Prostate Apoptosis Response-4 Mediates Trophic Factor Withdrawal-Induced Apoptosis of Hippocampal Neurons

Prostate apoptosis response-4 (Par-4) is the product of a gene up-regulated in prostate cancer cells undergoing apoptosis. We now report that Par-4 mRNA and protein levels rapidly and progressively increase 4-24 h following trophic factor withdrawal (TFW) in cultured embryonic rat hippocampal neurons. The increased Par-4 levels follow an increase of reactive oxygen species, and precede mitochondrial membrane depolarization, caspase activation, and nuclear chromatin condensation/fragmentation. Pretreatment of cultures with 17beta-estradiol, vitamin E, and uric acid largely prevented Par-4 induction and cell death following TFW, demonstrating necessary roles for oxidative stress and membrane lipid peroxidation in TFW-induced neuronal apoptosis. Par-4 antisense oligonucleotide treatment blocked Par-4 protein increases and attenuated mitochondrial dysfunction, caspase activation, and cell death following TFW. Collectively, our data identify Par-4 as an early and pivotal player in neuronal apoptosis resulting from TFW and suggest that estrogen and antioxidants may prevent apoptosis, in part, by suppressing Par-4 production.     

Caspase-3 Induced Apoptosis in Transgenic Zebrafish

Zebrafish is an attractive model organism for studying apoptosis development because of its genetic accessibility. Here we describe the induction of clonally derived apoptosis in transgenic zebrafish expressing mouse caspase-3 (CASP3) under control of the zebrafish β-actin promoter (βp). Visualization of apoptotic cells, expressing a chimeric transgene encoding CASP3 fused to green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene, revealed that apoptosis arose in the thymus, spread locally into gill arches and retro-orbital soft tissue, and then disseminated into abdominal organs like testis, kidney. This transgenic model provides a platform for over-expression of caspase-3 induced extensive apoptosis in embryos and adult. An erratum to this article is available at .     

BH3-Only Protein BIM Mediates Heat Shock-Induced Apoptosis

Acute heat shock can induce apoptosis through a canonical pathway involving the upstream activation of caspase-2, followed by BID cleavage and stimulation of the intrinsic pathway. Herein, we report that the BH3-only protein BIM, rather than BID, is essential to heat shock-induced cell death. We observed that BIM-deficient cells were highly resistant to heat shock, exhibiting short and long-term survival equivalent to Bax^−/−Bak^−/− cells and better than either Bid^−/− or dominant-negative caspase-9-expressing cells. Only Bim^−/− and Bax^−/−Bak^−/− cells exhibited resistance to mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization and loss of mitochondrial inner membrane potential. Moreover, while dimerized caspase-2 failed to induce apoptosis in Bid^−/− cells, it readily did so in Bim^−/− cells, implying that caspase-2 kills exclusively through BID, not BIM. Finally, BIM reportedly associates with MCL-1 following heat shock, and Mcl-1^−/− cells were indeed sensitized to heat shock-induced apoptosis. However, pharmacological inhibition of BCL-2 and BCL-X_L with ABT-737 also sensitized cells to heat shock, most likely through liberation of BIM. Thus, BIM mediates heat shock-induced apoptosis through a BAX/BAK-dependent pathway that is antagonized by antiapoptotic BCL-2 family members.     

HMGB1 Mediates Cognitive Impairment in Sepsis Survivors

Severe sepsis, a syndrome that complicates infection and injury, affects 750,000 annually in the United States. The acute mortality rate is approximately 30%, but, strikingly, sepsis survivors have a significant disability burden: up to 25% of survivors are cognitively and physically impaired. To investigate the mechanisms underlying persistent cognitive impairment in sepsis survivors, here we developed a murine model of severe sepsis survivors following cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) to study cognitive impairments. We observed that serum levels of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a critical mediator of acute sepsis pathophysiology, are increased in sepsis survivors. Significantly, these levels remain elevated for at least 4 wks after CLP. Sepsis survivors develop significant, persistent impairments in learning and memory, and anatomic changes in the hippocampus associated with a loss of synaptic plasticity. Administration of neutralizing anti-HMGB1 antibody to survivors, beginning 1 wk after onset of peritonitis, significantly improved memory impairments and brain pathology. Administration of recombinant HMGB1 to naïve mice recapitulated the memory impairments. Together, these findings indicate that elevated HMGB1 levels mediate cognitive decline in sepsis survivors, and suggest that it may be possible to prevent or reverse cognitive impairments in sepsis survivors by administration of anti-HMGB1 antibodies.     

