scholarly journals Cif (Cytochrome c Efflux-Inducing Factor) Activity Is Regulated by Bcl-2 and Caspases and Correlates with the Activation of Bid

1999 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 1381-1389 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiyong Han ◽  
Kapil Bhalla ◽  
Panayotis Pantazis ◽  
Eric A. Hendrickson ◽  
James H. Wyche

ABSTRACT The cytosolic factor Cif (cytochrome c-efflux inducing factor) was activated by the apoptosis inducers staurosporine and anti-Fas antibodies and rapidly induced the efflux of cytochromec from purified human mitochondria. HL-60 cells that stably overexpressed a bcl-2 cDNA transgene (Bcl-2:HL-60 cells) contained mitochondria and a cytosol that were resistant to exogenous Cif and that lacked detectable endogenous Cif activity, respectively. Therefore, Bcl-2 overexpression negated Cif activity and suggested that the requirement for Cif resides upstream of Bcl-2 on the apoptotic signal transduction pathway. The addition of purified caspase 3, caspase 7, or caspase 8 to the cytosolic extract from Bcl-2:HL-60 cells, however, restored Cif activity, demonstrating that the inhibition of Cif by Bcl-2 overexpression could be overcome by activated caspases. Moreover, the addition of purified caspases to cytosolic extracts prepared from parental HL-60 cells was also sufficient to cause Cif activation, suggesting that caspases might be required for Cif activation. Consistent with these observations, Fas-induced apoptosis in Jurkat cells resulted in caspase 8 activation and subsequently in activation of Cif. Finally, we demonstrate that the activation of Cif correlated with the activation of the Bcl-2 family member Bid by caspases and that Cif activity was selectively neutralized by anti-Bid antibodies. Taken together, these results indicate that Cif is identical to Bid and that it can be inhibited by Bcl-2 and activated by caspases. Thus, Cif (Bid) is an important biological regulator for the transduction of apoptotic signals.

Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 116 (21) ◽  
pp. 2177-2177
Author(s):  
Duncan H Mak ◽  
Christa Manton ◽  
Michael Andreeff ◽  
Bing Z Carter

Abstract Abstract 2177 The antiapoptotic function of the inhibitors of apoptosis family of proteins (IAPs) is antagonized by mitochondria-released SMAC protein. The IAP-member XIAP suppresses apoptosis by directly binding and inhibiting caspase-9 and caspase-3, while cIAP1, a component of the cytoplasmic signaling complex containing TNF receptor associated factors, suppresses apoptosis via the caspase-8-mediated pathway. BV-6 (Genentech) is a bivalent SMAC-mimetic and has been shown to promote cell death by inducing cIAP autoubiquitination, NF-κB activation, and TNFα-dependent apoptosis. We examined its effect on leukemic cells and found that BV-6 only moderately induced apoptosis. The EC50 was found to be 15.3±5.1 μM at 48 hours in OCI-AML3 cells which are relatively sensitive. We then determined whether BV-6 sensitizes leukemic cells to the HDM2-inhibitor nutlin-3a and to Ara-C. p53 modulates the expression and activity of Bcl-2 family proteins and promotes the mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis. We showed previously that activation of p53 by nutlin-3a sensitizes AML cells to XIAP inhibition induced-death in part by promoting the release of SMAC from mitochondrion (Carter BZ et al., Blood 2010). We treated OCI-AML3 cells with BV-6, nutlin-3a or Ara-C, and BV-6+nutlin-3a or BV-6+Ara-C and found that the combination of BV-6 and nutlin-3a or BV-6 and Ara-C synergistically induced cell death in OCI-AML3 cells with a combination index (CI) of 0.27±0.11 and 0.22±0.05 (48 hours), respectively. To demonstrate that p53 activation is essential for the synergism of BV-6+nutlin-3a combination, we treated OCI-AML3 vector control and p53 knockdown cells with these two agents and found that the combination synergistically promoted cell death in the vector control (CI=0.47±0.15) but not in the p53 knockdown cells, as expected, while BV6+Ara-C was synergistic in both vector control and p53 knockdown cells (CI=0.15±0.03 and 0.08±0.03, respectively, 48 hours). BV-6 induced activation of caspase-8, caspase-9, and caspase-3 and decreased XIAP levels, but did not cause rapid cIAP1 degradation, as reported by others. To assess the contribution of death receptor-mediated apoptosis in BV-6-induced cell death, we treated Jurkat and caspase-8 mutated Jurkat cells (JurkatI9.2) with BV-6 and found that BV-6 induced cell death and significantly potentiated TRAIL-induced apoptosis in Jurkat cells (CI=0.14±0.08, 48 hours). Caspase-8 mutated JurkatI9.2 cells were significantly less sensitive to BV-6 than Jurkat cells and as expected, JurkatI9.2 was completely resistant to TRAIL. Collectively, we showed that the bivalent SMAC-mimetic BV-6 potentiates p53 activation-, chemotherapy-, and TRAIL-induced cell death, but has only minimal activity by itself in leukemic cells. SMAC-mimetics could be useful in enhancing the efficacy of different classes of therapeutic agents used in AML therapy. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Blood ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 95 (6) ◽  
pp. 2015-2023 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian R. Gastman ◽  
Daniel E. Johnson ◽  
Theresa L. Whiteside ◽  
Hannah Rabinowich

