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 present study was performed to examine neuroprotective effects of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)(3) receptor antagonists against beta-amyloid protein (25--35)-, a synthetic 25--35 amyloid peptide, induced neurotoxicity using cultured rat cortical neurons. beta-Amyloid protein (25--35) produced a concentration-dependent reduction of cell viability, which was significantly reduced by (5R,10S)-(+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d] cyclohepten-5,10-imine (MK-801), an N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, verapamil, an L-type Ca(2+) channel blocker, and N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor. The 5-HT(3) receptor antagonists, tropanyl-3,5-dichlorobenzoate (MDL-72222, 0.1--10 microM) and N-(1-azabicyclo[2.2.2.]oct-3-yl)-6-chloro-4-ethyl-3-oxo-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,4-benzoxazine-8-carboxamide hydrochloride (Y 25130, 0.05--5 microM), decreased the beta-amyloid protein (25--35) (10 microM)-induced neuronal cell death as assessed by a colorimetric 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and the number of apoptotic nuclei, evidenced by Hoechst 33342 staining. MDL 72222 and Y 25130 inhibited the beta-amyloid protein (25--35) (10 microM)-induced elevation of cytosolic Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](c)) and glutamate release, generation of reactive oxygen species, and caspase-3 activity. These neuroprotective effects of MDL 72222 (10 microM) and Y 25130 (5 microM) were completely blocked by the simultaneous treatment with 100 microM 1-phenylbiguanide, a 5-HT(3) receptor agonist, indicating that the protective effects of these compounds were due to 5-HT(3) receptor blockade. These results suggest that the activation of the 5-HT(3) receptor may be partially involved in beta-amyloid protein-induced neurotoxicity, by membrane depolarization for Ca(2+) influx. Therefore, the blockade of 5-HT(3) receptor with MDL 72222 and Y 25130, may ameliorate the beta-amyloid protein-induced neurotoxicity by interfering with the increase of [Ca(2+)](c), and then by inhibiting glutamate release, generation of reactive oxygen species and caspase-3 activity.
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PMID:Blockade of 5-HT(3) receptor with MDL 72222 and Y 25130 reduces beta-amyloid protein (25--35)-induced neurotoxicity in cultured rat cortical neurons. 1615 Apr 39

Beta-amyloid peptide (Abeta) is considered responsible for the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Several lines of evidence support that Abeta-induced cytotoxicity is mediated through the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Thus, agents that scavenge ROS level may usefully impede the development or progress of AD. Green tea extract has been known to have such antioxidant properties. Our previous studies demonstrate that green tea extract protected ischemia/reperfusion-induced brain cell death by scavenging oxidative damages of macromolecules. In this study, we investigated the effects of green tea extract on Abeta-induced oxidative cell death in cultured rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells. PC12 cells treated with Abeta25-35 (10-50 microM) showed intracellular ROS elevation, the formation of 8-oxodG (an oxidized form of DNA), and underwent apoptotic cell death in a dose-dependent manner. Abeta(25-35) treatment upregulated pro-apoptotic p53 at the gene level, and Bax and caspase-3 at the protein level, but downregulated anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein. Interestingly, co-treated green tea extract (10-50 microg/ml) dose-dependently attenuated Abeta(25-35) (50 microM)-induced cell death, intracellular ROS levels, and 8-oxodG formation, in addition to p53, Bax, and caspase-3 expression, but upregulated Bcl-2. Furthermore, green tea extract prevented the Abeta(25-35)-induced activations of the NF-kappaB and ERK and p38 MAP kinase pathways. Our study suggests that green tea extract may usefully prevent or retard the development and progression of AD.
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PMID:Inhibitory effect of green tea extract on beta-amyloid-induced PC12 cell death by inhibition of the activation of NF-kappaB and ERK/p38 MAP kinase pathway through antioxidant mechanisms. 1615 42

