Apoptosis initiated by Bcl-2-regulated caspase activation independently of the cytochrome c/Apaf-1/caspase-9 apoptosome

Apoptosis is an evolutionarily conserved cell suicide process executed by cysteine proteases (caspases) and regulated by the opposing factions of the Bcl-2 protein family. Mammalian caspase-9 and its activator Apaf-1 were thought to be essential, because mice lacking either of them display neuronal hyperplasia and their lymphocytes and fibroblasts seem resistant to certain apoptotic stimuli. Because Apaf-1 requires cytochrome c to activate caspase-9, and Bcl-2 prevents mitochondrial cytochrome c release, Bcl-2 is widely believed to inhibit apoptosis by safeguarding mitochondrial membrane integrity. Our results suggest a different, broader role, because Bcl-2 overexpression increased lymphocyte numbers in mice and inhibited many apoptotic stimuli, but the absence of Apaf-1 or caspase-9 did not. Caspase activity was still discernible in cells lacking Apaf-1 or caspase-9, and a potent caspase antagonist both inhibited apoptosis and retarded cytochrome c release. We conclude that Bcl-2 regulates a caspase activation programme independently of the cytochrome c/Apaf-1/caspase-9 'apoptosome', which seems to amplify rather than initiate the caspase cascade.     

凋亡抑制蛋白XIAP研究进展

X连锁凋亡抑制蛋白(XIAP)是哺乳动物中具有抑制细胞凋亡作用的蛋白,是IAPs家族的一员.XIAP通过杆状病毒IAP重复序列(BIR)直接与起始以及效应caspases结合,抑制了细胞凋亡的线粒体途径,也可以通过NF-κB途径抑制细胞表面受体介导的凋亡.XIAP具有不同于Bcl-2的作用机制,是IAPs家族中最具有抑制活性的一个.XIAP的作用受到线粒体释放的蛋白Smac的拮抗,以及受到自身具有泛素连接酶E3活性的RING指结构域的调节.阐述XIAP抑制caspase以及Smac等拮抗XIAP的机理对于治疗肿瘤以及过度凋亡疾病具有重要的意义.     

Endonuclease G is an apoptotic DNase when released from mitochondria.

Nucleosomal fragmentation of DNA is a hallmark of apoptosis (programmed cell death), and results from the activation of nucleases in cells undergoing apoptosis. One such nuclease, DNA fragmentation factor (DFF, a caspase-activated deoxyribonuclease (CAD) and its inhibitor (ICAD)), is capable of inducing DNA fragmentation and chromatin condensation after cleavage by caspase-3 (refs 2,3,4). However, although transgenic mice lacking DFF45 or its caspase cleavage site have significantly reduced DNA fragmentation, these mice still show residual DNA fragmentation and are phenotypically normal. Here we report the identification and characterization of another nuclease that is specifically activated by apoptotic stimuli and is able to induce nucleosomal fragmentation of DNA in fibroblast cells from embryonic mice lacking DFF. This nuclease is endonuclease G (endoG), a mitochondrion-specific nuclease that translocates to the nucleus during apoptosis. Once released from mitochondria, endoG cleaves chromatin DNA into nucleosomal fragments independently of caspases. Therefore, endoG represents a caspase-independent apoptotic pathway initiated from the mitochondria.     

Identification of Caspasecleavage site in the apoptosis suppressor protein P49 from the<Emphasis Type="Italic">Spodoptera littoralis</Emphasis> nucleopolyhedrovirus

The p49 gene from baculovirus Spodoptera littoralis nucleopolyhedrovirus (SINPV) was able to suppress apoptosis of 5~9 cells induced by virus infection. Ectopically expressed P49 protein had the capacity to inhibit the activity of Caspases, being the executioner of apoptosis. Digestion of P49 with human Caspase or Bm-Caspase both yielded 10 and 40 kD fragments. Checking the sequence of P49, we found that the motif 91-TVTDG-95 of P49 was the sequence recognized by Caspases. The mutant of P49, Asp94Ala, could not be cut by both caspases and lost its caspases inhibition.Meanwhile, Thr91Ala mutant permitted the cleavage and partially retained its activity of caspases inhibition. We also found that P49 was a substrate of upstream initiator caspase and downstream effector Caspases, indicating that P49 was a broad specificity Caspase inhibitor.     

