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)

Cathepsin B-like cysteine protease genes (cbls) constitute large multigene families in parasitic and nonparasitic nematodes. Although expressed in the intestine of some nematodes, the biological and biochemical functions of the CBL proteins remain unresolved. Di- and tetra-oligopeptides were used as fluorogenic substrates and irreversible/competitive inhibitors to establish CBL functions in the intestine of the parasitic nematode Haemonchus contortus. Cysteine protease activity was detected against diverse substrates including the cathepsin B/L substrate FR, the caspase 1 substrate YVAD, the cathepsin B substrate RR, but not the CED-3 (caspase 3) substrate DEVD. The pH at which maximum activity was detected varied according to substrate and ranged from pH 5.0 to 7.0. Individual CBLs were affinity isolated using FA and YVAD substrates. pH influenced CBL affinity isolation in a substrate-specific manner that paralleled pH effects on individual substrates. N-terminal sequencing identified two isolated CBLs as H. contortus GCP-7 (33 kDa) and AC-4 (37 kDa). N termini of each began at a position consistent with proregion cleavage and protease activation. Isolation of the GCP-7 band by each peptide was preferentially inhibited when competed with a diazomethane-conjugated inhibitor, Z-FA-CHN(2), demonstrating one functional difference among CBLs and among inhibitors. Substrate-based histological analysis placed CBLs on the intestinal microvilli. Data indicate that CBLs are responsible for cysteine protease activity described from H. contortus intestine. Results also support a role of CBLs in nutrient digestion.
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PMID:Cathepsin B-like cysteine proteases confer intestinal cysteine protease activity in Haemonchus contortus. 1103 34

Hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC) from mice nullizygous at the Fanconi anemia (FA) group C locus and children with Fanconi anemia group C (FA-C) are hypersensitive to interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. This hypersensitivity results, in part, from the capacity of these cytokines to prime the fas pathway. Because fas-mediated programmed cell death in many cells involves sequential activation of specific caspases, we tested the hypothesis that programmed cell death in FA HPC involves the ordered activation of specific caspase molecules. Lysates from lymphoblasts treated with both agonistic anti-fas antibody and IFN-gamma contained activated caspase 3 family members (caspases 3, 6, and 7), as well as caspase 8, whereas activation of caspases 1, 2, 4, 9, and 10 was not detected. The apoptotic effects of fas agonists in IFN-gamma-treated human and murine FA-C cells were blocked when pretreated with inhibitors (ac-DEVD-cho, CP-DEVD-cho, Z-DEVD-FMK) of the caspase 3 protease. Inhibitors (ac-YVAD-cho, CP-YVAD-cho, Z-YVAD-FMK) of caspase 1 did not block apoptosis or caspase 3 activation. Treatment of FA cells with the fluoromethyl ketone tetrapeptide caspase 8 inhibitor (ac-IETD-FMK) did suppress caspase 3 activation. A 4-fold greater fraction of IFN-induced FA-C cells expressed caspase 3 than FA-C cells complemented by retroviral-mediated transfer of FANCC. Therefore fas-induced apoptosis in Fanconi anemia cells of the C type involves the activation of caspase 8, which controls activation of caspase 3 family members and one direct or indirect function of the FANCC protein is to suppress apoptotic responses to IFN-gamma upstream of caspase 3 activation. (Blood. 2000;96:4204-4211)
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PMID:Interferon-gamma-induced apoptotic responses of Fanconi anemia group C hematopoietic progenitor cells involve caspase 8-dependent activation of caspase 3 family members. 1192 88

Although it has been well known that the role of LPS on liver damage is mediated through TNF-alpha, the mechanism by which LPS modulates the cytotoxicity of IFN-gamma on hepatocytes has not yet been clearly demonstrated. Here, we demonstrate that IFN-gamma mediated apoptosis in murine embryonic hepatocyte BNL CL2 cells is potentiated by the addition of LPS (0.5 microg/ml). Consistently, LPS markedly increases the catalytic activity of caspase 3-like protease but not caspase 1-like protease in IFN-gamma treated cells. In addition, TNF-alpha alone does not affect cell viability but rather it potentiates the cytotoxic effect of IFN-gamma on BNL CL2 cells. However, the cell viability of IFN-gamma/LPS treated cells is affected by the addition of polymyxin B but not by TNF binding protein I (TNF-BPI). These data suggest that the lipid moiety of LPS may mediate direct cytotoxicity of BNL CL2 cells in a TNF-alpha independent manner.
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PMID:LPS induces direct death of IFN-gamma primed murine embryonic hepatocyte, BNL CL2 cells in a TNF-alpha independent manner. 1113 Jul 81

