scholarly journals Effects of apigenin, lycopene and astaxanthin on 7β-hydroxycholesterol-induced apoptosis and Akt phosphorylation in U937 cells

2008 ◽  
Vol 100 (2) ◽  
pp. 287-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sinéad Lordan ◽  
Cora O'Neill ◽  
Nora M. O'Brien
Keyword(s):  
Cell Death ◽  
Cell Viability ◽  
U937 Cells ◽  
Caspase Activation ◽  
Serine Threonine Kinase ◽  
Akt Phosphorylation ◽  
Akt Activation ◽  
Threonine Kinase ◽  
Low Concentrations ◽  
Induced Apoptosis

Oxysterols arise from the enzymic or non-enzymic oxidation of cholesterol and have been shown to be cytotoxic to certain cell lines. In particular, apoptosis induced by the oxysterol 7β-hydroxycholesterol (7β-OH) has been associated with the generation of oxidative stress, cytochrome c release and caspase activation. Due to the fundamental importance of apoptosis in pathological processes, the identification of substances capable of modulating this form of cell death is now actively researched. The objective of the present study was to investigate if apigenin, lycopene and astaxanthin could inhibit 7β-OH-induced apoptosis in U937 cells. Pretreatment with 0·1 μm-astaxanthin protected against apoptosis, while lycopene did not oppose the adverse effects of 7β-OH. At low concentrations, apigenin did not protect against oxysterol-induced apoptosis; however, at higher concentrations it intensified cell death. Additionally, we investigated the effect of 7β-OH, apigenin and astaxanthin on the activation of the serine threonine kinase Akt (phosphorylated Akt:Akt ratio) to determine whether the effect on cell viability and growth was linked to the Akt signalling pathway. Akt activation was decreased in the oxysterol-treated cells compared with control cells; however, this did not attain significance. Interestingly, activation of Akt was significantly reduced compared with control cells following incubation with apigenin and astaxanthin both in the absence and in the presence of 7β-OH. Our data suggest that apigenin, lycopene and astaxanthin failed to protect against 7β-OH-induced apoptosis, and the decrease in cell viability and the increase in apoptotic nuclei induced by the antioxidants appear to be associated with down regulation of Akt activity.

scholarly journals Dap-Kinase Participates in TNF-α–And FAS-Induced Apoptosis and Its Function Requires the Death Domain

1999 ◽  
Vol 146 (1) ◽  
pp. 141-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ofer Cohen ◽  
Boaz Inbal ◽  
Joseph L. Kissil ◽  
Tal Raveh ◽  
Hanna Berissi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Death ◽  
Dominant Negative ◽  
Protein Domain ◽  
Dominant Negative Mutant ◽  
Death Domain ◽  
Serine Threonine Kinase ◽  
Threonine Kinase ◽  
Dap Kinase ◽  
Tnf Α ◽  
Induced Apoptosis

Death-associated protein (DAP)–kinase is a calcium/calmodulin regulated serine/threonine kinase that carries ankyrin repeats, a death domain, and is localized to the cytoskeleton. Here, we report that this kinase is involved in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and Fas-induced apoptosis. Expression of DAP-kinase antisense RNA protected cells from killing by anti–Fas/APO-1 agonistic antibodies. Deletion of the death domain abrogated the apoptotic functions of the kinase, thus, documenting for the first time the importance of this protein domain. Overexpression of a fragment encompassing the death domain of DAP-kinase acted as a specific dominant negative mutant that protected cells from TNF-α, Fas, and FADD/MORT1–induced cell death. DAP-kinase apoptotic function was blocked by bcl-2 as well as by crmA and p35 inhibitors of caspases, but not by the dominant negative mutants of FADD/MORT1 or of caspase 8. Thus, it functions downstream to the receptor complex and upstream to other caspases. The multidomain structure of this serine/threonine kinase, combined with its involvement in cell death induced by several different triggers, place DAP-kinase at one of the central molecular pathways leading to apoptosis.

scholarly journals Akt/Protein Kinase B Inhibits Cell Death by Preventing the Release of Cytochrome c from Mitochondria

