent manner, and caused activation of a member of the caspase-3-like family of proteases resulting in cleavage of the DNA repair enzyme poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase, PARP. Furthermore, H2O2 induced a transient activation of the transcription factor, nuclear factor kappa B (NF(Kappa)B). Pre-treatment of cells with the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine, (NAC), prevented both the activation of NF(Kappa)B and the induction of apoptosis by H2O2, suggesting a possible role for this transcription factor in oxidant-induced apoptosis in glial cells. Exposure of the cells to H2O2 led to transient activation of both c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 kinase but has no effect on extracellular regulated kinase (ERK) activity. Inhibition of p38 by SB203580 did not protect the cells against H2O2-induced apoptosis suggesting that activation of p38 is not essential for H2O2-mediated cell death in C6 glioma cells.
...
PMID:Oxidative stress induces apoptosis in C6 glioma cells: involvement of mitogen-activated protein kinases and nuclear factor kappa B. 1471 69


<< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 Next >>

---