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 effects of Dox (Dox), paclitaxel (Taxol), and serum starvation on the regulation of XIAP (X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis), Bcl-2 phosphorylation, and apoptosis were evaluated in human H460 non-small cell lung cancer cells. Protein kinases that responded to these treatments as prosurvival elements in signal transduction were identified by simultaneously screening phosphorylation of protein kinases in H460 cells cultured in serum-free medium or treated with Dox. We demonstrated that Dox and Taxol induced apoptosis through down-regulation of XIAP and phosphorylation of Bcl-2 in a concentration-dependent manner without changing expression of Bcl-xL in H460 cells. These effects were paralleled by activation of caspase-3 and cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase protein. We identified that serum starvation and Dox reduced phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) kinase (MEK), protein kinase C (PKC) alpha/beta and c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase. The MEK-specific inhibitor U0126 or PKC inhibitor staurosporine (STP) also down-regulated XIAP expression and induced apoptosis. Thus, our data suggest that apoptosis and down-regulation of XIAP induced by Dox exposure or serum starvation may be mediated through inactivation of the MEK/ERK and PKCalpha/beta pathways. In support of this we demonstrated that the cytotoxic effects of Dox when combined with U0126 or STP were enhanced, i.e., synergistic cytotoxic activities were demonstrated. The synergistic interaction of U0126 or STP with Dox was sequence- and concentration-dependent.
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PMID:Inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase enhances chemotherapeutic effects on H460 human non-small cell lung cancer cells through activation of apoptosis. 1288 37

Cruciferous vegetable-derived isothiocyanates (ITCs; chemical structure: R-N=C=S) are highly effective in affording protection against chemically induced cancers in animal models. Here, we studied the antitumor effects of benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC; Ph-CH2-N=C=S), the predominant ITC compound in broccoli, on head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cell lines. Proliferation, apoptosis and immunoblotting assays were used to determine the effects and mechanism of several ITCs on HNSCC cells. The IC50 for BITC (24 h treatment) in two of the HNSCC cell lines was approximately 22 and 17 micro M, respectively. Interestingly, phenyl isothiocyanate (PITC; Ph-N=C=S), which is a close structural analog of BITC but lacks a -CH2- spacer that links the aromatic ring to N=C=S moiety, did not result in significant killing of the HNSCC cells in this dose range. BITC (but not PITC) caused activation of caspase 3 and PARP cleavage. Within 20 min of treatment, BITC (but not PITC) induced a rapid activation of p38 MAPK. In addition, BITC (but not PITC) treatment resulted in the activation of p44/42 MAPK. Co-treatment with a specific p38 MAPK inhibitor, SB203580, or an inhibitor of the MEK/MAPK pathway, U0126, partially rescued cells from BITC-induced killing. Our results show that minor structural differences in ITCs can be crucial for the antiproliferative activity of ITCs and that BITC may be a promising chemopreventive as well as therapeutic agent in HNSCC.
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PMID:Requirement of a carbon spacer in benzyl isothiocyanate-mediated cytotoxicity and MAPK activation in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. 1289 7

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

Vitamin D-binding protein-macrophage-activating factor (DBP-maf) is derived from serum vitamin D binding protein (DBP) by selective deglycosylation during inflammation. In the present study, we investigated the effect of DBP-maf on RAW 264.7 macrophages and the underlying intracellular signal transduction pathways. DBP-maf increased proapoptotic caspase-3, -8, and -9 activities and induced apoptosis in RAW 264.7 cells. However, DBP, the precursor to DBP-maf did not induce apoptosis in these cells. Cell cycle analysis of DBP-maf-treated RAW 264.7 cells revealed growth arrest with accumulation of cells in sub-G(0)/G(1) phase. We also investigated the role of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways in the DBP-maf-induced apoptosis of RAW264.7 cells. DBP-maf increased the phosphorylation of p38 and JNK1/2, while it decreased the ERK1/2 phosphorylation. Treatment with the p38 MAPK inhibitor, SB202190, attenuated DBP-maf-induced apoptosis. PD98059, a MEK specific inhibitor, did not show a significant inhibition of apoptosis induced by DBP-maf. Taken together, these results suggest that the p38 MAPK pathway plays a crucial role in DBP-maf-mediated apoptosis of macrophages. Our studies indicate that, during inflammation DBP-maf may function positively by causing death of the macrophages when activated macrophages are no longer needed at the site of inflammation. In summary, we report for the first time that DBP-maf induces apoptosis in macrophages via p38 and JNK1/2 pathway.
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PMID:Mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway mediates DBP-maf-induced apoptosis in RAW 264.7 macrophages. 1293 59