Recent etiological study in twins (Tanner et al. 1999) strongly suggests that environmental factors play an important role in typical, non-familial Parkinson's disease (PD), beginning after age 50. Epidemiological risk factor analyses of typical PD cases have identified several neurotoxicants, including MPP(+) (the active metabolite of MPTP), paraquat, dieldrin, manganese and salsolinol. Here, we tested the hypothesis that these neurotoxic agents might induce cell death in our nigral dopaminergic cell line, SN4741 (Son et al. 1999) through a common molecular mechanism. Our initial experiments revealed that treatment with both MPP(+) and the other PD-related neurotoxicants induced apoptotic cell death in SN4741 cells, following initial increases of H(2)O(2)-related ROS activity and subsequent activation of JNK1/2 MAP kinases. Moreover, we have demonstrated that during dopaminergic cell death cascades, MPP(+), the neurotoxicants and an oxidant, H(2)O(2) equally induce the ROS-dependent events. Remarkably, the oxidant treatment alone induced similar sequential molecular events: ROS increase, activation of JNK MAP kinases, activation of the PITSLRE kinase, p110, by both Caspase-1 and Caspase-3-like activities and apoptotic cell death. Pharmacological intervention using the combination of the antioxidant Trolox and a pan-caspase inhibitor Boc-(Asp)-fmk (BAF) exerted significant neuroprotection against ROS-induced dopaminergic cell death. Finally, the high throughput cDNA microarray screening using the current model identified downstream response genes, such as heme oxygenase-1, a constituent of Lewy bodies, that can be the useful biomarkers to monitor the pathological conditions of dopaminergic neurons under neurotoxic insult.
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PMID:Dopaminergic cell death induced by MPP(+), oxidant and specific neurotoxicants shares the common molecular mechanism. 1118 20

Activation of the caspase cascade is involved in the execution of apoptosis in a variety of cellular systems. Recent studies demonstrated that caspase-1 activation was required for human prostate cancer cells to undergo apoptosis in response to transforming growth factor-beta (Y. Guo and N. Kyprianou, Cancer Res., 59: 1366-1371, 1999). In the present study, to identify the significance of caspases in prostate cancer progression, we examined the expression of three key caspases, caspase-1, caspase-3, and caspase-9, in normal and malignant human prostates. Caspase-1, -3, and -9 expression was examined at the mRNA and the protein level in a series of human normal and malignant prostate specimens. No significant differences were observed in the mRNA expression in prostatic tumors relative to the normal gland for any of the three caspases. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that the pattern of protein expression and distribution was uniformly homogeneous in the normal prostate, with the epithelial cells exhibiting a diffuse cytoplasmic staining for caspase-1 and caspase-3. Significantly, the majority of primary prostate cancer specimens (80%) had total lack of caspase-1 immunoreactivity, whereas the remaining showed a significantly reduced expression compared with the normal prostate (P < 0.05). Caspase-3 expression was also reduced in moderately and poorly differentiated prostatic tumors compared with well-differentiated prostate adenocarcinomas and the normal prostate (P < 0.05). No significant correlation was found between the apoptotic index or Gleason grade and the pattern of caspase protein expression in the primary prostatic tumors analyzed. Western blot analysis revealed constitutive expression of the proenzyme forms of caspase-1, -3, and -9 in the human prostate cancer cell lines PC-3, DU-145, TSU-Pr1m and LNCaP, but caspase-1 expression was low in the less tumorigenic cell lines, DU-145 and LNCaP. These findings implicate the loss of caspase-1 protein as a potential step in the loss of apoptotic control during prostate tumorigenesis. This study suggests that the pattern of caspase-1 and -3 expression in prostatic tumors may have prognostic significance in disease progression.
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PMID:Loss of caspase-1 and caspase-3 protein expression in human prostate cancer. 1122 55