Essential role of the mitochondrial apoptosis-inducing factor in programmed cell death

Programmed cell death is a fundamental requirement for embryogenesis, organ metamorphosis and tissue homeostasis. In mammals, release of mitochondrial cytochrome c leads to the cytosolic assembly of the apoptosome-a caspase activation complex involving Apaf1 and caspase-9 that induces hallmarks of apoptosis. There are, however, mitochondrially regulated cell death pathways that are independent of Apaf1/caspase-9. We have previously cloned a molecule associated with programmed cell death called apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF). Like cytochrome c, AIF is localized to mitochondria and released in response to death stimuli. Here we show that genetic inactivation of AIF renders embryonic stem cells resistant to cell death after serum deprivation. Moreover, AIF is essential for programmed cell death during cavitation of embryoid bodies-the very first wave of cell death indispensable for mouse morphogenesis. AIF-dependent cell death displays structural features of apoptosis, and can be genetically uncoupled from Apaf1 and caspase-9 expression. Our data provide genetic evidence for a caspase-independent pathway of programmed cell death that controls early morphogenesis.     

Pannexin 1 channels mediate 'find-me' signal release and membrane permeability during apoptosis

Apoptotic cells release 'find-me' signals at the earliest stages of death to recruit phagocytes. The nucleotides ATP and UTP represent one class of find-me signals, but their mechanism of release is not known. Here, we identify the plasma membrane channel pannexin 1 (PANX1) as a mediator of find-me signal/nucleotide release from apoptotic cells. Pharmacological inhibition and siRNA-mediated knockdown of PANX1 led to decreased nucleotide release and monocyte recruitment by apoptotic cells. Conversely, PANX1 overexpression enhanced nucleotide release from apoptotic cells and phagocyte recruitment. Patch-clamp recordings showed that PANX1 was basally inactive, and that induction of PANX1 currents occurred only during apoptosis. Mechanistically, PANX1 itself was a target of effector caspases (caspases 3 and 7), and a specific caspase-cleavage site within PANX1 was essential for PANX1 function during apoptosis. Expression of truncated PANX1 (at the putative caspase cleavage site) resulted in a constitutively open channel. PANX1 was also important for the 'selective' plasma membrane permeability of early apoptotic cells to specific dyes. Collectively, these data identify PANX1 as a plasma membrane channel mediating the regulated release of find-me signals and selective plasma membrane permeability during apoptosis, and a new mechanism of PANX1 activation by caspases.     

DRP-1-mediated mitochondrial fragmentation during EGL-1-induced cell death in C. elegans

Genetic analyses in Caenorhabditis elegans have been instrumental in the elucidation of the central cell-death machinery, which is conserved from C. elegans to mammals. One possible difference that has emerged is the role of mitochondria. By releasing cytochrome c, mitochondria are involved in the activation of caspases in mammals. However, there has previously been no evidence that mitochondria are involved in caspase activation in C. elegans. Here we show that mitochondria fragment in cells that normally undergo programmed cell death during C. elegans development. Mitochondrial fragmentation is induced by the BH3-only protein EGL-1 and can be blocked by mutations in the bcl-2-like gene ced-9, indicating that members of the Bcl-2 family might function in the regulation of mitochondrial fragmentation in apoptotic cells. Mitochondrial fragmentation is independent of CED-4/Apaf-1 and CED-3/caspase, indicating that it occurs before or simultaneously with their activation. Furthermore, DRP-1/dynamin-related protein, a key component of the mitochondrial fission machinery, is required and sufficient to induce mitochondrial fragmentation and programmed cell death during C. elegans development. These results assign an important role to mitochondria in the cell-death pathway in C. elegans.     

Bcl-2 family proteins regulate the release of apoptogenic cytochrome c by the mitochondrial channel VDAC.

During transduction of an apoptotic (death) signal into the cell, there is an alteration in the permeability of the membranes of the cell's mitochondria, which causes the translocation of the apoptogenic protein cytochrome c into the cytoplasm, which in turn activates death-driving proteolytic proteins known as caspases. The Bcl-2 family of proteins, whose members may be anti-apoptotic or pro-apoptotic, regulates cell death by controlling this mitochondrial membrane permeability during apoptosis, but how that is achieved is unclear. Here we create liposomes that carry the mitochondrial porin channel (also called the voltage-dependent anion channel, or VDAC) to show that the recombinant pro-apoptotic proteins Bax and Bak accelerate the opening of VDAC, whereas the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-x(L) closes VDAC by binding to it directly. Bax and Bak allow cytochrome c to pass through VDAC out of liposomes, but passage is prevented by Bcl-x(L). In agreement with this, VDAC1-deficient mitochondria from a mutant yeast did not exhibit a Bax/Bak-induced loss in membrane potential and cytochrome c release, both of which were inhibited by Bcl-x(L). Our results indicate that the Bcl-2 family of proteins bind to the VDAC in order to regulate the mitochondrial membrane potential and the release of cytochrome c during apoptosis.     

