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)

Human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor fused to truncated diphtheria toxin (DT388-GM-CSF) sensitized wild-type and Bcl2-overexpressing HL60 human leukemia cells to intoxication by Ara-C based on proliferation and clonogenic assays. The toxin/drug combination showed dramatic synergistic toxicity with combination indices of < 0.1. Synergy was not seen with two other protein synthesis inhibiting drugs--ricin and cycloheximide nor with GMCSF alone. No changes in Ara-C incorporation into cellular DNA or cell cycle occupancy were seen. As compared to exposure to DT388-GM-CSF or Ara-C alone, co-treatment produced significant increases in cytosolic accumulation of cytochrome c, a higher percentage of cells with loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and an increase in reactive oxygen species and morphologic changes of apoptosis, and a greater induction of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and DNA fragmentation factor 45 (DFF45) cleavage activities of caspase 3. Co-treatment did not significantly alter Bcl2, Bcl-xL, Bax or Fas receptor (FasR), but modestly increased Fas ligand (FasL) protein. These finding suggest that co-treatment with DT388-GM-CSF may lead to a lowered apoptotic threshold and clonogenic survival of human AML blasts due to Ara-C. These observations also suggest that clinical trials of combination therapy may be warranted in patients with AML.
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PMID:Diphtheria toxin fused to granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and Ara-C exert synergistic toxicity against human AML HL-60 cells. 1037 46

Human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (hGM-CSF) induces proliferation and sustains viability of the mouse interleukin (IL)-3 dependent lymphoid cell line BA/F3 expressing the hGM-CSF receptor. Caspase-3 like enzyme activity and DNA fragmentation were augmented by depletion of this factor from the cell, and exposure to gamma irradiation accelerated kinetics of these events. Anti gamma irradiation-induced apoptosis occurred through various mutant GM-CSF receptors and only the box1 region was essential while the C terminal region, including tyrosine residues which are required for MAPK cascade activation, was dispensable. Consistent with this notion, the addition of PD98059 had no effect on this activity thereby indicating that activation of MAPK is not essential for the activity. As expected, gamma irradiation increased p53 protein and bax mRNA levels and the presence of hGM-CSF dramatically modulated bax/bcl-X(L) ratio. The PI-3K specific inhibitor wortmannin did not affect hGM-CSF dependent anti gamma irradiation induced apoptosis nor bcl-X(L) induction, thus bcl-X(L) but not PI-3K pathway seems to be involved in hGM-CSF dependent anti gamma irradiation-induced apoptosis. It is well documented that the boxl region is essential for GM-CSF dependent activation of JAK2 and JAK2 specific inhibitor AG490 suppressed anti gamma, irradiation-induced apoptosis by hGM-CSF. An artificial JAK2 activating molecule in which extracellular and the transmembrane of beta(c) fused with whole JAK2 can sustain BA/F3 cells survival and proliferation mIL-3 independently, but these cells are susceptible to gamma irradiation. Furthermore GyrB/Jak2, which can activate STAT5 but not the MAPK cascade nor survival of BA/F3 cells, also could not prevent gamma irradiation-induced apoptosis. Although JAK2 is essential for hGM-CSF dependent anti gamma irradiation-induced apoptosis, it appeared that JAK2 does not seem sufficient for the activity.
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PMID:Analysis of mechanisms involved in the prevention of gamma irradiation-induced apoptosis by hGM-CSF. 1069 27

Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) play a primary role in the initiation and propagation of inflammatory responses. PMN apoptosis is a major mechanism associated with the resolution of inflammatory reactions. Understanding mechanisms associated with PMN apoptosis will be of critical value in the development of novel pharmacological treatment strategies for local and/or systemic inflammatory disorders. The present study demonstrates that chelerythrine chloride induces human PMN to undergo rapid and synchronous progression into the apoptotic process via a PKC-independent mechanism. The appearance of the morphological features of apoptosis in chelerythrine-treated PMN is preceded by a significant upregulation in caspase-3 activity. GM-CSF (a cytokine that protects PMN in several models of PMN apoptosis) does not protect PMN from chelerythrine chloride-induced apoptosis.
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PMID:Chelerythrine chloride induces rapid polymorphonuclear leukocyte apoptosis through activation of caspase-3. 1084 34