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

Retinoids have great potential in the areas of cancer therapy and chemoprevention. 6-[3-(1-admantyl)]-4-hydroxyphenyl]-2-naphthalene carboxylic acid (CD437) is a conformationally restricted synthetic retinoid that has been reported to induce growth arrest and apoptosis in ovarian tumor cell lines but the entire mechanism for apoptotic induction has not been fully defined. We set out to identify the early events of CD437-induced apoptosis of the CA-OV-3 cell line and determine if these occur in a CA-OV-3 cell line resistant to CD437 (CA-CD437R). Using inhibitors for the MAP kinase cascade, we determined that MEK and p38 inhibitors could block CD437-induced apoptosis of the CA-OV-3 cell line. Moreover, treatment of CA-OV-3 and CA-CD437R cells with CD437 resulted in increased phosphorylation and activity of p38 independent of caspase-3 activation. Furthermore, p38 induced the phosphorylation of MEF2 in both CA-OV-3 and CA-CD437R cells after CD437 treatment. Finally, GFP-TR3 protein translocated to the cytosol and associated with mitochondria in both cell lines in response to CD437 treatment. This leads to depolarization of mitochondria and subsequent induction of apoptosis only in CA-OV-3 cells. These results identify a number of initial molecular events in the induction of apoptosis by CD437 in CA-OV-3 cells and demonstrate that the alteration in CA-CD437R cells, which results in resistance to CD437 maps downstream of these early events after TR3 translocation but prior to mitochondrial depolarization.
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PMID:Early events in the induction of apoptosis in ovarian carcinoma cells by CD437: activation of the p38 MAP kinase signal pathway. 1450 18

Since ethacrynic acid (EA), an SH modifier as well as glutathione S-transferase (GST) inhibitor, has been suggested to induce apoptosis in some cell lines, its effects on a human colon cancer cell line DLD-1 were examined. EA enhanced cell proliferation at 20-40 microM, while it caused cell death at 60-100 microM. Caspase inhibitors did not block cell death and DNA ladder formation was not detected. Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, however, was cleaved into an 82-kDa fragment, different from an 85-kDa fragment that is specific for apoptosisis. The 82-kDa fragment was not recognized by antibody against PARP fragment cleaved by caspase 3. N-Acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) completely inhibited EA-induced cell death, but 3(2)-t-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole or pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate ammonium salt did not. Glutathione (GSH) levels were dose-dependently increased in cells treated with EA and this increase was hardly affected by NAC addition. Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase (MEK) 1, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1 and GST P1-1 were increased in cells treated with 25-75 microM EA, while c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) 1 and p38 MAPK were markedly decreased by 100 microM EA. NAC repressed EA-induced alterations in these MAPKs and GST P1-1. p38 MAPK inhibitors, SB203580 and FR167653, dose-dependently enhanced EA-induced cell death. An MEK inhibitor, U0126, did not affect EA-induced cell death. These studies revealed that EA induced cell death concomitantly with a novel PARP fragmentation, but without DNA fragmentation. p38 MAPK was suggested to play an inhibitory role in EA-induced cell death.
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PMID:Characterization of cell death induced by ethacrynic acid in a human colon cancer cell line DLD-1 and suppression by N-acetyl-L-cysteine. 1455 62

