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

Expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2), an inducible enzyme responsible for the production of prostaglandins from arachidonic acid, is elevated in human prostate tumor samples. The aim of this study was to investigate whether expression of Cox-2 is effective against prostate cancer cell apoptosis triggered by sanguinarine, the quaternary benzophenanthridine alkaloid with antineoplastic properties. Sanguinarine effectively induced apoptosis in LNCaP human prostate cancer epithelial cells as assessed by caspase-3 activation assay, Annexin V staining assay, or by visual analysis for the apoptotic morphology changes. Sanguinarine-mediated apoptosis was associated with the increase of nitric oxide (NO) formation in prostate cancer cells as assessed by measurements of nitrites with Sievers nitric oxide analyzer as well as flow cytometry analysis using NO fluorescent sensor. Activation of NO synthase (NOS) activity was crucial for sanguinarine-induced cell death because NOS inhibitor L-NMMA efficiently protected cells from apoptosis. Adenovirus-mediated transfer of Cox-2 into LNCaP cells inhibited sanguinarine-induced apoptosis and prevented an increase in NO production. Surprisingly, NO donors failed to induce apoptosis in LNCaP cells, suggesting that constitutive NO generation is not sufficient for triggering apoptosis in these cells. Besides NO generation, NOS is also capable of producing superoxide radicals. Sanguinarine-induced production of superoxide radicals, and the addition of MnTBAP, a scavenger of superoxide radicals, efficiently inhibited sanguinarine-mediated apoptosis. These results suggest that Cox-2 expression rescues prostate cancer cells from sanguinarine-induced apoptosis by a mechanism involving inhibition of NOS activity, and that coadministration of Cox-2 inhibitors with sanguinarine may be developed as a strategy for the management of prostate cancer.
 ...
PMID:Cyclooxygenase 2 rescues LNCaP prostate cancer cells from sanguinarine-induced apoptosis by a mechanism involving inhibition of nitric oxide synthase activity. 1658 99

Eugenol, a natural constituent of a number of aromatic plants and their essential oil fractions, has several biological effects. However, its protective effects against endothelial injury remain unclarified. This study investigates how eugenol affects human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) dysfunction mediated by oxidized low density lipoprotein (oxLDL). Our results showed that the suppression of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) expression, enhancement of adhesion molecules (ICAM, VCAM, and E-selectin) expression, and adherence of monocytic THP1 cells caused by a non-cytotoxic concentration (100 microg/ml) of oxLDL were ameliorated following a eugenol treatment (12.5-100 microM) in HUVECs. Eugneol also inhibited the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, intracellular calcium accumulation, and the subsequent mitochondrial membrane potential collapse, cytochrome c release and caspase-3 activation induced by oxLDL. The cytotoxicity and apoptotic features induced by a cytotoxic concentration (200 microg/ml) of oxLDL was also attenuated by eugenol. Our results suggest that eugenol may protect against the oxLDL-induced dysfunction in endothelial cells.
 ...
PMID:Protective effects of eugenol against oxidized LDL-induced cytotoxicity and adhesion molecule expression in endothelial cells. 1676 75

Alzheimer's disease is characterized by two primary pathological features: amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. The interconnection between amyloid and tau aggregates is of intense interest, but mouse models have yet to reveal a direct interrelationship. We now show that NO may be a key factor that connects amyloid and tau pathologies. Genetic removal of NO synthase 2 in mice expressing mutated amyloid precursor protein results in pathological hyperphosphorylation of mouse tau, its redistribution to the somatodendritic compartment in cortical and hippocampal neurons, and aggregate formation. Lack of NO synthase 2 in the amyloid precursor protein Swedish mutant mouse increased insoluble beta-amyloid peptide levels, neuronal degeneration, caspase-3 activation, and tau cleavage, suggesting that NO acts at a junction point between beta-amyloid peptides, caspase activation, and tau aggregation.
 ...
PMID:NO synthase 2 (NOS2) deletion promotes multiple pathologies in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. 1690 60