Fas在云芝糖肽诱导HL-60细胞凋亡中的作用

目的：探讨云芝糖肽（PSP）诱导HL-60细胞凋亡的Fas死亡受体信号转导途径．方法：观察PSP处理后HL-60细胞的形态变化,并采用流式细胞仪及免疫印迹检测细胞Fas,FADD蛋白的表达及Caspase-8凋亡酶的激活．结果：100,400g／mLPSP处理HL-60细胞48h后,细胞出现明显凋亡特征,同时伴随Caspase-8酶原被激活和Fas抗原的表达量增加,表现为剂量依赖关系．400g／mLPSP处理36h时Caspase-8酶原开始被剪切激活,48h时激活更为显著．各实验组FADD的表达量基本没有变化．结论：Fas死亡受体信号可能参与了PSP诱导HL-60细胞凋亡．     

Effects of Genistein on Cell Cycle and Apoptosis of Two Murine Melanoma Cell Lines

The effects of genistein on several tumor cell lines were investigated to study the effects of gen- istein on cell growth, cell cycle, and apoptosis of two murine melanoma cell lines, B16 and K1735M2. These two closely related murine melanoma cell lines, however, have different responses to the genistein treat- ment. Genistein inhibits the growth of both the B16 and K1735M2 cell lines and arrests the growth at the G2/M phase. After treatment with 60 μmol/L genistein for 72 h, apoptosis and caspase activities were de- tected in B16 cells, while such effects were not found in K1735M2. Further tests showed that after genistein treatment the protein content and mRNA levels of p53 increased in B16, but remained the same in K1735M2. The protein content and mRNA levels of p21WAF1/CIP1 increased in both cell lines after treatment. The results show that genistein might induce apoptosis in B16 cells by damaging the DNA, inhibiting topoi- somerase II, increasing p53 expression, releasing cytochrome c from the mitochondria, and activating the caspases which will lead to apoptosis.     

Bid BH3 peptide, but not its mutant form G94E, induces permeability transition pore opening and cytochrome c release in vitro

It has been shown that Bid and its truncated form tBid could induce cytochrome c (cyt c) release without impacting on PTP. We first show that Bid BH3 peptide, but not its mutant form of Bid BH3 peptide G94E, which is unable to bind to Bcl-xL, induces permeability transition pore (PTP) opening in a dose dependent manner. Bid BH3 peptide also induces the reduction of mitochondria membrane potential (ψm) and cyt c release from mitochondrial in vitro.PTP opening and the loss of ψm were inhibited by Bcl-xL,cyclosporin A and ruthenium red, and the latter was an inhibitor of Ca2+ uniporter in the mitochondrial membrane.These results indicate that Bid BH3 peptide could antagonize Bcl-xL to induced PTP opening and mitochondrial dysfunction.     

Pleiotropic defects in lymphocyte activation caused by caspase-8 mutations lead to human immunodeficiency

Apoptosis is a form of programmed cell death that is controlled by aspartate-specific cysteine proteases called caspases. In the immune system, apoptosis counters the proliferation of lymphocytes to achieve a homeostatic balance, which allows potent responses to pathogens but avoids autoimmunity. The CD95 (Fas, Apo-1) receptor triggers lymphocyte apoptosis by recruiting Fas-associated death domain (FADD), caspase-8 and caspase-10 proteins into a death-inducing signalling complex. Heterozygous mutations in CD95, CD95 ligand or caspase-10 underlie most cases of autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS), a human disorder that is characterized by defective lymphocyte apoptosis, lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly and autoimmunity. Mutations in caspase-8 have not been described in ALPS, and homozygous caspase-8 deficiency causes embryonic lethality in mice. Here we describe a human kindred with an inherited genetic deficiency of caspase-8. Homozygous individuals manifest defective lymphocyte apoptosis and homeostasis but, unlike individuals affected with ALPS, also have defects in their activation of T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes and natural killer cells, which leads to immunodeficiency. Thus, caspase-8 deficiency in humans is compatible with normal development and shows that caspase-8 has a postnatal role in immune activation of naive lymphocytes.     