Nitric oxide(NO) induces apoptosis in human osteoblasts. Treatment with exogenous NO donors, SNAP (S-Nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine) and SNP (sodium nitroprusside), to MG-63 osteoblasts resulted in apoptotic morphological changes, as shown by a bright blue-fluorescent condensed nuclei and chromatin fragmentation by fluorescence microscope of Hoechst 33258-staining. The activities of caspase-9 and the subsequent caspase-3-like cysteine proteases were increased during NO-induced cell death. Pretreatment with Z-VAD-FMK (a pan-caspase inhibitor) or Ac-DEVD-CHO (a specific caspase-3 inhibitor) abrogated the NO-induced cell death. The NO donor markedly activated JNK, a stress-activated protein kinase in the human osteoblasts. This study showed that the inhibition of the JNK pathway markedly reduced NO-induced cell death. But neither PD98059 (MEK inhibitor) nor SB203580 (p38 MAPK inhibitor) had any effect on NO-induced death. Taken together, these results suggest that JNK/SAPK may be related to NO-induced apoptosis in MG-63 human osteoblasts.
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PMID:JNK/SAPK is required in nitric oxide-induced apoptosis in osteoblasts. 1466 60

Dietary phytochemicals have been shown to be protective against various types of cancers. However, the precise underlying protective mechanisms are poorly understood. In the present study, we report that treatment of A549 cells with quercetin resulted in a dose-dependent reduction in cell viability and DNA synthesis with the rate of apoptosis equivalent to 1.2 +/- 0.8, 6.3 +/- 0.9, 16.5 +/- 1.5, 36.4 +/- 2.6 and 42.5 +/- 5.8% on treatment with 0.1% dimethylsulfoxide, 14.5, 29.0, 43.5 and 58.0 micro M quercetin, respectively. Concomitantly, quercetin treatments led to a 1.1-, 1.1-, 2.5- and 3.5-fold increase in Bax. Similar elevations were also observed in Bad, which increased 1.1-, 2.1-, 2.2- and 2.3-fold, respectively, as compared with control. While Bcl-2 was decreased by 30%, Bcl-x(L) was elevated in a dose-dependent fashion. Quercetin also induced the cleavage of caspase-3, caspase-7 and PARP (poly ADP-ribose polymerase). While Akt-1 and phosphorylated Akt-1 were inhibited, the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) was phosphorylated following quercetin treatment in a dose-dependent fashion. Phosphorylation of ERK and c-Jun occurred at 3 h and was sustained over 14 h. Phosphorylation of MEK1/2 was increased in concordance with ERK activation. Quercetin-induced phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and cleavage of caspase-3 occurred 6 h after quercetin exposure and before cleavage of caspase-7 and PARP was detected. Inhibition of MEK1/2 but not PI-3 kinase, p38 kinase or JNK abolished quercetin-induced phosphorylation of c-Jun, cleavage of caspase-3 and -7, cleavage of PARP and apoptosis. Inhibition of caspase activation completely blocked quercetin-induced apoptosis. Expression of constitutively activated MEK1 in A549 cells led to activation of caspase-3 and apoptosis. The results suggest that in addition to inactivation of Akt-1 and alteration in the expression of the Bcl-2 family of proteins, activation of MEK-ERK is required for quercetin-induced apoptosis in A549 lung carcinoma cells.
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PMID:The role of activated MEK-ERK pathway in quercetin-induced growth inhibition and apoptosis in A549 lung cancer cells. 1468 22

To study the effect of growth factors on iatrogenic apoptosis, we examined the influence of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) on staurosporine-induced apoptosis in primary cultures of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). Apoptosis was evaluated by a cell viability test, the TUNEL-POD assay and the activation of the pro-apoptotic caspase-3. Staurosporine (10-100nM) caused the activation of caspase-3. This effect was manifest after 2hr of incubation and reached its maximum after 5hr. Severe loss of viability followed within 18hr. VEGF or EGF (10-100ng/mL) added together with staurosporine decreased the activation of caspase-3. The loss of viability was 24hr delayed. The action of growth factors was observed at 1% serum concentration but also at concentration optimal for HUVEC survival (10%, v/v). Furthermore, the inhibition of PI-3 kinase (PI-3K) by wortmannin or LY294002 as well as the inhibition of MEK by PD098059 or U0126 prevented the protective effect of VEGF and EGF. Western blotting analysis showed that after 3hr of incubation with staurosporine the level of the anti-apoptotic protein Mcl-1 decreased and this effect was reverted by VEGF. It is concluded that VEGF and EGF antagonize the pro-apoptotic action of staurosporine by the combined signalling of PI-3K and ERKs pathways.
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PMID:Effect of vascular endothelial growth factor and epidermal growth factor on iatrogenic apoptosis in human endothelial cells. 1469 40


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