In previous studies, we showed that basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) reduced infarct volume when infused intravenously in animal models of focal cerebral ischemia. In the current study, we examined the potential mechanism of infarct reduction by bFGF, especially effects on apoptosis within the ischemic brain. We found that bFGF decreased DNA fragmentation in the ischemic hemisphere, as assessed by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) histochemical methods combined with morphological criteria. bFGF also prevented reduction of immunoreactivity of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 in the ischemic hemisphere, but did not alter immunoreactivity of the pro-apoptotic proteins Bax, Caspase-1, or Caspase-3. These changes in TUNEL histochemistry and Bcl-2 immunoreactivity were especially prominent in cortex at the borders ('penumbra') of infarcts, spared by bFGF treatment. We conclude that the infarct-reducing effects of bFGF may be due, in part, to prevention of downregulation of Bcl-2 expression and decreased apoptosis in the ischemic brain.
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PMID:Intravenous basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) decreases DNA fragmentation and prevents downregulation of Bcl-2 expression in the ischemic brain following middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats. 1122 61

The ICE-like families of serine proteases (caspases) have integral roles in apoptosis. These studies were performed to further understand the role of two critical caspases in relation to apoptotic regulation of the alloimmune response. A novel three-color cytofluorographic technique was utilized for measuring intracellular (in situ) caspase-1-like and caspase-3-like enzyme activity in responding CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells over several time points of human mixed lymphocyte reactions (MLR). We found that activity levels of caspase 3 in both CD4(+) and CD8(+) responder cells began rising at day 10 of the MLR and peaked at day 14. By comparison, caspase 1 demonstrated the highest activity at day 7 in both cell subpopulations. These results coincided with the appearance of apoptotic cells among the alloreactive cells in the MLR. These findings demonstrate that intracellular caspase-1- and -3-like enzyme activity increases in both CD4(+) and CD8(+) alloreactive T cells as the primary response to allostimulatory cells progresses. While the kinetic profiles for these enzymes differed, both had a temporal association with the appearance of apoptosis in the MLR-generated cells. In all cases, the highest enzyme activity and presence of apoptosis was seen subsequent to the peak proliferative period. These results support the concept that changes in the rate and amount of apoptosis in alloreactive T cells is one mechanism by which the response to alloantigens is attenuated (i.e., tolerance) or sustained.
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PMID:Differential kinetics of intracellular caspase-1-like and caspase-3-like enzyme activity in human alloreactive CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells undergoing apoptosis. 1123 53

As one of the key determinants of ischemic injury, cerebrovascular endothelial cell (EC) degeneration may be dependent upon the generation of the free radical nitric oxide (NO) and the subsequent induction of programmed cell death (PCD). Although the mechanisms that can prevent EC injury are most likely multifactorial in origin, the metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) system may represent a novel therapeutic approach for ECs given the ability of the mGluR system to reverse neuronal cell injury. This study examined the modulation of individual subtypes of mGluRs during anoxia and NO toxicity in primary rat cerebrovascular ECs. Cell injury was determined through trypan blue dye exclusion, intracellular lactate dehydrogenase release, DNA fragmentation, membrane phosphatidylserine (PS) exposure, and cysteine protease activity. Anoxia, through the generation of NO, and exposure to exogenous NO were directly toxic to ECs. Exposure to NO rapidly decreased EC viability from 98% +/- 2% to 40% +/- 9%, increased DNA fragmentation from 2% +/- 2% to 61% +/- 9%, and increased membrane PS exposure from 3% +/- 3% to 66% +/- 6% over a 24-hour period. Activation of the mGluR system significantly increased EC survival through the prevention of NO-induced DNA fragmentation and cellular membrane PS residue exposure. In contrast, antagonism of the mGluR system failed to prevent PCD. Cytoprotection by the mGluR system was dependent, at least in part, upon the direct inhibition of NO-generated caspase 1- and caspase 3-like activities. Further investigation into the ability of the mGluR system to prevent PCD in ECs may open new therapeutic avenues for the treatment of cerebrovascular injury.
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PMID:The metabotropic glutamate receptor system protects against ischemic free radical programmed cell death in rat brain endothelial cells. 1129 81