A major characteristic of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is insulin resistance in skeletal muscle. A growing body of evidence indicates that oxidative stress that results from increased production of reactive oxygen species and/or reactive nitrogen species leads to insulin resistance, tissue damage, and other complications observed in T2DM. It has been suggested that muscular free fatty acid accumulation might be responsible for the mitochondrial dysfunction and insulin resistance seen in T2DM, although the mechanisms by which increased levels of free fatty acid lead to insulin resistance are not well understood. To help resolve this situation, we report that saturated fatty acid palmitate stimulated the expression of inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase and the production of reactive oxygen species and NO in L6 myotubes. Additionally, palmitate caused a significant dose-dependent increase in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage and a subsequent decrease in L6 myotube viability and ATP levels at concentrations as low as 0.5 mM. Furthermore, palmitate induced apoptosis, which was detected by DNA fragmentation, caspase-3 cleavage, and cytochrome c release. N-acetyl cysteine, a precursor compound for glutathione formation, aminoguanidine, an inducible NO synthase inhibitor, and 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-sulphonatophenyl) porphyrinato iron (III), a peroxynitrite inhibitor, all prevented palmitate-induced mtDNA damage and diminished palmitate-induced cytotoxicity. We conclude that exposure of L6 myotubes to palmitate induced mtDNA damage and triggered mitochondrial dysfunction, which caused apoptosis. Additionally, our findings indicate that palmitate-induced mtDNA damage and cytotoxicity in skeletal muscle cells were caused by overproduction of peroxynitrite.
 ...
PMID:Palmitate induced mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid damage and apoptosis in l6 rat skeletal muscle cells. 1702 29

Cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinases protein kinase G (PKG) Ialpha and PKGIbeta are major mediators of cGMP signaling in the cardiovascular system. PKGIalpha is present in the heart, although its role in protection against ischemia/reperfusion injury is not known. We investigated the direct effect of PKGIalpha against necrosis and apoptosis following simulated ischemia (SI) and reoxygenation (RO) in cardiomyocytes. Adult rat cardiomyocytes were infected with adenoviral vectors containing hPKGIalpha or catalytically inactive mutant hPKGIalphaK390A. After 24 h, the cells were subjected to 90 min of SI and 2 h RO for necrosis (trypan blue exclusion and lactate dehydrogenase release) or 18 h RO for apoptosis studies. To evaluate the role of K(ATP) channels, subgroups of cells were treated with 5-hydroxydecanoate (100 microm), HMR1098 (30 microm), or glibenclamide (50 microm), the respective blockers of mitochondrial, sarcolemmal, or both types of K(ATP) channels prior to SI. The necrosis observed in 33.7 +/- 1.6% of total myocytes in the SI-RO control group was reduced to 18.6 +/- 0.8% by PKGIalpha (mean +/- S.E., n = 7, p < 0.001). The apoptosis observed in 17.9 +/- 1.3% of total myocytes in the SI-RO control group was reduced to 6.0 +/- 0.6% by PKGIalpha (mean +/- S.E., n = 7, p < 0.001). In addition, PKGIalpha inhibited the activation of caspase-3 after SI-RO in myocytes. Myocytes infected with the inactive PKGIalphaK390A mutant showed no protection. PKGIalpha enhanced phosphorylation of Akt, ERK1/2, and JNK, increased Bcl-2, inducible nitric-oxide synthase, endothelial nitric-oxide synthase, and decreased Bax expression. 5-Hydroxydecanoate and glibenclamide abolished PKGIalpha-mediated protection against necrosis and apoptosis. However, HMR1098, had no effect. A scavenger of reactive oxygen species, as well as inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, ERK, JNK1, and NOS, also blocked PKGIalpha-mediated protection against necrosis and apoptosis. These results show that opening of mitochondrial K(ATP) channels and generation of reactive oxygen species, in association with phosphorylation of Akt, ERK, and JNK, and increased expression of NOS and Bcl-2, play an essential role in the protective effect of PKGIalpha.
 ...
PMID:Cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase Ialpha attenuates necrosis and apoptosis following ischemia/reoxygenation in adult cardiomyocyte. 1703 26

