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)

We previously demonstrated that beta-lapachone (beta-lap) killed cancer cells solely by apoptosis. Beta-Lap induced apoptosis in HL-60 cells in a dose-dependent manner as measured by flow cytometry and DNA ladder formation. Cell cycle changes, such as accumulations in S and G2-phases, were not observed. Apoptosis was accompanied by activation of caspase 3 and concomitant cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) to an 89 kDa polypeptide. PARP cleavage was blocked by zDEVD-fmk or zVAD-fmk, caspase-specific cleavage site inhibitors. Retrovirally introduced bcl-2 prevented beta-lap-mediated caspase 3 activation and PARP cleavage and increased the viability of Bcl-2-expressing HL-60 cells compared to cells with vector alone. Various beta-lap-related analogs (e.g., dunnione and naphthoquinone derivatives) induced equivalent apoptosis in HL-60 cells, but no compound was more effective than beta-lap. These data provide further evidence that the primary mode of cell killing by beta-lap is by the initiation and execution of apoptosis in human cancer cells.
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PMID:Bcl-2 protects against beta-lapachone-mediated caspase 3 activation and apoptosis in human myeloid leukemia (HL-60) cells. 1020 79

Chemotherapeutic agents and gamma-irradiation used in the treatment of brain tumors, the most common solid tumors of childhood, have been shown to act primarily by inducing apoptosis. Here, we report that activation of the CD95 pathway was involved in drug- and gamma-irradiation-induced apoptosis of medulloblastoma and glioblastoma cells. Upon treatment CD95 ligand (CD95-L) was induced that stimulated the CD95 pathway by crosslinking CD95 via an autocrine/paracrine loop. Blocking CD95-L/receptor interaction using F(ab')2 anti-CD95 antibody fragments strongly reduced apoptosis. Apoptosis depended on activation of caspases (interleukin 1beta-converting enzyme/Ced-3 like proteases) as it was almost completely abrograted by the broad range caspase inhibitor benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethyl ketone. Apoptosis was mediated by cleavage of the receptor proximal caspase FLICE/MACH (caspase-8) and the downstream caspase CPP32 (caspase-3, Apopain) resulting in cleavage of the prototype caspase substrate PARP. Moreover, CD95 was upregulated in wild-type p53 cells thereby increasing responsiveness towards CD95 triggering. Since activation of the CD95 system upon treatment was also found in primary medulloblastoma cells ex vivo, these findings may have implications to define chemosensitivity and to develop novel therapeutic strategies in the management of malignant brain tumors.
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PMID:Activation of the CD95 (APO-1/Fas) pathway in drug- and gamma-irradiation-induced apoptosis of brain tumor cells. 1020 87

This overviews recent understanding of the mechanisms of apoptosis on ischemia-induced neuronal cell death. Apoptosis is a prominent feature of the developing nervous system. Several lines of evidence suggest that apoptosis is also an important mechanism of cell death in adult brain in acute or chronic diseases such as stroke and Alzheimer's disease. In animal models of stroke, markers of apoptosis such as cytoplasmic and nuclear condensation and DNA fragmentation appear in neurons. A variety of physiological and pathological stimuli can activate signal-transduction pathways that result in the sequential proteolytic activation of caspase family members. The activation of caspases can be inhibited by several molecules, including peptide aldehydes (caspase-1 and or caspase-3 inhibitors) and crmA that target the active-site cysteine of caspase family members, Bcl-2, IAP (inhibitor of apoptosis protein) and NAIP (neuronal apoptosis inhibitory protein). Once activated, caspase-1 protease can activate the caspase family members and hydrolyze a discrete set of cellular targets. Poly (ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP), which appears to facilitate apoptosis, was recognized as a substrate of activated caspase-3. These results suggest that caspase family, bcl-2 family, IAP family and substrates such PARP contribute to mechanisms of cell death in ischemic brain injury. Inhibition of the caspase family, particularly by non-peptide inhibitors that cross the blood-brain barrier and easily penetrate neurons and glia, could provide novel treatments for stroke and other forms of brain and spinal cord injury in humans.
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PMID:[Involvement of caspase on apoptosis in ischemia-induced neuronal cell death: usefulness of caspase inhibitors for stroke therapy]. 1020 84