Mitochondrial response and calcium ion change in apoptotic insect cells induced by SfaMNPV

Mitochondrial responses and changes of calcium ions in apoptotic insect SL-1 cells induced by Syngrapha falcifera multiple nuclear polyhedrosis virus (SfaMNPV) are reported in this paper. By using Rhodamine 123 as a fluorescent labeling probe, flow cytometry analysis and confocal laser scanning microscope observation we observed that the mitochondrial transmembrane potential (△ψm) began to decrease in SL-1 cells at 4 h post infection and △ψm reduced continuously with the extension of virus infection. Western blotting indicated that the Bcl-2 level in the mitochondria gradually declined and was down- regulated. Cells undergoing apoptosis were found to have an elevation of cytochrome c in the cytosol and a corresponding decrease in the mitochondria, which indicated that cytochrome c was released from mitochondria into cytosol. These results suggest that mitochondrion-mediated apoptotic signal transduction pathway exists in apoptotic insect cell induced by SfaMNPV. Cytosolic free calcium ([Ca^2 ]i) concentration rapidly increased after SfaMNPV infection and the elevated calcium was tested to come partly from extracelllular calcium ion influx. Flow cytometry analysis indicated that the apoptosis in SL-1 cells was not influenced by established cytosolic calcium clamped conditions and the EGTA inhibiting calcium influx. Therefore, neither the elevation of cytosolic calcium ion nor extracellular calcium entry was the inducing factor of apoptosis, which hinted that the depletion of ER Ca^2 store contributed to SL-1 cell apoptosis induced by SfaMNPV.     

Suppression of CED-3-independent apoptosis by mitochondrial betaNAC in Caenorhabditis elegans

To ensure cell survival, it is essential that the ubiquitous pro-apoptotic machinery is kept quiescent. As death is irreversible, cells must continually integrate developmental information with regulatory inputs to control the switch between repressing and activating apoptosis. Inappropriate activation or suppression of apoptosis can lead to degenerative pathologies or tumorigenesis, respectively. Here we report that Caenorhabditis elegans inhibitor of cell death-1 (ICD-1) is necessary and sufficient to prevent apoptosis. Loss of ICD-1 leads to inappropriate apoptosis in developing and differentiated cells in various tissues. Although this apoptosis requires CED-4, it occurs independently of CED-3--the caspase essential for developmental apoptosis--showing that these core pro-apoptotic proteins have separable roles. Overexpressing ICD-1 inhibits the apoptosis of cells that are normally programmed to die. ICD-1 is the beta-subunit of the nascent polypeptide-associated complex (betaNAC) and contains a putative caspase-cleavage site and caspase recruitment domain. It localizes primarily to mitochondria, underscoring the role of mitochondria in coordinating apoptosis. Human betaNAC is a caspase substrate that is rapidly eliminated in dying cells, suggesting that ICD-1 apoptosis-suppressing activity may be inactivated by caspases.     

Structure of the apoptotic protease-activating factor 1 bound to ADP

Apoptosis is executed by caspases, which undergo proteolytic activation in response to cell death stimuli. The apoptotic protease-activating factor 1 (Apaf-1) controls caspase activation downstream of mitochondria. During apoptosis, Apaf-1 binds to cytochrome c and in the presence of ATP/dATP forms an apoptosome, leading to the recruitment and activation of the initiator caspase, caspase-9 (ref. 2). The mechanisms underlying Apaf-1 function are largely unknown. Here we report the 2.2-A crystal structure of an ADP-bound, WD40-deleted Apaf-1, which reveals the molecular mechanism by which Apaf-1 exists in an inactive state before ATP binding. The amino-terminal caspase recruitment domain packs against a three-layered alpha/beta fold, a short helical motif and a winged-helix domain, resulting in the burial of the caspase-9-binding interface. The deeply buried ADP molecule serves as an organizing centre to strengthen interactions between these four adjoining domains, thus locking Apaf-1 in an inactive conformation. Apaf-1 binds to and hydrolyses ATP/dATP and their analogues. The binding and hydrolysis of nucleotides seem to drive conformational changes that are essential for the formation of the apoptosome and the activation of caspase-9.     