The regulatory role of regucalcin on cell responses for tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) or transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) was investigated using the cloned normal rat kidney proximal tubular epithelial NRK52E cells overexpressing regucalcin. NRK52E cells (wild type) and stable regucalcin (RC)/pCXN2-transfected cells (transfectant) were cultured for 72 h in a medium containing 5% bovine serum (BS) to obtain subconfluent monolayers. After culture, cells were further cultured for 24-72 h in medium without BS containing either vehicle, TNF-alpha (0.1 or 1.0 ng/ml of medium), or TGF-beta1 (1.0 or 5.0 ng/ml). Culture with TNF-alpha or TGF-beta1 caused a significant decrease in the number of wild-type cells. This decrease was significantly prevented in transfectants overexpressing regucalcin. Agarose gel electrophoresis showed the presence of low-molecular-weight deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fragments of adherent wild-type cells cultured with TNF-alpha (1.0 ng/ml) or TGF-beta1 (5.0 ng/ml). This DNA fragmentation was significantly suppressed in transfectants. TNF-alpha- or TGF-beta1-induced cell death was significantly prevented in culture with caspase-3 inhibitor (10(-8) M). Nitric oxide (NO) synthase activity in wild-type cells was significantly increased by addition of calcium chloride (10 microM) and calmodulin (5 microg/ml) into the enzyme reaction mixture. This increase was significantly suppressed in transfectants. Culture with TNF-alpha caused a significant increase in NO synthase activity in wild-type cells. The effect of TNF-alpha was not seen in transfectants. Culture with TGF-beta1 did not cause a significant increase in NO synthase activity in wild-type cells and transfectants. Culture with TNF-alpha or TGF-beta1 caused a remarkable increase in alpha-smooth muscle actin in wild-type cells. This increase was significantly prevented in transfectants. The expression of Smad 2 or NF-kappaB mRNAs was significantly increased in transfectants as compared with that of wild-type cells. Smad 3 or glyceroaldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PDH) mRNA expression was not significantly changed in transfectants. NF-kappaB mRNA expression in wild-type cells was significantly increased with culture of TNF-alpha. Smad 2 mRNA expression was significantly enhanced in wild-type cells cultured with TGF-beta1. These effects of TNF-alpha or TGF-beta1 were not significantly enhanced in transfectants. This study demonstrates that overexpression of regucalcin has suppressive effects on cell responses which are mediated through intracellular signaling pathways of TNF-alpha or TGF-beta1 in kidney NRK52E cells.
 ...
PMID:Overexpression of regucalcin suppresses cell response for tumor necrosis factor-alpha or transforming growth factor-beta1 in cloned normal rat kidney proximal tubular epithelial NRK52E cells. 1706 80

The cellular and molecular basis of brain stem death remains an enigma. As the origin of a "life-and-death" signal that reflects the progression toward brain stem death, the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) is a suitable neural substrate for mechanistic delineation of this phenomenon. Here, we evaluated the hypothesis that heat shock proteins (HSPs) play a neuroprotective role in the RVLM during brain stem death and delineated the underlying mechanisms, using a clinically relevant animal model that employed the organophosphate pesticide mevinphos (Mev) as the experimental insult. In Sprague-Dawley rats, proteomic, Western blot, and real-time PCR analyses demonstrated that Mev induced de novo synthesis of HSP60 or HSP70 in the RVLM without affecting HSP90 level. Loss-of-function manipulations of HSP60 or HSP70 in the RVLM using anti-serum or antisense oligonucleotide potentiated Mev-elicited cardiovascular depression alongside reduced nitric-oxide synthase (NOS) I/protein kinase G signaling, enhanced NOS II/peroxynitrite cascade, intensified nucleosomal DNA fragmentation, elevated cytoplasmic histone-associated DNA fragments or activated caspase-3, and augmented the cytochrome c/caspase-3 cascade of apoptotic signaling in the RVLM. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments further revealed a progressive increase in the complex formed between HSP60 and mitochondrial or cytosolic Bax or mitochondrial Bcl-2 during Mev intoxication, alongside a dissociation of the cytosolic HSP60-Bcl-2 complex. We conclude that HSP60 and HSP70 confer neuroprotection against Mev intoxication by ameliorating cardiovascular depression via an anti-apoptotic action in the RVLM. The possible underlying intracellular processes include enhancing NOS I/protein kinase G signaling and inhibiting the NOS II/peroxynitrite cascade. In addition, HSP60 exerts its effects against apoptosis by blunting Mev-induced activation of the Bax/cytochrome c/caspase-3 cascade.
 ...
PMID:Heat shock protein 60 or 70 activates nitric-oxide synthase (NOS) I- and inhibits NOS II-associated signaling and depresses the mitochondrial apoptotic cascade during brain stem death. 1715 Sep 54

Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) is a product of high-temperature combustion and an environmental oxidant of concern. We have recently reported that early changes in NO2-exposed human bronchial epithelial cells are causally linked to increased generation of proinflammatory mediators, such as nitric oxide/nitrite and cytokines like interleukin (IL)-1beta, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and IL-8. The objective of the present in vitro study was to further delineate the cellular mechanisms of NO2-mediated toxicity, and to define the nature of cell death that ensues upon exposure of normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cells to a brief high dose of NO2. Our results demonstrate that the NHBE cells undergo apoptotic cell death during the early post-NO2 period, but this is independent of any significant increase in caspase-3 activity. However, necrotic cell death was more prevalent at later time intervals. Interestingly, an increased expression of HO-1, a redox-sensitive stress protein, was observed in NO2-exposed NHBE cells at 24 h. Since neutrophils (PMNs) play an active role in acute lung inflammation and resultant oxidative injury, we also investigated changes in human PMN-NHBE cell interactions. As compared to normal cells, increased adhesion of PMNs to NO2-exposed cells was observed, which resulted in an increased NHBE cell death. The latter was also increased in the presence of IL-8 and TNF-alpha + interferon (IFN)-gamma, which correlated with upregulation of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1). Our results confirmed an involvement of nitric oxide (NO) in NO2-induced cytotoxicity. By using NO synthase inhibitors such as L-NAME and 3-aminoguanidine (AG), a significant decrease in cell death, PMN adhesion, and ICAM-1 expression was observed. These findings indicate a role for the L-arginine/NO synthase pathway in the observed NO2-mediated toxicity in NHBE cells. Therapeutic strategies aimed at controlling excess generation of NO and/or inflammatory cytokines may be useful in alleviating NO2-mediated adverse effects on the bronchial epithelium.
 ...
PMID:Effects of nitrogen dioxide on the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1, neutrophil adhesion, and cytotoxicity: studies in human bronchial epithelial cells. 1716 65

Optimal timing of therapeutic hypothermia for cardiac ischemia is unknown. Our prior work suggests that ischemia with rapid reperfusion (I/R) in cardiomyocytes can be more damaging than prolonged ischemia alone. Also, these cardiomyocytes demonstrate protein kinase C (PKC) activation and nitric oxide (NO) signaling that confer protection against I/R injury. Thus we hypothesized that hypothermia will protect most using extended ischemia and early reperfusion cooling and is mediated via PKC and NO synthase (NOS). Chick cardiomyocytes were exposed to an established model of 1-h ischemia/3-h reperfusion, and the same field of initially contracting cells was monitored for viability and NO generation. Normothermic I/R resulted in 49.7 +/- 3.4% cell death. Hypothermia induction to 25 degrees C was most protective (14.3 +/- 0.6% death, P < 0.001 vs. I/R control) when instituted during extended ischemia and early reperfusion, compared with induction after reperfusion (22.4 +/- 2.9% death). Protection was completely lost if onset of cooling was delayed by 15 min of reperfusion (45.0 +/- 8.2% death). Extended ischemia/early reperfusion cooling was associated with increased and sustained NO generation at reperfusion and decreased caspase-3 activation. The NOS inhibitor N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (200 microM) reversed these changes and abrogated hypothermia protection. In addition, the PKCepsilon inhibitor myr-PKCepsilon v1-2 (5 microM) also reversed NO production and hypothermia protection. In conclusion, therapeutic hypothermia initiated during extended ischemia/early reperfusion optimally protects cardiomyocytes from I/R injury. Such protection appears to be mediated by increased NO generation via activation of protein kinase Cepsilon; nitric oxide synthase.
 ...
PMID:Hypothermia-induced cardioprotection using extended ischemia and early reperfusion cooling. 1717 66

Vascular aging is associated with dysregulation of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha expression. TNF-alpha is a master regulator of vascular proatherogenic phenotypic changes, and it has been linked to endothelial dysfunction and apoptosis. To test the hypothesis that anti-TNF-alpha treatment exerts vasculoprotective effects in aging, aged (29 months old) F344 rats were treated with etanercept (1 mg/kg/week for 4 weeks), which binds and inactivates TNF-alpha. In aged carotid arteries, relaxations to acetylcholine were decreased, and endothelial O2* production was increased (as shown by dihydroethidine fluorescence measurements). Etanercept treatment significantly improved responses to acetylcholine and decreased vascular NAD(P)H oxidase activity and expression. In aged carotid and coronary arteries, there were increases in DNA fragmentation rate and caspase 3/7 activity (indicating an increased rate of apoptotic cell death), which were attenuated by etanercept treatment. In aged vessels, there was an up-regulation of inflammatory markers, including inducible nitric-oxide synthase and intercellular adhesion molecule-1, which was decreased by etanercept treatment. In carotid arteries of young animals, recombinant TNF-alpha elicited endothelial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and increased apoptosis and proinflammatory gene expression, mimicking many of the symptoms of vascular aging. Thus, we propose that anti-TNF-alpha treatment exerts anti-aging vasculoprotective effects.
 ...
PMID:Vasculoprotective effects of anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha treatment in aging. 1720 Feb 10


<< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next >>