Abstract Our recent studies suggest that human squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) is capable of activating an intrinsic mechanism of programmed-cell death in interacting lymphocytes in situ and in vitro. The current study used Jurkat T-cell line as a model to investigate intracellular apoptotic events in T cells interacting with SCCHN. Apoptosis induced in T lymphocytes by tumor cells was in part Fas-mediated, since it was partially, but significantly, inhibited in the presence of anti-Fas ligand Ab or in Fas-resistant Jurkat cells. The synthetic caspase inhibitors, N-benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethyl ketone (Z-VAD-FMK) and N-benzyloxycarbonyl-Asp-glu-Val-Asp-fluoromethyl ketone (Z-DEVD-FMK), effectively blocked apoptosis of Jurkat cells co-incubated with SCCHN cell lines, suggesting the involvement of caspases in tumor-induced apoptosis of lymphocytes. Overexpression of CrmA, an inhibitor of caspase-1 and caspase-8, partially inhibited tumor-induced T-cell death. Caspase-8 and caspase-3 were identified as effector molecules in the execution of tumor-induced T-cell death, since the proform enzymes were processed into active subunits during co-incubation of T cells with tumor cells. Furthermore, co-incubation with tumor cells resulted in cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), a common caspase-3 substrate, and in cleavage of TcR-ζ chain, shown by us to be a T-cell specific caspase-3 substrate. Overexpression of Bcl-2 did not provide protection of T cells from SCCHN-induced DNA degradation. Instead, the Bcl-2 protein was cleaved in the target T cells during their co-incubation with tumor cells. These findings demonstrate that tumor cells can trigger in T lymphocytes caspase-dependent apoptotic cascades, which are not effectively protected by Bcl-2.


2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (12) ◽  
pp. 3765 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis Anguiano-Sevilla ◽  
Eugenia Lugo-Cervantes ◽  
Cynthia Ordaz-Pichardo ◽  
Jorge Rosas-Trigueros ◽  
María Jaramillo-Flores

In this study, an ethanol extract of Agave lechuguilla was evaluated against six carcinogenic cell lines (HCT-15, MCF-7, PC-3, U-251, SK-LU-1 and K-562) with an inhibition of 75.7 ± 2.3% against the SK-LU-1 line. Based on the previous result, the extract was hydrolyzed and fractionated, to which the IC50 was determined; the cell line was more sensitive to the fractionated extract with an IC50 6.96 ± 0.15 µg/mL. Characterization by mass spectrometry showed the presence of kaempferol, quercetin and a flavonoid dimer formed by afzelechin-4β-8-quercetin, according to the generated fragmentation pattern. The fractionated extract presented cell death by apoptosis with 39.8% at 24 h. Molecular docking was performed with the molecules found to try to describe cell death by apoptosis through death receptors such as FasCD95, TNF-R1, DR4/5 and blocking signaling on the EGFR and K-Ras MAPK/ERK pathway, as well as through the intrinsic pathway activating tBID, which promotes the amplification of the apoptotic signal due to the activation of caspase-3, and consequently caspase-7. In addition to the activation of the IIb complex associated with cell death due to necroptosis.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tingting Meng ◽  
Ying Zhou ◽  
Jingkun Li ◽  
Meilin Hu ◽  
Xiaomeng Li ◽  
...  