Mistletoe lectin-II, a major composition of Korean mistletoe (Viscum album coloratum), is known as a potent apoptosis inducer. The previous research has demonstrated that Korean mistletoe lectin-II induces apoptosis via c-Jun N terminal kinase (JNK) activation in human myeloid U937 cells. The purpose of this research is to prove the synergistic action of mistletoe lectin-II and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in the apoptotic cytotoxicity of U937. When U937 cells were treated with mistletoe lectin-II after being differentiated by IFN-gamma, the proteolytic activity of caspase-3 and 9 was markedly elevated and that of caspase-8 was prolonged for 18 hr. The activation of caspase-3-like protease requires the earlier cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase(PARP). Caspase-1 was, however, not activated during the resting phase and nor in IFN-gamma-differentiated U937 cells. Western blot analysis revealed that, in IFN-gamma-differentiated U937 cells, the expression of Fas (CD95/APO-1) & Fas ligand(FasL) increases the apoptotic sensitivity against Mistletoe lectin-II. Fas (CD95/APO-1) & FasL were not significantly induced solely by mistletoe lectin-II. Furthermore the activity of JNK1 in U937 cells was also markedly increased with IFN-gamma-differentiation, compared to that of the control. These results suggest that the IFN-gamma-differentiation of U937 cells increases the susceptibility to mistletoe lectin-II-induced apoptosis.
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PMID:Gamma-interferon (IFN-gamma) augments apoptotic response to mistletoe lectin-II via upregulation of Fas/Fas L expression and caspase activation in human myeloid U937 cells. 1132 49

Activation of proteases can play an important role in apoptotic cell death induced by anticancer drugs. To assess involvement of activation of cysteine and serine proteases in anticancer drug-induced apoptosis, we tested effect of inhibitors of cysteine and serine proteases on sensitivity to anticancer drugs in MKN45 gastric cancer cells. Cytotoxic effect by adriamycin (ADM), SN-38 (active form of irrinotecan) and cisplatin (CDDP) was significantly prevented by cotreatment with Z-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethylketone (Z-VAD-fmk) (p<0.01), a pancaspase inhibitor compared with drug alone using MTT assay. In contrast, cotreatment with N-acetyl-Tyr-Val-Ala-Asp aldehyde (AC-YVAD-CHO), a caspase 1 inhibitor did not prevent any cytotoxic effect of these drugs. Cotreatment of N-acetyl-Asp-Glu-Val-Asp aldehyde (AC-DEVD-CHO), a caspase 3 inhibitor prevented cytotoxic effect of VP-16 and SN-38 (p<0.01). Prevention of these cytotoxic effects by caspase inhibitors was not dose-dependent. Cotreatment of N-tosyl-L-lysyl chloromethylketone (TLCK), a serine protease inhibitor significantly prevented cytotoxic effect of ADM, SN-38, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and CDDP in a slight dose-dependent manner (p<0.01) except for etoposide (VP-16) and docetaxel (TXT), while an other serine protease inhibitor, N-tosyl-L-phenylalanyl chloromethylketone (TPCK) did not prevent any anticancer drug-induced cytotoxic effect. These effects were associated with prevention of internucleosomal DNA ladder formation in apoptosis. Further, protease inhibitors did not block induction of cytochrome c, that can explain the partial effect of prevention by anticancer-induced cell death. These results suggest that anticancer drug-induced cytotoxic effect is mediated by activation of serine protease (caspase-independent) as well as caspase-dependent pathway leading to apoptotic cell death, and that protease-independent pathway may also be involved in apoptotic pathways. The involvement of protease in signal transduction pathways may differ in cytotoxic action of drugs in gastric cancer cells.
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PMID:Effect of inhibitors of cysteine and serine proteases in anticancer drug-induced apoptosis in gastric cancer cells. 1135 Dec 55


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