Stressed to death – mechanisms of ER stress-induced cell death

2014 ◽  
Vol 395 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalia Sovolyova ◽  
Sandra Healy ◽  
Afshin Samali ◽  
Susan E. Logue

Abstract The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a highly dynamic organelle of fundamental importance present in all eukaryotic cells. The majority of synthesized structural and secreted proteins undergo post-translational modification, folding and oligomerization in the ER lumen, enabling proteins to carry out their physiological functions. Therefore, maintenance of ER homeostasis and function is imperative for proper cellular function. Physiological and pathological conditions can disturb ER homeostasis and thus negatively impact upon protein folding, resulting in an accumulation of unfolded proteins. Examples include hypoxia, hypo- and hyperglycemia, acidosis, and fluxes in calcium levels. Increased levels of unfolded/misfolded proteins within the ER lumen triggers a condition commonly referred to as ‘ER stress’. To combat ER stress, cells have evolved a highly conserved adaptive stress response referred to as the unfolded protein response (UPR). UPR signaling affords the cell a ‘window of opportunity’ for stress resolution however, if prolonged or excessive the UPR is insufficient and ER stress-induced cell death ensues. This review discusses the role of ER stress sensors IRE1, PERK and ATF6, describing their role in ER stress-induced death signaling with specific emphasis placed upon the importance of the intrinsic cell death pathway and Bcl-2 family regulation.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily M. Nakada ◽  
Rui Sun ◽  
Utako Fujii ◽  
James G. Martin

The accumulation of unfolded/misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) causes ER stress and induces the unfolded protein response (UPR) and other mechanisms to restore ER homeostasis, including translational shutdown, increased targeting of mRNAs for degradation by the IRE1-dependent decay pathway, selective translation of proteins that contribute to the protein folding capacity of the ER, and activation of the ER-associated degradation machinery. When ER stress is excessive or prolonged and these mechanisms fail to restore proteostasis, the UPR triggers the cell to undergo apoptosis. This review also examines the overlooked role of post-translational modifications and their roles in protein processing and effects on ER stress and the UPR. Finally, these effects are examined in the context of lung structure, function, and disease.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianye Wang ◽  
Bian Hu ◽  
Zhicong Zhao ◽  
Haiyan Zhang ◽  
He Zhang ◽  
...  

AbstractEndoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-associated cell death is prevalent in various liver diseases. However, the determinant mechanism how hepatocytes survive unresolved stress was still unclear. Interleukin-24 (IL-24) was previously found to promote ER stress-mediated cell death, and yet its expression and function in the liver remained elusive. Here we identified an antiapoptotic role of IL-24, which transiently accumulated within ER-stressed hepatocytes in a X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1)-dependent manner. Disruption of IL-24 increased cell death in the CCL4- or APAP-challenged mouse liver or Tm-treated hepatocytes. In contrast, pharmaceutical blockade of eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (eIF2α) or genetical ablation of C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) restored hepatocyte function in the absence of IL-24. In a clinical setting, patients with acute liver failure manifested a profound decrease of hepatic IL-24 expression, which was associated with disease progression. In conclusion, intrinsic hepatocyte IL-24 maintains ER homeostasis by restricting the eIF2α-CHOP pathway-mediated stress signal, which might be exploited as a bio-index for prognosis or therapeutic intervention in patients with liver injury.


2021 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
pp. 309-315
Author(s):  
Ali Riza Koksal ◽  
George Nicholas Verne ◽  
QiQi Zhou

The ability of translated cellular proteins to perform their functions requires their proper folding after synthesis. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is responsible for coordinating protein folding and maturation. Infections, genetic mutations, environmental factors and many other conditions can lead to challenges to the ER known as ER stress. Altering ER homeostasis results in accumulation of misfolded or unfolded proteins. To eliminate this problem, a response is initiated by the cell called the unfolded protein response (UPR), which involves multiple signaling pathways. Prolonged ER stress or a dysregulated UPR can lead to premature apoptosis and an exaggerated inflammatory response. Following these discoveries, ER stress was shown to be related to several chronic diseases, such as diabetes mellitus, neurodegenerative disorders, fatty liver disease and inflammatory bowel disease that have not yet been clearly demonstrated pathophysiologically. Here, we review the field and present up-to-date information on the relationship between biological processing, ER stress, UPR, and several chronic diseases.


