Apoptosis signalling pathways in seizure-induced neuronal death and epilepsy

2007 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 421-423 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.C. Henshall

Delineating the molecular pathways underlying seizure-induced neuronal death may yield novel strategies for brain protection against prolonged or repetitive seizures. Glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity and necrosis is a primary contributing mechanism but seizures also activate programmed (apoptotic) cell death pathways. Apoptosis signalling pathways are typically initiated following perturbation of intracellular organelle function (intrinsic pathway) or by activated cell-surface-expressed death receptors (extrinsic pathway), with signalling cascades orchestrated in part by the Bcl-2 and caspase gene families. In this review, evidence for these pathways from experimental seizure modelling and clinical material from patients with intractable temporal lobe epilepsy is examined. Seizures cause mitochondrial dysfunction and activate intrinsic pathway components including pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins and caspases, processes that may be partly calcium-induced. The ER (endoplasmic reticulum) has emerged as a major intrinsic pathway trigger for apoptosis and its function may also be compromised following seizures and in epilepsy. The extrinsic, death-receptor-dependent pathway is also rapidly engaged following experimental seizures and in patient brain, supporting a previously unexpected apical role for a calcium-independent pathway. When considered alongside emerging functions of apoptosis-regulatory proteins in non-cell-death processes, including regulating intracellular calcium release and neuronal (re)structuring, apoptosis signalling pathways can be viewed as an important developing focus of research into how to obviate the deleterious impact of seizures on the brain.

Blood ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 108 (11) ◽  
pp. 4585-4585
Author(s):  
Christian Scholz ◽  
Antje Richter ◽  
Anja Richter ◽  
Bernd Dörken ◽  
Peter T. Daniel

Abstract Arsenic trioxide (As2O3, arsenite) efficiently kills cells from various hematologic malignancies and has successfully been employed for the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukaemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, and multiple myeloma. Investigating the mechanisms of arsenic trioxide-induced cell death, we recently demonstrated that arsenite-mediated cell demise has a partially necrotic phenotype, occurs independently of the extrinsic death receptor pathway of apoptosis, and is not hampered by the absence of functioning caspases. On the contrary, cell death proceeded entirely via an intrinsic, mitochondrial pathway and was efficiently blocked by the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family members Bcl-2 or Bcl-xL. Here, we address the role of the pro-apoptotic multi-domain Bcl-2 family members Bax and Bak. By employing different cell lines deficient for Bax and/or Bak, we demonstrate that Bax- or Bak-deficiency as well as the combined absence only partially blocks arsenite-induced cell death. While the detection of an additive effect of the combined Bax-/Bak-deficiency argues for a non redundant function of Bax and Bak, the persistence of a substantial percentage of arsenite-mediated cell demise in different double deficient cell lines nevertheless suggests a mode of arsenic trioxide-mediated cell death independent from these central inducers of apoptotic cell demise. The presented data add to the notion that arsenic trioxide kills tumor cells independent of the apoptotic machinery, and warrants further investigation on the efficacy of this compound in malignancies with deficiencies of the apoptotic cell death pathways.


2005 ◽  
Vol 25 (12) ◽  
pp. 1557-1572 ◽  
Author(s):  
David C Henshall ◽  
Roger P Simon

Epilepsy is a common, chronic neurologic disorder characterized by recurrent unprovoked seizures. Experimental modeling and clinical neuroimaging of patients has shown that certain seizures are capable of causing neuronal death. Such brain injury may contribute to epileptogenesis, impairments in cognitive function or the epilepsy phenotype. Research into cell death after seizures has identified the induction of the molecular machinery of apoptosis. Here, the authors review the clinical and experimental evidence for apoptotic cell death pathway function in the wake of seizure activity. We summarize work showing intrinsic (mitochondrial) and extrinsic (death receptor) apoptotic pathway function after seizures, activation of the caspase and Bcl-2 families of cell death modulators and the acute and chronic neuropathologic impact of intervening in these molecular cascades. Finally, we describe evolving data on nonlethal roles for these proteins in neuronal restructuring and cell excitability that have implications for shaping the epilepsy phenotype. This review highlights the work to date on apoptosis pathway signaling during seizure-induced neuronal death and epileptogenesis, and speculates on how emerging roles in brain remodeling and excitability have enriched the number of therapeutic strategies for protection against seizure-damage and epileptogenesis.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie-Anaïs Locquet ◽  
Gabriel Ichim ◽  
Joseph Bisaccia ◽  
Aurelie Dutour ◽  
Serge Lebecque ◽  
...  