1999 ◽  
Vol 19 (8) ◽  
pp. 5800-5810 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott G. Kennedy ◽  
Eugene S. Kandel ◽  
Torry K. Cross ◽  
Nissim Hay
Keyword(s):  
Cell Death ◽  
Cell Survival ◽  
Inner Mitochondrial Membrane ◽  
Serine Threonine Kinase ◽  
Independent Manner ◽  
Akt Activation ◽  
Threonine Kinase ◽  
Promote Cell Survival ◽  
Steady State Levels ◽  
Phosphoinositide 3 Kinase

ABSTRACT Growth factors signaling through the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt pathway promote cell survival. The mechanism by which the serine/threonine kinase Akt prevents cell death remains unclear. We have previously shown that Akt inhibits the activity of DEVD-targeted caspases without changing the steady-state levels of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL. Here we show that Akt inhibits apoptosis and the processing of procaspases to their active forms by delaying mitochondrial changes in a caspase-independent manner. Akt activation is sufficient to inhibit the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria and the alterations in the inner mitochondrial membrane potential. However, Akt cannot inhibit apoptosis induced by microinjection of cytochrome c. We also demonstrated that Akt inhibits apoptosis and cytochrome c release induced by several proapoptotic Bcl-2 family members. Taken together, our results show that Akt promotes cell survival by intervening in the apoptosis cascade before cytochrome c release and caspase activation via a mechanism that is distinct from Bad phosphorylation.

Akt/PKB: one kinase, many modifications

2015 ◽  
Vol 468 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guillermo Risso ◽  
Matías Blaustein ◽  
Berta Pozzi ◽  
Pablo Mammi ◽  
Anabella Srebrow
Keyword(s):  
Large Body ◽  
Fine Tuning ◽  
Serine Threonine Kinase ◽  
Post Translational Modifications ◽  
Akt Phosphorylation ◽  
Akt Activation ◽  
Threonine Kinase ◽  
Cellular Processes ◽  
Extracellular Signals ◽  
Signalling Molecule

Akt/PKB, a serine/threonine kinase member of the AGC family of proteins, is involved in the regulation of a plethora of cellular processes triggered by a wide diversity of extracellular signals and is thus considered a key signalling molecule in higher eukaryotes. Deregulation of Akt signalling is associated with a variety of human diseases, revealing Akt-dependent pathways as an attractive target for therapeutic intervention. Since its discovery in the early 1990s, a large body of work has focused on Akt phosphorylation of two residues, Thr308 and Ser473, and modification of these two sites has been established as being equivalent to Akt activation. More recently, Akt has been identified as a substrate for many different post-translational modifications, including not only phosphorylation of other residues, but also acetylation, glycosylation, oxidation, ubiquitination and SUMOylation. These modifications could provide additional regulatory steps for fine-tuning Akt function, Akt trafficking within the cell and/or for determining the substrate specificity of this signalling molecule. In the present review, we provide an overview of these different post-translational modifications identified for Akt, focusing on their consequences for this kinase activity.

scholarly journals Caspase-8 deficiency induces a switch from TLR3 induced apoptosis to lysosomal cell death in neuroblastoma

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie-Anaïs Locquet ◽  
Gabriel Ichim ◽  
Joseph Bisaccia ◽  
Aurelie Dutour ◽  
Serge Lebecque ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Death ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Neuroblastoma Cell ◽  
Death Receptor ◽  
Neuroblastoma Cell Line ◽  
Caspase 8 ◽  
Caspase Activation ◽  
Extrinsic Pathway ◽  
Lysosomal Membrane Permeabilization ◽  
Induced Apoptosis

AbstractIn cancer cells only, TLR3 acquires death receptor properties by efficiently triggering the extrinsic pathway of apoptosis with Caspase-8 as apical protease. Here, we demonstrate that in the absence of Caspase-8, activation of TLR3 can trigger a form of programmed cell death, which is distinct from classical apoptosis. When TLR3 was activated in the Caspase-8 negative neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y, cell death was accompanied by lysosomal permeabilization. Despite caspases being activated, lysosomal permeabilization as well as cell death were not affected by blocking caspase-activity, positioning lysosomal membrane permeabilization (LMP) upstream of caspase activation. Taken together, our data suggest that LMP with its deadly consequences represents a “default” death mechanism in cancer cells, when Caspase-8 is absent and apoptosis cannot be induced.