Human GM-CSF (hGM-CSF) induces proliferation and sustains the viability of a mouse IL-3-dependent lymphoid cell line BA/F3 that expresses the functional hGM-CSF receptor (hGMR). To reveal an antiapoptotic mechanism of hGM-CSF, we analyzed various apoptotic markers of BA/F3 cells in various conditions. Within 24 hours of factor depletion, caspase 3-like, but not caspase 1-like, enzyme activity and DNA fragmentation were augmented. Analysis with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor (genistein) and an MEK1 inhibitor (PD98059) on antiapoptosis activity indicates that the activation of either the genistein-sensitive signaling pathway or the PD98059-sensitive signaling pathway of the betac subunit may be sufficient to suppress apoptosis through hGMR. Because hGMR mutants (which activate JAK2 but neither STAT5 nor the MAPK cascade) have antiapoptotic activity in BA/F3 cells, the involvement of JAK2, excluding the molecules mentioned earlier, for antiapoptosis activity seems likely. Because the JAK2 inhibitor AG-490 suppressed the antiapoptotic activity of hGM-CSF, the essential role for JAK2 activation to maintain the viability is considered. Interestingly, hGMR mutants, which lack MAPK cascade activation, require a higher dose of hGM-CSF than that for wild-type hGMR. Because the expression level and affinity to hGM-CSF among wild-type hGMR and mutant hGMR are the same, we speculated that biologic response is determined by a combination of strength of various signaling events.
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PMID:Analysis of antiapoptosis activity of human GM-CSF receptor. 1088 29

Metallothioneins (MTs) are major zinc binding proteins in the CNS that could be involved in the control of zinc metabolism as well as in protection against oxidative stress. Mice lacking MT-I and MT-II (MT-I + II deficient) because of targeted gene inactivation were injected with kainic acid (KA), a potent convulsive agent, to examine the neurobiological importance of these MT isoforms. At 35 mg/kg KA, MT-I + II deficient male mice showed a higher number of convulsions and a longer convulsion time than control mice. Three days later, KA-injected mice showed gliosis and neuronal injury in the hippocampus. MT-I + II deficiency decreased both astrogliosis and microgliosis and potentiated neuronal injury and apoptosis as shown by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated in situ end labelling (TUNEL), detection of single stranded DNA (ssDNA) and by increased interleukin-1beta-converting enzyme (ICE) and caspase-3 levels. Histochemically reactive zinc in the hippocampus was increased by KA to a greater extent in MT-I + II-deficient compared with control mice. KA-induced seizures also caused increased oxidative stress, as suggested by the malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein tyrosine nitration (NITT) levels and by the expression of MT-I + II, nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB), and Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD). MT-I + II deficiency potentiated the oxidative stress caused by KA. Both KA and MT-I + II deficiency significantly affected the expression of MT-III, granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and its receptor (GM-CSFr). The present results indicate MT-I + II as important for neuron survival during KA-induced seizures, and suggest that both impaired zinc regulation and compromised antioxidant activity contribute to the observed neuropathology of the MT-I + II-deficient mice.
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PMID:Enhanced seizures and hippocampal neurodegeneration following kainic acid-induced seizures in metallothionein-I + II-deficient mice. 1094 10