The B cell lymphoma WEHI-231 has been used as a model to study immature B cell tolerance, based on its capacity to undergo growth arrest and programmed cell death on B cell receptor (BCR) cross-linking. Using this model to identify the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes, we found that BCR cross-linking results in the selective activation of caspase 7/Mch3, but not of the other two members of the CPP32 family, caspase 2/Nedd2 and caspase 3/CPP32. This was evidenced by the induction of proteolytic activity against the substrate for the CPP32 subfamily of caspases (z-DVED-AMC) in vitro, as well as PARP proteolysis in vivo and by the processing of the 35 kDa Mch3 into a 32 kDa species, which was later further proteolyzed. The general caspase inhibitor z-VAD-fmk, but not the CPP32 family inhibitor Ac-DEVD-CHO, blocked anti- micro-induced apoptosis, indicating that a caspase not belonging to the CPP32-like family is also implicated in anti- micro-triggered apoptosis. In contrast, z-VAD-fmk was not able to counteract growth arrest induced by anti- micro treatment, suggesting that caspase activation is not necessary for induction of growth arrest. Neither of the inhibitors prevented Mch3 processing; however, z-VAD-fmk prevented proteolysis of the p32 subunit, suggesting that further processing of this subunit is associated with apoptosis. Bcl-2 overexpression prevented anti- micro induction of CPP32-like activity and apoptosis, and blocked further processing of the Mch3 p32 subunit. In contrast, CD40 stimulation completely blocked the appearance of the p32 subunit in addition to blocking CPP32-like activity and apoptosis induced by BCR cross-linking. Moreover, only CD40 stimulation was able to prevent anti- micro-induced growth arrest, which was correlated with inhibition of retinoblastoma and of cyclin A down-regulation. In splenic B cells, Mch3 is also specifically proteolyzed ex vivo after induction of apoptosis by BCR cross-linking, demonstrating the specific involvement of caspase-7/Mch3 in apoptosis induced in B cell tolerance.
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PMID:Caspase activation by BCR cross-linking in immature B cells: differential effects on growth arrest and apoptosis. 1022 36

Spontaneous apoptosis in human osteosarcoma cells was observed to be associated with a marked increase in the intracellular abundance of p53. Immunoprecipitation and immunoblot analysis revealed that, together with a variety of other nuclear proteins, p53 undergoes extensive poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation early during the apoptotic program in these cells. Subsequent degradation of poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR), attached to p53 presumably by PAR glycohydrolase, the only reported enzyme to degrade PAR, was apparent concomitant with the onset of proteolytic processing and activation of caspase-3, caspase-3-mediated cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), and internucleosomal DNA fragmentation during the later stages of cell death. The decrease in PAR covalently bound to p53 also coincided with the marked induction of expression of the p53-responsive genes bax and Fas. These results suggest that poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation may play a role in the regulation of p53 function and implies a regulatory role for PARP and/or PAR early in apoptosis.
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PMID:Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation of p53 during apoptosis in human osteosarcoma cells. 1023 7