Background and Objective. This study investigated the effects and underlying mechanisms of azithromycin (AZM) treatment on the osteogenic differentiation of human periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) after their stimulation with TNF-α in vitro. Methods. PDLSCs were isolated from periodontal ligaments from extracted teeth, and MTS assay was used to evaluate whether AZM and TNF-α had toxic effects on PDLSCs viability and proliferation. After stimulating PDLSCs with TNF-α and AZM, we analyzed alkaline phosphatase staining, alkaline phosphatase activity, and alizarin red staining to detect osteogenic differentiation. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis was performed to detect the mRNA expression of osteogenic-related genes, including RUNX2, OCN, and BSP. Western blotting was used to measure the NF-κB signaling pathway proteins p65, phosphorylated p65, IκB-α, phosphorylated IκB-α, and β-catenin as well as the apoptosis-related proteins caspase-8 and caspase-3. Annexin V assay was used to detect PDLSCs apoptosis. Results. TNF-α stimulation of PDLSCs decreased alkaline phosphatase and alizarin red staining, alkaline phosphatase activity, and mRNA expression of RUNX2, OCN, and BSP in osteogenic-conditioned medium. AZM enhanced the osteogenic differentiation of PDLSCs that were stimulated with TNF-α. Western blot analysis showed that β-catenin, phosphorated p65, and phosphorylated IκB-α protein expression decreased in PDLSCs treated with AZM. In addition, pretreatment of PDLSCs with AZM (10 μg/ml, 20 μg/ml) prevented TNF-α-induced apoptosis by decreasing caspase-8 and caspase-3 expression. Conclusions. Our results showed that AZM promotes PDLSCs osteogenic differentiation in an inflammatory microenvironment by inhibiting the WNT and NF-κB signaling pathways and by suppressing TNF-α-induced apoptosis. This suggests that AZM has potential as a clinical therapeutic for periodontitis.


1998 ◽  
Vol 132 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 7-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mari Shimura ◽  
Emiko Okuma ◽  
Akira Yuo ◽  
Takehito Sasaki ◽  
Chiaki Mukai ◽  
...  

2007 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 1337-1347 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison J. Faragher ◽  
Xiao-Ming Sun ◽  
Michael Butterworth ◽  
Nick Harper ◽  
Mike Mulheran ◽  
...  

Despite the fact that the chromosomal passenger complex is well known to regulate kinetochore behavior in mitosis, no functional link has yet been established between the complex and kinetochore structure. In addition, remarkably little is known about how the complex targets to centromeres. Here, in a study of caspase-8 activation during death receptor-induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells, we have found that cleaved caspase-8 rapidly translocates to the nucleus and that this translocation is correlated with loss of the centromere protein (CENP)-C, resulting in extensive disruption of centromeres. Caspase-8 activates cytoplasmic caspase-7, which is likely to be the primary caspase responsible for cleavage of CENP-C and INCENP, a key chromosomal passenger protein. Caspase-mediated cleavage of CENP-C and INCENP results in their mislocalization and the subsequent mislocalization of Aurora B kinase. Our results demonstrate that the chromosomal passenger complex is displaced from centromeres as a result of caspase activation. Furthermore, mutation of the primary caspase cleavage sites of INCENP and CENP-C and expression of noncleavable CENP-C or INCENP prevent the mislocalization of the passenger complex after caspase activation. Our studies provide the first evidence for a functional interplay between the passenger complex and CENP-C.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Wang ◽  
Chunhui Xia ◽  
Wei Chen ◽  
Yuhang Chen ◽  
Yiyi Wang ◽  
...  

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a novel and promising antitumor treatment. Our previous study showed that hydrophilic/lipophilic tetra-α-(4-carboxyphenoxy) phthalocyanine zinc- (TαPcZn-) mediated PDT (TαPcZn-PDT) inhibits the proliferation of human hepatocellular carcinoma Bel-7402 cells by triggering apoptosis and arresting cell cycle. However, mechanisms of TαPcZn-PDT-induced apoptosis of Bel-7402 cells have not been fully clarified. In the present study, therefore, effect of TαPcZn-PDT on apoptosis, P38MAPK, p-P38MAPK, Caspase-8, Caspase-3, Bcl-2, Bid, Cytochrome c, and mitochondria membrane potential in Bel-7402 cells without or with P38MAPK inhibitor SB203580 or Caspase-8 inhibitor Ac-IEFD-CHO was investigated by haematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining assay, flow cytometry analysis of annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide (PI) double staining cells and 5,5′,6,6′-tetrachloro-1,1′,3,3′-tetraethylbenzimidazolylcarbocyanine iodide (JC-1), and immunoblot assay. We found that TαPcZn-PDT resulted in apoptosis induction, activation of P38MAPK, Caspase-8, Caspase-3, and Bid, downregulation of Bcl-2, release of Cytochrome c from mitochondria, and disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential in TαPcZn-PDT-treated Bel-7402 cells. In contrast, SB203580 or Ac-IEFD-CHO attenuated induction of apoptosis, activation of P38MAPK, Caspase-8, Caspase-3, and Bid, downregulation of Bcl-2, release of Cytochrome c from mitochondria, and disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential in TαPcZn-PDT-treated Bel-7402 cells. Taken together, we conclude that Caspase-3, Bcl-2, Bid, and mitochondria are involved in autoregulatory feedback of P38MAPK/Caspase-8 during TαPcZn-PDT-induced apoptosis of Bel-7402 cells.