The plant lectin Viscum album agglutinin-I (VAA-I) was recently found to modulate protein synthesis and to induce apoptosis in various cells of immune origin. We found that VAA-I induces de novo protein synthesis of metabolically 35S-labeled human neutrophils when used at low concentrations (< 100 ng/mL) but acts as an inhibitor at higher concentrations. Using both flow cytometry (FITC-Annexin-V/PI labeling) and cytology (Diff-Quick staining) approaches, we found that VAA-I could not modulate neutrophil apoptosis at low concentrations but could induce it in >98% of cells at 500 and 1000 ng/mL. VAA-I was also found to reverse the delaying effect of GM-CSF on neutrophil apoptosis and to inhibit GM-CSF-induced de novo protein synthesis. In contrast to GM-CSF, VAA-I does not induce tyrosine phosphorylation by itself and does not alter the GM-CSF-induced response. Among the inhibitors used, genistein, pertussis toxin, staurosporine, H7, Calphostin C, manoalide, BpB, quinacrine HA-1077, and z-VAD-FMK, only the latter (inhibitor of caspases-1, -3, -4, and -7) was found to inhibit VAA-I-induced neutrophil apoptosis as the percentage of apoptotic cells decrease from 98 +/- 1.3 to 54 +/- 3.2% (n=4). Furthermore, we confirm that caspases are involved in VAA-I-induced neutrophil apoptosis as we have observed the fragmentation of the cytoskeletal gelsolin protein that is known to be caspase-3-dependent. Such degradation was reversed by the z-VAD-FMK inhibitor. We conclude that induction of neutrophil apoptosis by VAA-I is a caspase-dependent mechanism that does not involve tyrosine phosphorylation events, G-proteins, PKCs, and PLA2. In addition, we conclude that at least caspase-3 is involved. Correlation between VAA-I-induced neutrophil apoptosis and VAA-I-induced inhibition of de novo protein synthesis is discussed.
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PMID:Activation of human neutrophils by the plant lectin Viscum album agglutinin-I: modulation of de novo protein synthesis and evidence that caspases are involved in induction of apoptosis. 1112 52

Resolving inflammation is a vital step in preventing the persistence of inflammatory disorders. Neutrophils play a major role in tissue damage associated with an inflammatory response. Their death by apoptosis is central to the final resolution of this response. Thiol depletion with diethylmaleate (DEM) or diamide represent important triggers for neutrophil apoptosis. The mechanism by which this process occurs remains unknown. The apoptotic cascade is associated with a number of cellular changes, including caspase activation and mitochondrial permeability. The aims of this study were to determine the role of mitochondrial permeability and the caspase cascade in thiol depletion-induced neutrophil apoptosis. Total cellular glutathione was reduced by DEM and diamide. This reduction was associated with neutrophil apoptosis and an increase in caspase 3 activity. The effects of DEM were blocked by the caspase 3 inhibitor, Z-DEVD-FMK. Mitochondrial permeability that occurred was also increased during this induction of apoptosis. Bongkrekic acid, a mitochondrial membrane stabilizer, inhibited DEM-induced apoptosis. The inhibitors' effects of LPS or GM-CSF on spontaneous neutrophil apoptosis was reversed by DEM, which was mediated by an increase in caspase 3 activity and independent of mitochondrial disruption. Caspase activation is an important step in glutathione depletion-induced apoptosis in resting and inflammatory neutrophils. Regulation of caspase activity may represent a possible target to trigger apoptosis and resolve inflammatory disorders.
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PMID:Glutathione depletion-induced neutrophil apoptosis is caspase 3 dependent. 1113 9

Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) are major signaling molecules activated in human neutrophils stimulated by cytokines. Both molecules were cleaved at the N-terminal portion in neutrophils undergoing apoptosis induced by in vitro culture alone or treatment with TNF and/or cycloheximide. The cleavage of both molecules was inhibited by G-CSF and benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethylketone, a caspase inhibitor, both of which can inhibit neutrophil apoptosis. In a cell-free system, ERK and p38 MAPK were not cleaved by recombinant caspase-3 or caspase-8 while gelsolin was cleaved by caspase-3 under the same condition. The cleavage of both molecules appears to be specific to mature neutrophils, since it was not detected in immature cells (HL-60 and Jurkat) undergoing apoptosis, indicating that proteases responsible for the cleavage of both molecules may develop during differentiation into mature neutrophils. Concomitant with the cleavage of ERK and p38 MAPK, GM-CSF- and TNF-induced superoxide release, adherence, and phosphorylation of ERK and p38 MAPK were decreased in neutrophils undergoing apoptosis. In addition, GM-CSF- and TNF-induced superoxide release and adherence were inhibited by PD98059 MAPK/ERK kinase inhibitor) as well as SB203580 (p38 MAPK inhibitor), suggesting possible involvement of ERK and p38 MAPK in superoxide release and adherence induced by these cytokines. These findings indicate that ERK and p38 MAPK are cleaved and degraded in neutrophils undergoing apoptosis in a caspase-dependent manner and the cleavage of both molecules may be partly responsible for decreased functional responsiveness to inflammatory cytokines.
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PMID:Cleavage of mitogen-activated protein kinases in human neutrophils undergoing apoptosis: role in decreased responsiveness to inflammatory cytokines. 1114

Bacterial superinfections are an important cause of morbidity and mortality during influenza A virus (IAV) epidemics. We demonstrate that incubation with the combination of IAV and Streptococcus pneumoniae caused marked reductions in survival of neutrophils in vitro compared with treatment with control buffer or IAV or S. pneumoniae alone. This cooperative effect was in part mediated by acceleration of neutrophil apoptosis as evidenced by increases in annexin-V binding and caspase-3 activation. However, GM-CSF did not increase survival of neutrophils exposed to IAV and S. pneumoniae. IAV enhanced neutrophil uptake of S. pneumoniae significantly. Furthermore, the combination of IAV and S. pneumoniae caused significantly more hydrogen peroxide production than IAV or S. pneumoniae alone. This increased respiratory burst activity contributed to the diminished neutrophil survival caused by IAV and S. pneumoniae. The NADPH oxidase inhibitor, diphenyleneiodonium, significantly improved survival of neutrophils treated with IAV and S. pneumoniae. These findings may help to explain the increased susceptibility of IAV-infected patients to infections with S. pneumoniae.
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PMID:Neutrophil survival is markedly reduced by incubation with influenza virus and Streptococcus pneumoniae: role of respiratory burst. 1120 67

Salmonella species represent a leading cause of gastroenteritis worldwide. More recently, they have been proposed as putative vaccine delivery vehicles in humans. Oral infection with Salmonella leads to invasion of the intestinal epithelial barrier and subsequent interaction with mucosal macrophages. In this study, we investigated the fate of Salmonella typhimurium-infected human macrophages differentiated from blood monocytes by GM-CSF. Wild type S. typhimurium strain SL1344 induced macrophage surface blebbing and caused the release of host cytoplasmic lactate dehydrogenase beginning 30 min post-infection. Three hours later more than 80% of the macrophages in the culture were killed. In contrast, during the same period, macrophages infected with the non-invasive S. typhimurium strain BJ66 remained viable. Chromatin fragmentation is a hallmark of cells undergoing apoptosis. Using TUNEL analysis, we observed chromatin fragmentation in macrophages infected with SL1344 but not in BJ66 infected cells. Consistent with this observation, we found that pretreatment of human macrophages with an inhibitor of caspase-3, a member of the pro-apoptotic enzyme family shown to be involved in S. typhimurium-induced killing of mouse macrophages, reduced SL1344-mediated cytotoxicity by 40%. Our study provides the first evidence that invasive S. typhimurium induces apoptosis in human macrophages that were differentiated from blood monocytes by GM-CSF, and that cell death is a caspase-dependent phenomenon.
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PMID:Salmonella typhimurium induces apoptosis in human monocyte-derived macrophages. 1122 Jun 87


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