Interferon gamma (IFNgamma) induces apoptosis in purified human erythroid colony-forming cells (ECFC) and inhibits cell growth. Fas (APO-1; CD95) and Fas ligand (FasL) mediate apoptosis induced by IFNgamma, because Fas is significantly upregulated by IFNgamma, whereas Fas ligand is constitutively present in the ECFC and neutralization of FasL greatly reduces the apoptosis. Because conversion of caspases from their dormant proenzyme forms to active enzymes has a critical role in transducing a cascade leading to apoptosis, we performed further studies of the expression and activation of caspases in normal human and IFNgamma-treated day-6 ECFC to better understand the mechanism of IFNgamma action in producing this cell death. RNase protection assays showed that the caspase-1, -2, -6, -8, and -9 mRNAs were upregulated by IFNgamma, whereas the caspase-5 and -7 mRNAs were not increased. Western blots showed that FLICE/caspase-8 was upregulated and activated by 24 hours of incubation with IFNgamma. FADD was not similarly altered by incubation with IFNgamma. Western blots of ICE/caspase-1, which might be required for amplification of the initial FLICE activation signal, showed that pro-ICE expression significantly increased after treatment with IFNgamma for 24 hours and cleavage of pro-ICE also increased. CPP32/apopain/caspase-3, responsible for the proteolytic cleavage of poly (ADP) ribose polymerase (PARP), was also studied and treatment of ECFC with IFNgamma resulted in an increased concentration of caspase-3 by 24 hours and a clear induction of enzyme activation by 48 hours, which was identified by the appearance of its p17-kD peptide fragment. The cleavage of PARP was demonstrated by an obvious increase of the 89-kD PARP cleavage product, which was observed at almost the same time as caspase-3 activation in the IFNgamma-treated cells, whereas untreated ECFC showed little change. Peptide inhibitors of the caspase proteins, DEVD-fmk, DEVD-cho, YVAD-cho, and IETD-fmk, were incubated with the ECFC to obtain further evidence for the involvement of caspases in IFNgamma-induced apoptosis. The activation of FLICE/caspase-8 and CPP32/caspase-3 and cleavage of PARP clearly were inhibited, but the reduction of cell growth due to apoptosis, induced by IFNgamma, was only partially blocked by the presence of the inhibitors. These results indicate that IFNgamma acts on ECFC not only to upregulate Fas, but also to selectively upregulate caspases-1, -3, and -8, which are activated and produce apoptosis, whereas the concentrations of FasL and FADD are not demonstrably changed.
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PMID:Interferon gamma induces upregulation and activation of caspases 1, 3, and 8 to produce apoptosis in human erythroid progenitor cells. 1023 83

Fas-mediated apoptosis is observed in synoviocytes of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This process may be involved in the pathophysiology of RA. We have recently found that Fas-mediated apoptosis of RA synoviocytes is associated with activation of two signaling pathways, the c-Jun amino-terminal kinase (JNK)/activator protein-1 (AP-1) pathway, and the FADD (Fas-associated death domain protein)/Caspase-8/Caspase-3/PARP (poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase) pathway. The latter appears to be one of the major signaling pathways required for Fas-mediated apoptosis in RA synoviocytes. Interestingly, Fas-mediated apoptosis in synoviocytes may be induced at least in part by tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Paradoxically, tumor necrosis factor-alpha also causes proliferation of synoviocytes. Employing these molecular processes in the treatment of RA, we have recently shown that ex vivo gene transfer of human Fas ligand (hFasL) induced apoptosis of synoviocytes and infiltrated mononuclear cells of RA synovial tissue through cell-to-cell interaction via the Fas/FasL system. We believe that further understanding of the complex regulatory mechanisms of apoptosis in RA synoviocytes would uncover further aspects of the pathophysiologic mechanisms of RA and contribute to the development of new and effective therapies for RA.
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PMID:Apomodulation as a novel therapeutic concept for the regulation of apoptosis in rheumatoid synoviocytes. 1032 78

Aging is associated with altered immune function. We previously reported that splenocytes and thymocytes undergo apoptosis with aging in rats. In the present study, we examined the expression of genes associated with apoptosis in splenocytes and thymus in aging rats. We evaluated the expression of bax, interleukin 1-beta-converting enzyme (ICE)/ced-3 protease family, caspase-3 and tumor suppressor gene p53. Rats in age groups of 6, 24, 48, and 96 weeks were sacrificed; thymocytes and splenocytes were isolated followed by lysis in a modified RIPA buffer containing protease inhibitors. Western blot analysis of proteins was performed by probing immunoblots with antibodies against p53, bax and PARP (poly ADP-ribose polymerase). Increased aging was associated with enhanced expression of bax, p53 and cleavage of PARP by Caspase-3. The expression of p53 and cleavage of PARP indicates the presence of damaged DNA; nevertheless, the cleavage of PARP or activation of caspase-3 may be playing an important role in the initiation of early events in apoptosis. These results suggest that aging of splenocytes and thymocytes is associated with the expression of cell death genes. The present study provides an insight into age-associated altered immune function.
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PMID:Aging splenocyte and thymocyte apoptosis is associated with enhanced expression of p53, bax, and caspase-3. 1032 82