1999 ◽  
Vol 19 (8) ◽  
pp. 5659-5674 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rakesh K. Srivastava ◽  
Steven J. Sollott ◽  
Leila Khan ◽  
Richard Hansford ◽  
Edward G. Lakatta ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The proteins Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL prevent apoptosis, but their mechanism of action is unclear. We examined the role of Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL in the regulation of cytosolic Ca2+, nitric oxide production (NO), c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) activation, and apoptosis in Jurkat T cells. Thapsigargin (TG), an inhibitor of the endoplasmic reticulum-associated Ca2+ATPase, was used to disrupt Ca2+ homeostasis. TG acutely elevated intracellular free Ca2+ and mitochondrial Ca2+ levels and induced NO production and apoptosis in Jurkat cells transfected with vector (JT/Neo). Buffering of this Ca2+ response with 1,2-bis(o-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid tetra(acetoxymethyl) ester (BAPTA-AM) or inhibiting NO synthase activity with N G-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (l-NAME) blocked TG-induced NO production and apoptosis in JT/Neo cells. By contrast, while TG produced comparable early changes in the Ca2+ level (i.e., within 3 h) in Jurkat cells overexpressing Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL (JT/Bcl-2 or JT/Bcl-XL), NO production, late (36-h) Ca2+ accumulation, and apoptosis were dramatically reduced compared to those in JT/Neo cells. Exposure of JT/Bcl-2 and JT/Bcl-XL cells to the NO donor,S-nitroso-N-acetylpenacillamine (SNAP) resulted in apoptosis comparable to that seen in JT/Neo cells. TG also activated the JNK pathway, which was blocked by l-NAME. Transient expression of a dominant negative mutant SEK1 (Lys→Arg), an upstream kinase of JNK, prevented both TG-induced JNK activation and apoptosis. A dominant negative c-Jun mutant also reduced TG-induced apoptosis. Overexpression of Bcl-2 or Bcl-XL inhibited TG-induced loss in mitochondrial membrane potential, release of cytochromec, and activation of caspase-3 and JNK. Inhibition of caspase-3 activation blocked TG-induced JNK activation, suggesting that JNK activation occurred downstream of caspase-3. Thus, TG-induced Ca2+ release leads to NO generation followed by mitochondrial changes including cytochrome c release and caspase-3 activation. Caspase-3 activation leads to activation of the JNK pathway and apoptosis. In summary, Ca2+-dependent activation of NO production mediates apoptosis after TG exposure in JT/Neo cells. JT/Bcl-2 and JT/Bcl-XL cells are susceptible to NO-mediated apoptosis, but Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL protect the cells against TG-induced apoptosis by negatively regulating Ca2+-sensitive NO synthase activity or expression.


2002 ◽  
Vol 277 (51) ◽  
pp. 50054-50061 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hideki Matsui ◽  
Yukiko Hikichi ◽  
Isamu Tsuji ◽  
Takao Yamada ◽  
Yasushi Shintani

LIGHT is a member of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily, and its receptors have been identified as lymphotoxin-β receptor (LTβR) and the herpesvirus entry mediator (HVEM)/ATAR/TR2, both of which lack the cytoplasmic sequence termed the “death domain.” The present study has demonstrated that LIGHT inhibits TNFα-mediated apoptosis of human primary hepatocytes sensitized by actinomycin D (ActD), but not Fas- or TRAIL-mediated apoptosis. Furthermore, LIGHT does not prevent some cell lines such as HepG2 or HeLa from undergoing ActD/TNFα-induced apoptosis. This protective effect requires LIGHT pretreatment at least 3 h prior to ActD sensitization. LIGHT stimulates nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB)-dependent transcriptional activity in human hepatocytes like TNFα. The time course of NF-κB activation after LIGHT administration is similar to that of the pretreatment required for the anti-apoptotic effect of LIGHT. LIGHT inhibits caspase-3 processing on the apoptotic protease cascade in TNFα-mediated apoptosis but not Fas-mediated apoptosis. In addition, increased caspase-3 and caspase-8 activities in ActD/TNFα-treated cells are effectively blocked by LIGHT pretreatment. However, LIGHT does not change the expression of TNFRp55, TNFRp75, and Fas. These results indicate that LIGHT may act as an anti-apoptotic agent against TNFα-mediated liver injury by blocking the activation of both caspase-3 and caspase-8.


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