RIP3 mediates the embryonic lethality of caspase-8-deficient mice

Apoptosis and necroptosis are complementary pathways controlled by common signalling adaptors, kinases and proteases; among these, caspase-8 (Casp8) is critical for death receptor-induced apoptosis. This caspase has also been implicated in non-apoptotic pathways that regulate Fas-associated via death domain (FADD)-dependent signalling and other less defined biological processes as diverse as innate immune signalling and myeloid or lymphoid differentiation patterns. Casp8 suppresses RIP3-RIP1 (also known as RIPK3-RIPK1) kinase complex-dependent necroptosis that follows death receptor activation as well as a RIP3-dependent, RIP1-independent necrotic pathway that has emerged as a host defence mechanism against murine cytomegalovirus. Disruption of Casp8 expression leads to embryonic lethality in mice between embryonic days 10.5 and 11.5 (ref. 7). Thus, Casp8 may naturally hold alternative RIP3-dependent death pathways in check in addition to promoting apoptosis. We find that RIP3 is responsible for the mid-gestational death of Casp8-deficient embryos. Remarkably, Casp8(-/-)Rip3(-/-) double mutant mice are viable and mature into fertile adults with a full immune complement of myeloid and lymphoid cell types. These mice seem immunocompetent but develop lymphadenopathy by four months of age marked by accumulation of abnormal T cells in the periphery, a phenotype reminiscent of mice with Fas-deficiency (lpr/lpr; also known as Fas). Thus, Casp8 contributes to homeostatic control in the adult immune system; however, RIP3 and Casp8 are together completely dispensable for mammalian development.     

Anti-TOSO antibody treatment promotes T cell activation-induced cell death （AICD） in vitro and in vivo

T cell activation-induced cell death （AICD）, that involves the induction of Fas-mediated apoptosis, is very important for the maintenance of immune homeosta- sis. TOSO was firstly described as an inhibitor of Fas- mediated apoptosis and overexpressed in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Recently, TOSO was identified as IgM FcR. In this study, we produced anti-TOSO monoclonal antibody （mAb） that could block the binding of IgM to TOSO and found that T cell apoptosis is negatively cor- related with TOSO expression during T cell activation. Treatment of activated T cells with anti-TOSO blocking mAb promoted T cell AICD in in vitro AICD model, and treatment of xenogeneic-GVHD mice with the antibody also increased the sensitivity of activated T cells to Fas- induced apoptosis, which was accompanied by reduction of c-FLIPL expression and up-regulation of AP-1 complex. In summary, our data indicate the anti-apoptotic effect of TOSO in T cell AICD and open up new therapeutic prospects for the treatment of hematologic malignancies and immune disorders.     

The CED-4-homologous protein FLASH is involved in Fas-mediated activation of caspase-8 during apoptosis

Fas is a cell-surface receptor molecule that relays apoptotic (cell death) signals into cells. When Fas is activated by binding of its ligand, the proteolytic protein caspase-8 is recruited to a signalling complex known as DISC by binding to a Fas-associated adapter protein. A large new protein, FLASH, has now been identified by cloning of its complementary DNA. This protein contains a motif with oligomerizing activity whose sequence is similar to that of the Caenorhabditis elegans protein CED-4, and another domain (DRD domain) that interacts with a death-effector domain in caspase-8 or in the adapter protein. Stimulated Fas binds FLASH, so FLASH is probably a component of the DISC signalling complex. Transient expression of FLASH activates caspase-8, whereas overexpression of a truncated form of FLASH containing only one of its DRD or CED-4-like domains does not allow activation of caspase-8 and Fas-mediated apoptosis to occur. Overexpression of full-length FLASH blocks the anti-apoptotic effect of the adenovirus protein E1B19K. FLASH is therefore necessary for the activation of caspase-8 in Fas-mediated apoptosis.     

Caspase-12 mediates endoplasmic-reticulum-specific apoptosis and cytotoxicity by amyloid-beta

Apoptosis, or cellular suicide, is important for normal development and tissue homeostasis, but too much or too little apoptosis can also cause disease. The family of cysteine proteases, the so- called caspases, are critical mediators of programmed cell death, and thus far 14 family members have been identified. Some of these, such as caspase-8, mediate signal transduction downstream of death receptors located on the plasma membrane. Others, such as caspase-9, mediate apoptotic signals after mitochondrial damage. Stress in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) can also result in apoptosis. Here we show that caspase-12 is localized to the ER and activated by ER stress, including disruption of ER calcium homeostasis and accumulation of excess proteins in ER, but not by membrane- or mitochondrial-targeted apoptotic signals. Mice that are deficient in caspase-12 are resistant to ER stress-induced apoptosis, but their cells undergo apoptosis in response to other death stimuli. Furthermore, we show that caspase-12-deficient cortical neurons are defective in apoptosis induced by amyloid-beta protein but not by staurosporine or trophic factor deprivation. Thus, caspase-12 mediates an ER-specific apoptosis pathway and may contribute to amyloid-beta neurotoxicity.