We have focused on the roles of PARP and poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation early in apoptosis, as well as during the early stages of differentiation-linked DNA replication. In both nuclear processes, a transient burst of PAR synthesis and PARP expression occurs early, prior to internucleosomal DNA cleavage before commitment to apoptosis as well as at the round of DNA replication prior to the onset of terminal differentiation. In intact human osteosarcoma cells undergoing spontaneous apoptosis, both PARP and PAR decreased after this early peak, concomitant with the inactivation and cleavage of PARP by caspase-3 and the onset of substantial DNA and nuclear fragmentation. Whereas 3T3-L1, osteosarcoma cells, and immortalized PARP +/+ fibroblasts exhibited this early burst of PAR synthesis during Fas-mediated apoptosis, neither PARP-depleted 3T3-L1 PARP-antisense cells nor PARP -/- fibroblasts showed this response. Consequently, whereas control cells progressed into apoptosis, as indicated by induction of caspase-3-like PARP-cleavage activity, PARP-antisense cells and PARP -/- fibroblasts did not, indicating a requirement for PARP and poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation of nuclear proteins at an early reversible stage of apoptosis. In parallel experiments, a transient increase in PARP expression and activity were also noted in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes 24 h after induction of differentiation, a stage at which approximately 95% of the cells were in S-phase, but not in PARP-depleted antisense cells, which were consequently unable to complete the round of DNA replication required for differentiation. PARP, a component of the multiprotein DNA replication complex (MRC) that catalyzes viral DNA replication in vitro, poly(ADP-ribosyl)ates 15 of approximately 40 MRC proteins, including DNA pol alpha, DNA topo I, and PCNA. Depletion of endogenous PARP by antisense RNA expression in 3T3-L1 cells results in MRCs devoid of any DNA pol alpha and DNA pol delta activities. Surprisingly, there was no new expression of PCNA and DNA pol alpha, as well as the transcription factor E2F-1 in PARP-antisense cells during entry into S-phase, suggesting that PARP may play a role in the expression of these proteins, perhaps by interacting with a site in the promoters for these genes.
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PMID:Involvement of PARP and poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation in the early stages of apoptosis and DNA replication. 1033 50

The impact of ectopic expression of an N-terminal phosphorylation loop deletant Bcl-2 protein (Bcl-2Delta32-80) on the response of U937 monoblastic leukemia cells to paclitaxel was examined. In contrast to recent findings in HL-60 cells (Fang et al., Cancer Res. 58, 3202, 1998), U937 cells overexpressing Bcl-2Delta32-80 were significantly more resistant than those overexpressing full-length protein to caspase-3 and -9 activation, PARP degradation, and apoptosis induced by paclitaxel (500 nM; 18 h). Bcl-2Delta32-80 was also more effective than its full-length counterpart in opposing paclitaxel-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction, e.g., loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (Deltapsim) and cytochrome c release into the cytoplasm. Enhanced resistance of U937/Bcl-2Delta32-80 cells to paclitaxel was observed primarily in the G2M population. Together, these findings demonstrate that deletion of the Bcl-2 phosphorylation loop domain increases resistance of U937 leukemia cells to paclitaxel-mediated mitochondrial damage and apoptosis and suggest that factors other than, or in addition to, phosphorylation contribute to Bcl-2-related cytoprotectivity against paclitaxel in this model system.
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PMID:Loss of the bcl-2 phosphorylation loop domain increases resistance of human leukemia cells (U937) to paclitaxel-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis. 1033 17


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