2008 ◽  
Vol 19 (10) ◽  
pp. 4404-4420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renée Guérin ◽  
Geneviève Arseneault ◽  
Stéphane Dumont ◽  
Luis A. Rokeach

Stress conditions affecting the functions of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) cause the accumulation of unfolded proteins. ER stress is counteracted by the unfolded-protein response (UPR). However, under prolonged stress the UPR initiates a proapoptotic response. Mounting evidence indicate that the ER chaperone calnexin is involved in apoptosis caused by ER stress. Here, we report that overexpression of calnexin in Schizosaccharomyces pombe induces cell death with apoptosis markers. Cell death was partially dependent on the Ire1p ER-stress transducer. Apoptotic death caused by calnexin overexpression required its transmembrane domain (TM), and involved sequences on either side of the ER membrane. Apoptotic death caused by tunicamycin was dramatically reduced in a strain expressing endogenous levels of calnexin lacking its TM and cytosolic tail. This demonstrates the involvement of calnexin in apoptosis triggered by ER stress. A genetic screen identified the S. pombe homologue of the human antiapoptotic protein HMGB1 as a suppressor of apoptotic death due to calnexin overexpression. Remarkably, overexpression of human calnexin in S. pombe also provoked apoptotic death. Our results argue for the conservation of the role of calnexin in apoptosis triggered by ER stress, and validate S. pombe as a model to elucidate the mechanisms of calnexin-mediated cell death.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianye Wang ◽  
Bian Hu ◽  
Zhicong Zhao ◽  
Haiyan Zhang ◽  
He Zhang ◽  
...  

AbstractEndoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-associated cell death is prevalent in various liver diseases. However, the determinant mechanism how hepatocytes survive unresolved stress was still unclear. Interleukin-24 (IL-24) was previously found to promote ER stress-mediated cell death, and yet its expression and function in the liver remained elusive. Here we identified an anti-apoptotic role of IL-24, which transiently accumulated within ER-stressed hepatocytes in a X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1)-dependent manner. Disruption of IL-24 increased cell death in the CCL4- or APAP-challenged mouse liver or Tm-treated hepatocytes. In contrast, pharmaceutical blockade of eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (eIF2α) or genetical ablation of C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) restored hepatocyte function in the absence of IL-24. In a clinical setting, patients with acute liver failure manifested a profound decrease of hepatic IL-24 expression, which was associated with disease progression. In conclusion, intrinsic hepatocyte IL-24 maintains ER homeostasis by restricting the eIF2α-CHOP pathway-mediated stress signal, which might be exploited as a bio-index for prognosis or therapeutic intervention in patients with liver injury.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Walczak ◽  
Kinga Gradzik ◽  
Jacek Kabzinski ◽  
Karolina Przybylowska-Sygut ◽  
Ireneusz Majsterek

Cancer is the second most frequent cause of death worldwide. It is considered to be one of the most dangerous diseases, and there is still no effective treatment for many types of cancer. Since cancerous cells have a high proliferation rate, it is pivotal for their proper functioning to have the well-functioning protein machinery. Correct protein processing and folding are crucial to maintain tumor homeostasis. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is one of the leading factors that cause disturbances in these processes. It is induced by impaired function of the ER and accumulation of unfolded proteins. Induction of ER stress affects many molecular pathways that cause the unfolded protein response (UPR). This is the way in which cells can adapt to the new conditions, but when ER stress cannot be resolved, the UPR induces cell death. The molecular mechanisms of this double-edged sword process are involved in the transition of the UPR either in a cell protection mechanism or in apoptosis. However, this process remains poorly understood but seems to be crucial in the treatment of many diseases that are related to ER stress. Hence, understanding the ER stress response, especially in the aspect of pathological consequences of UPR, has the potential to allow us to develop novel therapies and new diagnostic and prognostic markers for cancer.


2017 ◽  
Vol 216 (8) ◽  
pp. 2295-2304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norfadilah Hamdan ◽  
Paraskevi Kritsiligkou ◽  
Chris M. Grant

Disturbances in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) homeostasis create a condition termed ER stress. This activates the unfolded protein response (UPR), which alters the expression of many genes involved in ER quality control. We show here that ER stress causes the aggregation of proteins, most of which are not ER or secretory pathway proteins. Proteomic analysis of the aggregated proteins revealed enrichment for intrinsically aggregation-prone proteins rather than proteins which are affected in a stress-specific manner. Aggregation does not arise because of overwhelming proteasome-mediated degradation but because of a general disruption of cellular protein homeostasis. We further show that overexpression of certain chaperones abrogates protein aggregation and protects a UPR mutant against ER stress conditions. The onset of ER stress is known to correlate with various disease processes, and our data indicate that widespread amorphous and amyloid protein aggregation is an unanticipated outcome of such stress.