DNA damage and activation of the cell cycle have been implicated in numerous neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. To better understand the role of cell cycle proteins in DNA-damage induced neuronal cell death, we examined various cell cycle proteins during camptothecin-induced death of human neuroblastoma cells. We report a rapid induction of p53 and increased expression of p21, concurrent with reduced levels of many cell cycle proteins that regulate G1 to S phase cell cycle progression. However, we found increased levels of cdk2 and cyclin E, and formation of a cyclin E-cdk2-p21 protein complex. DNA damage failed to induce activation and progression of the cell cycle. Finally, camptothecin-induced neuronal cell death occurred concurrent with phosphorylation of histone H2B. Pretreatment of cells with cdk inhibitor olomoucine impeded cdk2-cyclin E accumulation, but not the induction of p53. Olomucine concurrently delayed histone H2B phosphorylation, caspase-3 activation and cell death. These findings suggest that DNA-damage of differentiated neuroblastoma cells induces a rapid p53-mediated inhibition of cell cycle progression and induction of cdk2-cyclin E, followed by caspase-3 activation, phosphorylation of histone and cell death.
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PMID:DNA damage induces cdk2 protein levels and histone H2B phosphorylation in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. 1615 45

When overexpressed, a short cytoplasmic domain of the amyloid precursor protein (APP), normally unmasked in the brain of Alzheimer's disease patients, activates caspase-3 and induces neuronal death. Death induction by this "Jcasp" domain is lost when tyrosine 653 is changed into an aspartate, suggesting specific interactions with unknown partners. To identify these putative partners and start to elucidate the mechanisms involved in Jcasp-induced cell death, we internalized a biotinylated version of the peptide into primary neurons and analyzed intracellular interacting proteins by pull-down and mass spectrometry. We find that SET protein, also called template-activating factor (TAF1beta) or phosphatase 2A inhibitor 2 (I2(PP2A)), specifically binds Jcasp early after internalization and that SET and Jcasp interact directly in vitro. Down-regulation of SET reduces Jcasp-induced cell death, confirming a role of this protein in Jcasp-induced apoptosis. Conversely, SET gain of function increases cell death, which suggests that SET level is crucial for neuronal survival/death. Taken together, these results suggest that SET is part of a neuronal apoptotic pathway related to Alzheimer's disease and provides a new entry in the analysis of this pathology.
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PMID:SET protein (TAF1beta, I2PP2A) is involved in neuronal apoptosis induced by an amyloid precursor protein cytoplasmic subdomain. 1616 53

A growing body of evidence supports the notion that soluble oligomeric forms of the amyloid beta-peptide (Abeta) may be the proximate effectors of neuronal injuries and death in the early stages of Alzheimer disease. However, the molecular mechanisms associated with neuronal apoptosis induced by soluble Abeta remain to be elucidated. We recently demonstrated the involvement of an early reactive oxygen species-dependent perturbation of the microtubule network (Sponne, I., Fifre, A., Drouet, B., Klein, C., Koziel, V., Pincon-Raymond, M., Olivier, J.-L., Chambaz, J., and Pillot, T. (2003) J. Biol. Chem. 278, 3437-3445). Because microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) are responsible for the polymerization, stabilization, and dynamics of the microtubule network, we investigated whether MAPs might represent the intracellular targets that would enable us to explain the microtubule perturbation involved in soluble Abeta-mediated neuronal apoptosis. The data presented here show that soluble Abeta oligomers induce a time-dependent degradation of MAP1A, MAP1B, and MAP2 involving a perturbation of Ca2+ homeostasis with subsequent calpain activation that, on its own, is sufficient to induce the proteolysis of isoforms MAP2a, MAP2b, and MAP2c. In contrast, MAP1A and MAP1B sequential proteolysis results from the Abeta-mediated activation of caspase-3 and calpain. The prevention of MAP1A, MAP1B, and MAP2 proteolysis by antioxidants highlights the early reactive oxygen species generation in the perturbation of the microtubule network induced by soluble Abeta. These data clearly demonstrate the impact of cytoskeletal perturbations on soluble Abeta-mediated cell death and support the notion of microtubule-stabilizing agents as effective Alzheimer disease drugs.
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PMID:Microtubule-associated protein MAP1A, MAP1B, and MAP2 proteolysis during soluble amyloid beta-peptide-induced neuronal apoptosis. Synergistic involvement of calpain and caspase-3. 1623 45