Reactive oxygen species and caspase activation mediate silica-induced apoptosis in alveolar macrophages

2001 ◽  
Vol 280 (1) ◽  
pp. L10-L17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Han-Ming Shen ◽  
Zhuo Zhang ◽  
Qi-Feng Zhang ◽  
Choon-Nam Ong
Keyword(s):  
Reactive Oxygen Species ◽  
Cell Death ◽  
Alveolar Macrophages ◽  
Caspase 3 ◽  
Reactive Oxygen ◽  
Parp Cleavage ◽  
Oxygen Species ◽  
Caspase Activation ◽  
Caspase 9 ◽  
Induced Apoptosis

Alveolar macrophages (AMs) are the principal target cells of silica and occupy a key position in the pathogenesis of silica-related diseases. Silica has been found to induce apoptosis in AMs, whereas its underlying mechanisms involving the initiation and execution of apoptosis are largely unknown. The main objective of the present study was to examine the form of cell death caused by silica and the mechanisms involved. Silica-induced apoptosis in AMs was evaluated by terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling assay and cell cycle/DNA content analysis. The elevated level of reactive oxygen species (ROS), caspase-9 and caspase-3 activation, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage in silica-treated AMs were also determined. The results showed that there was a temporal pattern of apoptotic events in silica-treated AMs, starting with ROS formation and followed by caspase-9 and caspase-3 activation, PARP cleavage, and DNA fragmentation. Silica-induced apoptosis was significantly attenuated by a caspase-3 inhibitor, N-acetyl-Asp-Glu-Val-Asp aldehyde, and ebselen, a potent antioxidant. These findings suggest that apoptosis is an important form of cell death caused by silica exposure in which the elevated ROS level that results from silica exposure may act as an initiator, leading to caspase activation and PARP cleavage to execute the apoptotic process.

scholarly journals Death Receptor-Induced Activation of Initiator Caspase 8 Is Antagonized by Serine/Threonine Kinase PAK4

2003 ◽  
Vol 23 (21) ◽  
pp. 7838-7848 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nerina Gnesutta ◽  
Audrey Minden
Keyword(s):  
Cell Death ◽  
Cell Survival ◽  
Intracellular Signaling ◽  
Death Receptor ◽  
Caspase 8 ◽  
Death Domain ◽  
Serine Threonine Kinase ◽  
Threonine Kinase ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Promote Cell Survival

ABSTRACT Normal cell growth requires a precisely controlled balance between cell death and survival. This involves activation of different types of intracellular signaling cascades within the cell. While some types of signaling proteins regulate apoptosis, or programmed cell death, other proteins within the cell can promote survival. The serine/threonine kinase PAK4 can protect cells from apoptosis in response to several different types of stimuli. As is the case for other members of the p21-activated kinase (PAK) family, one way that PAK4 may promote cell survival is by phosphorylating and thereby inhibiting the proapoptotic protein Bad. This leads in turn to the inhibition of effector caspases such as caspase 3. Here we show that in response to cytokines which activate death domain-containing receptors, such as the tumor necrosis factor and Fas receptors, PAK4 can inhibit the death signal by a different mechanism. Under these conditions, PAK4 inhibits apoptosis early in the caspase cascade, antagonizing the activation of initiator caspase 8. This inhibition, which does not require PAK4's kinase activity, may involve inhibition of caspase 8 recruitment to the death domain receptors. This role in regulating initiator caspases is an entirely novel role for the PAK proteins and suggests a new mechanism by which these proteins promote cell survival.