2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 142
Author(s):  
K. Gutierrez ◽  
W. G. Glanzner ◽  
N. Dicks ◽  
R. C. Bohrer ◽  
L. G. Currin ◽  
...  

Early developing embryos are very sensitive to their developmental milieu. For instance, variations in temperature, pH, or culture media composition can trigger endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Endoplasmic reticulum stress has been shown to reduce early embryo development and embryo quality. In response to ER stress, embryos activate coping mechanisms, such as the unfolded protein response, to re-establish ER homeostasis. The X box binding protein (XBP1) is one of the main transducers of the unfolded protein response. Under ER stress, XBP1 mRNA is unconventionally spliced by IRE1α to yield its activated isoform (XBP1s), which allows expression of genes involved in protein folding, transport, and degradation. XBP1s has been detected in oocytes and early stage embryos of different species, including Drosophila, Xenopus, zebrafish, mice, and pigs, suggesting an important role during early embryo development. In this study, we used the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology to investigate the effect of XBP1 dysregulation during development of porcine embryos in vitro. Pig zygotes were produced by intracytoplasmic sperm injection using in vitro-matured oocytes. Treatments consisted of (a) Cas9 mRNA (Cas9) + 1 single guide RNAs targeting XBP1 gene region 1 (sgRNA-1); (b) Cas9 + 1 single guide RNAs targeting XBP1 gene region 2 (sgRNA-2); (c) Cas9 + sgRNA-1 + sgRNA-2; (d) Cas9 alone; and (e) sgRNA-1 + sgRNA-2. After injection, embryos were cultured in vitro for 5 to 7 days to assess development and cell numbers. Experiments were repeated 5 or more times, and data were analysed by ANOVA and means compared using Student’s t-test or Tukey–Kramer Honestly Significant Difference test. Embryo cleavage was similar between the groups (a = 59.8 ± 4.9%, b = 58.8 ± 5.3%, c = 68.86 ± 2.2%, d = 66.4 ± 5.9%, and e = 70.10 ± 1.9%), but development to the blastocyst stage was substantially reduced (P < 0.05) in the groups injected with Cas9 + sgRNAs (a = 18 ± 4.5%, b = 16 ± 1.5%, and c = 5.3 ± 2.8%) compared with controls (d = 33.7 ± 6.2% and e = 31.4 ± 1.2%). Moreover, we observed that only 22.7% of the embryos treated with Cas9 + sgRNA-1 + sgRNA-2 were able to develop beyond 8-cell stage compared with 62.5% in the control group injected with Cas9 alone. These findings suggest that XBP1 activity is required for maintenance of ER homeostasis and development of porcine embryos beyond the main period of embryo genome activation.


2017 ◽  
Vol 312 (5) ◽  
pp. C583-C594 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zahra S. Mesbah Moosavi ◽  
David A. Hood

Mitochondria comprise both nuclear and mitochondrially encoded proteins requiring precise stoichiometry for their integration into functional complexes. The augmented protein synthesis associated with mitochondrial biogenesis results in the accumulation of unfolded proteins, thus triggering cellular stress. As such, the unfolded protein responses emanating from the endoplasmic reticulum (UPRER) or the mitochondrion (UPRMT) are triggered to ensure correct protein handling. Whether this response is necessary for mitochondrial adaptations is unknown. Two models of mitochondrial biogenesis were used: muscle differentiation and chronic contractile activity (CCA) in murine muscle cells. After 4 days of differentiation, our findings depict selective activation of the UPRMTin which chaperones decreased; however, Sirt3 and UPRERmarkers were elevated. To delineate the role of ER stress in mitochondrial adaptations, the ER stress inhibitor TUDCA was administered. Surprisingly, mitochondrial markers COX-I, COX-IV, and PGC-1α protein levels were augmented up to 1.5-fold above that of vehicle-treated cells. Similar results were obtained in myotubes undergoing CCA, in which biogenesis was enhanced by ~2–3-fold, along with elevated UPRMTmarkers Sirt3 and CPN10. To verify whether the findings were attributable to the terminal UPRERbranch directed by the transcription factor CHOP, cells were transfected with CHOP siRNA. Basally, COX-I levels increased (~20%) and COX-IV decreased (~30%), suggesting that CHOP influences mitochondrial composition. This effect was fully restored by CCA. Therefore, our results suggest that mitochondrial biogenesis is independent of the terminal UPRER. Under basal conditions, CHOP is required for the maintenance of mitochondrial composition, but not for differentiation- or CCA-induced mitochondrial biogenesis.


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