The detrimental effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) on brain tissue integrity involve progressive axonal damage, necrotic cell loss, and both acute and delayed apoptotic neuronal death due to activation of caspases. Post-injury accumulation of amyloid precursor protein (APP) and its toxic metabolite amyloid-beta peptide (Abeta) has been implicated in apoptosis as well as in increasing the risk for developing Alzheimer's disease (AD) after TBI. Activated caspases proteolyze APP and are associated with increased Abeta production after neuronal injury. Conversely, Abeta and related APP/Abeta fragments stimulate caspase activation, creating a potential vicious cycle of secondary injury after TBI. Blockade of caspase activation after brain injury suppresses apoptosis and improves neurological outcome, but it is not known whether such intervention also prevents increases in Abeta levels in vivo. The present study examined the effect of caspase inhibition on post-injury levels of soluble Abeta, APP, activated caspase-3, and caspase-cleaved APP in the hippocampus of nontransgenic mice expressing human Abeta, subjected to controlled cortical injury (CCI). CCI produced brain tissue damage with cell loss and elevated levels of activated caspase-3, Abeta(1-42) and Abeta(1-40), APP, and caspase-cleaved APP fragments in hippocampal neurons and axons. Post-CCI intervention with intracerebroventricular injection of 100 nM Boc-Asp(OMe)-CH(2)F (BAF, a pan-caspase inhibitor) significantly reduced caspase-3 activation and improved histological outcome, suppressed increases in Abeta and caspase-cleaved APP, but showed no significant effect on overall APP levels in the hippocampus after CCI. These data demonstrate that after TBI, caspase inhibition can suppress elevations in Abeta. The extent to which Abeta suppression contributes to improved outcome following inhibition of caspases after TBI is unclear, but such intervention may be a valuable therapeutic strategy for preventing the long-term evolution of Abeta-mediated pathology in TBI patients who are at risk for developing AD later in life.
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PMID:Caspase inhibition therapy abolishes brain trauma-induced increases in Abeta peptide: implications for clinical outcome. 1630 Jul 58

Huperzine A (HupA), a novel alkaloid isolated from the Chinese herb Huperzia serrata, is a potent, highly specific and reversible inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase(AChE). Compared with tacrine, donepezil, and rivastigmine, HupA has better penetration through the blood-brain barrier, higher oral bioavailability, and longer duration of AChE inhibitory action. HupA has been found to improve cognitive deficits in a broad range of animal models. HupA possesses the ability to protect cells against hydrogen peroxide, beta-amyloid protein (or peptide), glutamate, ischemia and staurosporine-induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis. These protective effects are related to its ability to attenuate oxidative stress, regulate the expression of apoptotic proteins Bcl-2, Bax, P53, and caspase-3, protect mitochondria, upregulate nerve growth factor and its receptors, and interfere with amyloid precursor protein metabolism. Antagonizing effects of HupA on N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors and potassium currents may also contribute to its neuroprotection as well. Pharmacokinetic studies in rodents, canines, and healthy human volunteers indicated that HupA was absorbed rapidly, distributed widely in the body, and eliminated at a moderate rate with the property of slow and prolonged release after oral administration. Animal and clinical safety tests showed that HupA had no unexpected toxicity, particularly the dose-limiting hepatotoxicity induced by tacrine. The phase IV clinical trials in China have demonstrated that HupA significantly improved memory deficits in elderly people with benign senescent forgetfulness, and patients with Alzheimer disease and vascular dementia, with minimal peripheral cholinergic side effects and no unexpected toxicity. HupA can also be used as a protective agent against organophosphate intoxication.
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PMID:Progress in studies of huperzine A, a natural cholinesterase inhibitor from Chinese herbal medicine. 1636 7