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.


ASN NEURO ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 175909142093086
Author(s):  
Laura E. Montroull ◽  
Deborah E. Rothbard ◽  
Hur D. Kanal ◽  
Veera D’Mello ◽  
Vincent Dodson ◽  
...  

The p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) can regulate multiple cellular functions including proliferation, survival, and apoptotic cell death. The p75NTR is widely expressed in the developing brain and is downregulated as the nervous system matures, with only a few neuronal subpopulations retaining expression into adulthood. However, p75NTR expression is induced following damage to the adult brain, including after traumatic brain injury, which is a leading cause of mortality and disability worldwide. A major consequence of traumatic brain injury is the progressive neuronal loss that continues secondary to the initial trauma, which ultimately contributes to cognitive decline. Understanding mechanisms governing this progressive neuronal death is key to developing targeted therapeutic strategies to provide neuroprotection and salvage cognitive function. In this study, we demonstrate that a cortical impact injury to the sensorimotor cortex elicits p75NTR expression in apoptotic neurons in the injury penumbra, confirming previous studies. To establish whether preventing p75NTR induction or blocking the ligands would reduce the extent of secondary neuronal cell death, we used a noninvasive intranasal strategy to deliver either siRNA to block the induction of p75NTR, or function-blocking antibodies to the ligands pro-nerve growth factor and pro-brain-derived neurotrophic factor. We demonstrate that either preventing the induction of p75NTR or blocking the proneurotrophin ligands provides neuroprotection and preserves sensorimotor function.


2020 ◽  
Vol 295 (10) ◽  
pp. 3228-3238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph K. Rathkey ◽  
Tsan S. Xiao ◽  
Derek W. Abbott

Exomic studies have demonstrated that innate immune genes exhibit an even higher degree of variation than the majority of other gene families. However, the phenotypic implications of this genetic variation are not well understood, with effects ranging from hypomorphic to silent to hyperfunctioning. In this work, we study the functional consequences of this variation by investigating polymorphisms in gasdermin D, the key pyroptotic effector protein. We find that, although SNPs affecting potential posttranslational modifications did not affect gasdermin D function or pyroptosis, polymorphisms disrupting sites predicted to be structurally important dramatically alter gasdermin D function. The manner in which these polymorphisms alter function varies from conserving normal pyroptotic function to inhibiting caspase cleavage to disrupting oligomerization and pore formation. Further, downstream of inflammasome activation, polymorphisms that cause loss of gasdermin D function convert inflammatory pyroptotic cell death into immunologically silent apoptotic cell death. These findings suggest that human genetic variation can alter mechanisms of cell death in inflammation.


2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 93-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jieru Wan ◽  
Honglei Ren ◽  
Jian Wang

Intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) is a devastating type of stroke with high mortality and morbidity. However, we have few options for ICH therapy and limited knowledge about post-ICH neuronal death and related mechanisms. In the aftermath of ICH, iron overload within the perihaematomal region can induce lethal reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and lipid peroxidation, which contribute to secondary brain injury. Indeed, iron chelation therapy has shown efficacy in preclinical ICH studies. Recently, an iron-dependent form of non-apoptotic cell death known as ferroptosis was identified. It is characterised by an accumulation of iron-induced lipid ROS, which leads to intracellular oxidative stress. The ROS cause damage to nucleic acids, proteins and lipid membranes, and eventually cell death. Recently, we and others discovered that ferroptosis does occur after haemorrhagic stroke in vitro and in vivo and contributes to neuronal death. Inhibition of ferroptosis is beneficial in several in vivo and in vitro ICH conditions. This minireview summarises current research on iron toxicity, lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis in the pathomechanisms of ICH, the underlying molecular mechanisms of ferroptosis and the potential for combined therapeutic strategies. Understanding the role of ferroptosis after ICH will provide a vital foundation for cell death-based ICH treatment and prevention.


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