Human Monocytoid Leukemia Cells Are Highly Sensitive to Apoptosis Induced by 2′-Deoxycoformycin and 2′-Deoxyadenosine: Association With dATP-Dependent Activation of Caspase-3

Blood ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 92 (9) ◽  
pp. 3368-3375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nozomi Niitsu ◽  
Yuri Yamaguchi ◽  
Masanori Umeda ◽  
Yoshio Honma
Keyword(s):  
Cell Lines ◽  
Caspase 3 ◽  
Lymphoma Cell ◽  
Leukemia Cells ◽  
Acute Monocytic Leukemia ◽  
U937 Cells ◽  
Monocytic Leukemia ◽  
Low Concentrations ◽  
American Society ◽  
Induced Apoptosis

Abstract The adenosine deaminase (ADA) inhibitor 2′-deoxycoformycin (dCF) significantly inhibits the proliferation of leukemia and lymphoma cell lines. When cells were incubated in the presence of both dCF and 2′-deoxyadenosine (dAd), the concentration of dCF required to induce apoptosis of monocytoid leukemia cells was much lower than that required for myeloid, erythroid, or lymphoma cell lines. Among the cell lines tested, U937 cells were the most sensitive to this treatment. The concentration of dCF that effectively inhibited the proliferation of U937 cells was 1/1,000 of that required for lymphoma cell lines, on a molar basis. However, the uptake of dCF or dAd in U937 cells was comparable with that in other leukemia and lymphoma cell lines. The intracellular accumulation of dATP in U937 cells was only slightly higher than that in other leukemia cells in dCF-treated culture. Treatment with dCF plus dAd induced apoptosis in U937 cells at low concentrations, and this apoptosis was reduced by treatment with caspase inhibitors. Induction of caspase-3 (CPP32) activity accompanied the apoptosis induced by dCF plus dAd. No activation of CPP32 was observed in cytosol prepared from exponentially growing leukemia and lymphoma cells. However, dATP effectively induced CPP32 activation in cytosol from monocytoid cells, but not in that from nonmonocytoid cells, suggesting that dATP-dependent CPP32 activation is at least partly involved in the preferential induction of apoptosis in monocytoid leukemia cells. The combination of dCF and dAd may be useful for the clinical treatment of acute monocytic leukemia. © 1998 by The American Society of Hematology.

scholarly journals Neuroprotective Effects of Alpha-Mangostin on MPP+-Induced Apoptotic Cell Death in Neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y Cells

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prachya Janhom ◽  
Permphan Dharmasaroja
Keyword(s):  
Cell Death ◽  
Cell Viability ◽  
Caspase 3 ◽  
Nuclear Dna ◽  
Apoptotic Cell ◽  
Apoptotic Cell Death ◽  
Concomitant Treatment ◽  
Ros Production ◽  
Cellular Models ◽  
Induced Apoptosis

In vitrostudies have shown that extracts from mangosteen (Garcinia mangostanaLinn.) act as antioxidants and cytoprotective agents against oxidative damage. The protective effect of alpha-mangostin, the major xanthone found in the pericarp of the mangosteen, in cellular models of Parkinson’s disease (PD), has not been investigated. This study aims to investigate whether alpha-mangostin could protect SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells from MPP+-induced apoptosis. The effects of alpha-mangostin on MPP+-induced cell death were evaluated with a cell viability assay, staining for nuclear DNA morphology, flow cytometry for apoptotic cells and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, quantitative real-time PCR for the expression of p53, Bax, and Bcl-2, and western blot analysis for cleaved caspase-3. Concomitant treatment with alpha-mangostin attenuated the effect of MPP+on cell viability and apoptotic cell death. Alpha-mangostin reduced ROS formation induced by MPP+. Bax/Bcl-2 expression ratio and expression of p53 were significantly lower in cells cocultured with alpha-mangostin and MPP+. The cotreated cells showed a significant decrease in activated caspase-3 compared with MPP+treatment alone. Our data suggest that cytoprotection of alpha-mangostin against MPP+-induced apoptosis may be associated with the reduction of ROS production, modulating the balance of pro- and antiapoptotic genes, and suppression of caspase-3 activation.

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