Parkinson disease is the second most frequent neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer disease. A subset of genetic forms of Parkinson disease has been attributed to alpha-synuclein, a synaptic protein with remarkable chaperone properties. Synphilin-1 is a cytoplasmic protein that has been identified as a partner of alpha-synuclein (Engelender, S., Kaminsky, Z., Guo, X., Sharp, A. H., Amaravi, R. K., Kleiderlein, J. J., Margolis, R. L., Troncoso, J. C., Lanahan, A. A., Worley, P. F., Dawson, V. L., Dawson, T. M., and Ross, C. A. (1999) Nat. Gen. 22, 110-114), but its function remains totally unknown. We show here for the first time that synphilin-1 displays an antiapoptotic function in the control of cell death. We have established transient and stable transfectants overexpressing wild-type synphilin-1 in human embryonic kidney 293 cells, telecephalon-specific murine 1 neurons, and SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells, and we show that both cell systems display lower responsiveness to staurosporine and 6-hydroxydopamine. Thus, synphilin-1 reduces procaspase-3 hydrolysis and thereby caspase-3 activity and decreases poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage, two main indicators of apoptotic cell death. Furthermore, we establish that synphilin-1 drastically reduces p53 transcriptional activity and expression and lowers p53 promoter transactivation and mRNA levels. Interestingly, we demonstrate that synphilin-1 catabolism is enhanced by staurosporine and blocked by caspase-3 inhibitors. Accordingly, we show by transcription/translation assay that recombinant caspase-3 and, to a lesser extent, caspase-6 but not caspase-7 hydrolyze synphilin-1. Furthermore, we demonstrate that mutated synphilin-1, in which a consensus caspase-3 target sequence has been disrupted, resists proteolysis by cellular and recombinant caspases and displays drastically reduced antiapoptotic phenotype. We further show that the caspase-3-derived C-terminal fragment of synphilin-1 was probably responsible for the antiapoptotic phenotype elicited by the parent wild-type protein. Altogether, our study is the first demonstration that synphilin-1 harbors a protective function that is controlled by the C-terminal fragment generated by its proteolysis by caspase-3.
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PMID:Caspase-3-derived C-terminal product of synphilin-1 displays antiapoptotic function via modulation of the p53-dependent cell death pathway. 1649 29

Smilax has various pharmacological effects including antiinflammatory, anticancer and antioxidant activity. The present study aims to investigate the effect of the methanol extract of Smilacis chinae rhizome (SCR) from Smilax china L. (Liliaceae) on amyloid beta protein (Abeta) (25-35), a synthetic 25-35 amyloid peptide, -induced neurotoxicity in cultured rat cerebral cortical neurons. Abeta (25-35) (10 microM) produced a reduction of cell viability, which was significantly reduced by (5R,10S)-(+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5,10-imine (MK-801), an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, verapamil, an L-type Ca2+ channel blocker, and NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor. SCR, over a concentration range of 10-50 microg/ml, inhibited 10 microM Abeta (25-35)-induced neuronal cell death, which was measured by a 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and Hoechst 33342 staining. SCR (50 microg/ml) inhibited 10 microM Abeta (25-35)-induced elevation of cytosolic calcium concentration ([Ca2+]c), which was measured by a fluorescent dye, Fluo-4 AM. Pretreatment of SCR (10 and 50 microg/ml) also inhibited glutamate release into medium induced by 10 microM Abeta (25-35), which was measured by HPLC, generation of reactive oxygen species and activation of caspase-3. These results suggest that SCR prevents Abeta (25-35)-induced neuronal cell damage in vitro.
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PMID:Protection of amyloid beta protein (25-35)-induced neurotoxicity by methanol extract of Smilacis chinae rhizome in cultured rat cortical neurons. 1649 58

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress mechanisms have been found to play critical roles in a number of diseases states, such as diabetes mellitus and Alzheimer disease, but whether they are involved in acute pancreatitis is unknown. Here we show for the first time that all major ER stress sensing and signaling mechanisms are present in exocrine acini and are activated early in the arginine model of experimental acute pancreatitis. Pancreatitis was induced in rats by intraperitoneal injection of 4.0 g/kg body wt arginine. Pancreatitis severity was assessed by analysis of serum amylase, pancreatic trypsin activity, water content, and histology. ER stress-related molecules PERK, eIF2alpha, ATF6, XBP-1, BiP, CHOP, and caspase-12 were analyzed. Arginine treatment induced rapid and severe pancreatitis, as indicated by increased serum amylase, pancreatic tissue edema, and acinar cell damage within 4 h. Arginine treatment also caused an early activation of ER stress, as indicated by phosphorylation of PERK and its downstream target eIF2alpha, ATF6 translocation into the nucleus (within 1 h), and upregulation of BiP (within 4 h). XBP-1 splicing and CHOP expression were observed within 8 h. After 24 h, increased activation of the ER stress-related proapoptotic molecule caspase-12 was observed along with an increase in caspase-3 activity and TdT (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase)-mediated dUDP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) staining in exocrine acini. These results indicate that ER stress is an important early acinar cell event that likely contributes to the development of acute pancreatitis in the arginine model.
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PMID:Early activation of endoplasmic reticulum stress is associated with arginine-induced acute pancreatitis. 1657 87


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