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

Programmed cell death, or apoptosis, is inhibited by the antiapoptotic oncogene, Bcl-2, and is mediated by a cascade of aspartate-specific cysteine proteases, or caspases, related to interleukin 1-beta converting enzyme. Depending on cell type, apoptosis can be induced by treatment with thapsigargin (TG); a selective inhibitor of the endoplasmic reticulum-associated calcium-ATPase. The role of caspases in mediating TG-induced apoptosis was investigated in the Bcl-2-negative human breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-468. Apoptosis developed in MDA-MB-468 cells over a period of 24-72 h following treatment with 100 nM TG, and was prevented by Bcl-2 overexpression. TG-induced apoptosis was associated with activation of caspase-3 and was inhibited by stable expression of the baculovirus p35 protein, an inhibitor of caspase activity. Also, TG-induced apoptosis was inhibited by treating cells with Z-VAD-fmk, a cell-permeable fluoromethylketone inhibitor of caspases. These findings indicate that TG-induced apoptosis of MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells is subject to inhibition by Bcl-2 and is mediated by caspase activity. This model system should be useful for further investigation directed toward understanding the role of calcium in signaling apoptosis, and its relationship to Bcl-2 and the caspase proteolytic cascade.
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PMID:Baculovirus p35 and Z-VAD-fmk inhibit thapsigargin-induced apoptosis of breast cancer cells. 929 14

The caspase-3 (CPP32, apopain, YAMA) family of cysteinyl proteases has been implicated as key mediators of apoptosis in mammalian cells. Gelsolin was identified as a substrate for caspase-3 by screening the translation products of small complementary DNA pools for sensitivity to cleavage by caspase-3. Gelsolin was cleaved in vivo in a caspase-dependent manner in cells stimulated by Fas. Caspase-cleaved gelsolin severed actin filaments in vitro in a Ca2+-independent manner. Expression of the gelsolin cleavage product in multiple cell types caused the cells to round up, detach from the plate, and undergo nuclear fragmentation. Neutrophils isolated from mice lacking gelsolin had delayed onset of both blebbing and DNA fragmentation, following apoptosis induction, compared with wild-type neutrophils. Thus, cleaved gelsolin may be one physiological effector of morphologic change during apoptosis.
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PMID:Caspase-3-generated fragment of gelsolin: effector of morphological change in apoptosis. 932 9

The observation that the nematode cell death effector gene product Ced-3 is homologous to human interleukin-1beta-converting enzyme (caspase-1) has led to the discovery of at least nine other human caspases, many of which are implicated as mediators of apoptosis. Significant interest has been given to aspects of the cell biology and substrate specificity of this family of proteases; however, quantitative descriptions of their biochemical characteristics have lagged behind. We describe the influence of a number of environmental parameters, including pH, ionic strength, detergent, and specific ion concentrations, on the activity and stability of four caspases involved in death receptor-mediated apoptosis. Based on these observations, we recommend the following buffer as optimal for investigation of their characteristics in vitro: 20 mM piperazine-N,N'-bis(2-ethanesulfonic acid) (PIPES), 100 mM NaCl, 10 mM dithiothreitol, 1 mM EDTA, 0.1% 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-2-hydroxy-1-propanesulfonic acid (CHAPS), 10% sucrose, pH 7.2. Caspase activity is not affected by concentrations of Ca2+ below 100 mM, but is abolished by Zn2+ in the submicromolar range, a common characteristic of cysteine proteases. Optimal pH values vary from 6.8 for caspase-8 to 7.4 for caspase-3, and activity of all is relatively stable between 0 and 150 mM NaCl. Consequently, changes in the physiologic pH and ionic strength would not significantly alter the activity of the enzymes, inasmuch as all four caspases are optimally active within the range of these parameters found in the cytosol of living and dying human cells.
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PMID:Biochemical characteristics of caspases-3, -6, -7, and -8. 932 97

Neurotoxicity induced by overstimulation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors is due, in part, to a sustained rise in intracellular Ca2+; however, little is known about the ensuing intracellular events that ultimately result in cell death. Here we show that overstimulation of NMDA receptors by relatively low concentrations of glutamate induces apoptosis of cultured cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs) and that CGNs do not require new RNA or protein synthesis. Glutamate-induced apoptosis of CGNs is, however, associated with a concentration- and time-dependent activation of the interleukin 1beta-converting enzyme (ICE)/CED-3-related protease, CPP32/Yama/apopain (now designated caspase 3). Further, the time course of caspase 3 activation after glutamate exposure of CGNs parallels the development of apoptosis. Moreover, glutamate-induced apoptosis of CGNs is almost completely blocked by the selective cell permeable tetrapeptide inhibitor of caspase 3, Ac-DEVD-CHO but not by the ICE (caspase 1) inhibitor, Ac-YVAD-CHO. Western blots of cytosolic extracts from glutamate-exposed CGNs reveal both cleavage of the caspase 3 substrate, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, as well as proteolytic processing of pro-caspase 3 to active subunits. Our data demonstrate that glutamate-induced apoptosis of CGNs is mediated by a posttranslational activation of the ICE/CED-3-related cysteine protease caspase 3.
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PMID:Activation of a caspase 3-related cysteine protease is required for glutamate-mediated apoptosis of cultured cerebellar granule neurons. 932 66

A23187 (a calcium ionophore) at low concentration (0.1 microM) induced apoptotic cell death (chromatin condensation and DNA fragmentation) accompanied by the activation of caspase-3 (CPP32), a member of the interleukin-1beta-converting enzyme protease. On the other hand, A23187 at high concentration (2 microM) induced necrotic cell death not accompanied by the activation of CPP32. Nerve growth factor inhibited the cell death and CPP32 activation induced by 0.1 microM A23187, but not the cell death induced by 2 microM A23187. Acylaspartyl-glutamyl-valyl-aspartyl-aldehyde, an inhibitor of CPP32, reduced the cell death induced by 0.1 microM A23187. These results suggest that calcium-ion-induced apoptotic cell death was mediated by CPP32 activation in PC12 cells.
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PMID:Apoptotic cell death and caspase 3 (CPP32) activation induced by calcium ionophore at low concentrations and their prevention by nerve growth factor in PC12 cells. 936 47

We have characterized the death of human aortic smooth muscle cells induced by 25-hydroxycholesterol, an oxidation product of cholesterol. Chromatin condensation characteristic of apoptosis was observed by enzymatic (TUNEL) staining of chromatin, and by electron microscopy. Fourteen percent of cells treated with 5 microg/ml of 25-hydroxycholesterol for 24 h displayed chromatin degradation as determined by positive TUNEL staining. Addition of TNF alpha (10 ng/ml) and IFN gamma (20 ng/ml) increased the proportion of TUNEL positive cells to 30%, whereas the cytokines alone were without effect. After 48 h, 40% of the cells treated with 5 microg/ml of 25-hydroxycholesterol were TUNEL positive, and 21% of the cells displayed chromatin condensation. Oligonucleosomal DNA fragmentation typical of apoptosis was demonstrated by agarose gel electrophoresis. Furthermore, activation of the ICE-like protease caspase 3 (CPP32) was observed in cells treated with 25-hydroxycholesterol. Addition of the Ca2+ entry blockers verapamil or nifedipine to the culture medium inhibited apoptosis by more than 70% and reduced cytotoxicity, while removal of Ca2+ from culture medium reduced apoptosis by 42%. Within a few minutes after addition, 25-hydroxycholesterol induced intracellular Ca2+ oscillations with a frequency of approximately 0.3-0.4 min(-1). Thus it appears that Ca2+ influx through plasma membrane channels is an important signal in oxysterol-induced apoptosis. Addition of TNF alpha and IFN gamma enhanced cytotoxicity and resulted in a higher proportion of apoptotic cells, suggesting that inflammatory cytokines can increase the cytotoxicity of lipid oxidation products.
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PMID:Ca2+ channel blockers verapamil and nifedipine inhibit apoptosis induced by 25-hydroxycholesterol in human aortic smooth muscle cells. 937 27

Valinomycin is a potassium ionophore, and is well known to cause the collapse of the mitochondrial membrane potential. It has been reported that loss of mitochondrial membrane potential is observed in the early stages of apoptosis induced by various agents. Thus, the effects of valinomycin on tumor cells were examined. Valinomycin induced uncoupling of respiration and depolarization of isolated mitochondria. Depolarization of intact mitochondria in AH-130 rat ascites hepatoma cells was also induced by valinomycin. Valinomycin induced apoptosis revealing the typical apoptotic characteristics such as fragmentation and ladder formation of DNA, shrinkage of cells, and formation of pycnotic nucleus. There was a correlation between the depolarization of mitochondria and DNA fragmentation. After depolarization of mitochondria, the activity of caspase-3-like protease but not caspase-1-like protease increased markedly. In contrast, this apoptosis did not involve the release of reactive oxygen species from mitochondria, increase in intracellular calcium concentration, or protein synthesis. In addition, anti-apoptotic members of the Bcl-2 family (Bcl-xL and Bcl-2) were not correlated with apoptosis. These results indicate that valinomycin might induce apoptosis through degradation of the mitochondrial membrane potential. Taken together, these observations suggest that there may be a mechanism that transmits the signal from mitochondrial depolarization to subsequent apoptosis execution steps.
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PMID:Valinomycin induces apoptosis of ascites hepatoma cells (AH-130) in relation to mitochondrial membrane potential. 943 61

Current data suggest that apoptosis controls neutrophil numbers in tissues. We analyzed roles for and the sites of action for the cAMP-dependent protein kinases (cAPKs) in apoptosis induced in human neutrophils by in vitro storage, cycloheximide (CHX) exposure, and anti-Fas exposure. Treatment with 8-chlorophenylthio-cAMP (8-CPT-cAMP) prolonged the time required for 50% of the cells to exhibit apoptotic morphology (t50) from 16.3 to 41.8 h (in vitro culture), from 2.4 to 7.8 h (CHX), and from 4.8 to 6.5 h (anti-Fas). CHX +/- 8-CPT-cAMP did not significantly alter resting intracellular calcium levels and H-89, a selective inhibitor of cAPK, had no effect on apoptosis in the absence of the analogue. In contrast, site-selective cAMP analogues that specifically activated the type I cAPK, but not type II cAPK, synergistically attenuated apoptosis. Exposure to 8-CPT-cAMP delayed, in parallel, the activity of caspase-3 (CPP-32beta), whereas mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MAPKK) inhibitor, PD98059, had no effect on CHX-induced apoptosis +/- 8-CPT-cAMP. Together these results indicate that type I cAPK activation is necessary and sufficient to mediate cAMP-induced delay in human neutrophil apoptosis induced by several mechanisms and suggest that one of the major sites of cAPK action is upstream of caspase-3 (CPP-32beta) activation.
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PMID:Type I cAMP-dependent protein kinase delays apoptosis in human neutrophils at a site upstream of caspase-3. 950 73

Ultraviolet light (UV) induced rapid apoptosis of U937 leukemia cells, concurrent with DNA fragmentation and cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP) by activated caspase-3. The in vitro reconstitution of intact HeLa S3 nuclei and apoptotic U937 cytosolic extract (CE) revealed that (i) Ca2+/Mg(2+)-dependent, Zn(2+)-sensitive endonuclease activated in the apoptotic CE induced DNA ladder in HeLa nuclei at pH 6.8-7.4, (ii) activated caspase-3 cleaved PARP in HeLa nuclei, and (iii) when the apoptotic CE was treated with the caspase-3 inhibitor (1 microM Ac-DEVD-CHO) or the caspase-1 inhibitor (10 microM Ac-YVAD-CHO), the former, but not the latter, caused a 50% inhibition of DNA fragmentation and the complete inhibition of PARP cleavage in HeLa nuclei. Similarly, Ac-DEVD-CHO (100 microM) inhibited apoptosis and DNA ladder by 50% and PARP cleavage completely in UV-irradiated U937 cells, but Ac-YVAD-CHO (100 microM) did not. Thus, UV-induced apoptosis of U937 cells involves the Ca2+/Mg(2+)-dependent endonuclease pathway and the caspase-3-PARP cleavage-Ca2+/Mg(2+)-dependent endonuclease pathway. The former pathway produced directly 50% of apoptotic DNA ladder, and the latter involved activated caspase-3 and PARP cleavage, followed by formation of the remaining 50% DNA ladder by the activated endonuclease. In UV-irradiated B-cell lines, further, p53-dependent increase of Bax resulted in a greater caspase-3 activation compared to its absence. However, UV-induced activation of JNK1 and p38 was not affected by the caspase-1 and -3 inhibitors in U937 cells, so that caspases-1 and -3 do not function upstream of JNK1 and p38.
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PMID:Mechanism of UV-induced apoptosis in human leukemia cells: roles of Ca2+/Mg(2+)-dependent endonuclease, caspase-3, and stress-activated protein kinases. 952 59

The onset of apoptosis is coupled to the proteolytic activation of a family of cysteine proteases, termed caspases. These proteases cleave their target proteins after an aspartate residue. Following caspase activation during apoptosis, a number of specific proteins have been shown to be cleaved. Here we show that Nedd4, a ubiquitin-protein ligase containing multiple WW domains and a calcium/lipid-binding domain, is also cleaved during apoptosis induced by a variety of stimuli including Fas-ligation, gamma-radiation, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, C-8 ceramide, and etoposide treatment. Extracts from apoptotic cells also generated cleavage patterns similar to that seen in vivo, and this cleavage was inhibited by an inhibitor of caspase-3-like proteases. In vitro, Nedd4 was cleaved by a number of caspases, including caspase-1, -3, -6, and -7. By site-directed mutagenesis, one of the in vitro caspase cleavage sites in mouse Nedd4 was mapped to a DQPD237 downward arrow sequence, which is conserved between mouse, rat, and human proteins. This is the first report demonstrating that an enzyme of the ubiquitin pathway is cleaved by caspases during apoptosis.
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PMID:Caspase-mediated cleavage of the ubiquitin-protein ligase Nedd4 during apoptosis. 959 87


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