HMGB1 Mediates Cognitive Impairment in Sepsis Survivors

Severe sepsis, a syndrome that complicates infection and injury, affects 750,000 annually in the United States. The acute mortality rate is approximately 30%, but, strikingly, sepsis survivors have a significant disability burden: up to 25% of survivors are cognitively and physically impaired. To investigate the mechanisms underlying persistent cognitive impairment in sepsis survivors, here we developed a murine model of severe sepsis survivors following cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) to study cognitive impairments. We observed that serum levels of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a critical mediator of acute sepsis pathophysiology, are increased in sepsis survivors. Significantly, these levels remain elevated for at least 4 wks after CLP. Sepsis survivors develop significant, persistent impairments in learning and memory, and anatomic changes in the hippocampus associated with a loss of synaptic plasticity. Administration of neutralizing anti-HMGB1 antibody to survivors, beginning 1 wk after onset of peritonitis, significantly improved memory impairments and brain pathology. Administration of recombinant HMGB1 to na?ve mice recapitulated the memory impairments. Together, these findings indicate that elevated HMGB1 levels mediate cognitive decline in sepsis survivors, and suggest that it may be possible to prevent or reverse cognitive impairments in sepsis survivors by administration of anti-HMGB1 antibodies.     

嵌合重组caspase-3诱导表达促进肿瘤细胞凋亡

通过稳定转染人宫颈癌HeLa细胞,建立了野生型caspase-3（wt-casp3）,大小亚基序列颠倒的重组caspase-3 (r-casp3),和N端融合绿脓杆菌外毒素（PE）转膜肽段的嵌合重组caspase-3 (cr-casp3)的诱导表达细胞系.蜕皮素诱导后细胞中检测到目的基因的表达,MTT检测和细胞计数结果表明,r-casp3和cr-casp3诱导表达后有效地导致HeLa细胞死亡,通过测定细胞中caspase-3活性,以及细胞周期检测、DNA梯状电泳条带检测(DNA ladder)、电镜观察等证实r-casp3和cr-casp3诱导表达后细胞发生了凋亡,且二者的促凋亡活性相当,而wt-casp3诱导表达细胞并未出现上述效应.结果表明,与野生型caspase-3活化需要上游分子的切割不同,重组caspase-3具有自发的促凋亡活性,而N端PE肽段的融合不影响这种活性,因此PE转膜结构域和重组caspase-3有望参与构建能转膜进入细胞内部,并杀伤细胞的新型肿瘤治疗分子.     

HMGB1 Mediates Anemia of Inflammation in Murine Sepsis Survivors

Patients surviving sepsis develop anemia, but the molecular mechanism is unknown. Here we observed that mice surviving polymicrobial gram-negative sepsis develop hypochromic, microcytic anemia with reticulocytosis. The bone marrow of sepsis survivors accumulates polychromatophilic and orthochromatic erythroblasts. Compensatory extramedullary erythropoiesis in the spleen is defective during terminal differentiation. Circulating tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin (IL)-6 are elevated for 5 d after the onset of sepsis, and serum high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) levels are increased from d 7 until at least d 28. Administration of recombinant HMGB1 to healthy mice mediates anemia with extramedullary erythropoiesis and significantly elevated reticulocyte counts. Moreover, administration of anti-HMGB1 monoclonal antibodies after sepsis significantly ameliorates the development of anemia (hematocrit 48.5 ± 9.0% versus 37.4 ± 6.1%, p < 0.01; hemoglobin 14.0 ± 1.7 versus 11.7 ± 1.2 g/dL, p < 0.01). Together, these results indicate that HMGB1 mediates anemia by interfering with erythropoiesis, suggesting a potential therapeutic strategy for anemia in sepsis.     

羊栖菜多糖通过激活Caspase途径诱导Lovo细胞凋亡

研究了羊栖菜多糖（Sargassum Fusiforme Polysaccharides,SFPS）诱导人大肠癌lovo细胞凋亡及凋亡过程中caspase-3、caspase-8、caspase-9的活性变化。MTT法检测SFPS对lovo细胞增殖的抑制率;通过电镜、琼脂糖凝胶电泳、流式细胞术鉴定细胞凋亡;应用Western印迹法测定caspase-3酶原和caspase-9的变化;RToPCR检测caspase-3 mRNA表达;caspase-3,caspase-8、caspase-9活性检测试剂盒观察caspase-3、caspase-8、caspase-9的活性改变。结果显示,SFPS对lovo细胞增殖有显著抑制作用,经形态变化、DNA条带和流式细胞分析,可见明显的细胞凋亡特征。SFPS处理lovo细胞后,发现caspase-3酶原蛋白表达降低,caspase-3 mRNA高表达,并具有剂量和时间的依赖性。而在检测蛋白中,也发现caspase-9被激活进而形成具有活性的片段。另外,caspase的活性检测也进一步发现caspase-3、caspase-9的活性逐步增高。实验结果提示SFPS在体外诱导lovo胞凋亡,这可能是SFPS抑制肿瘤增殖的机制之一,并且是通过激活启动caspase-9,进而激活下游效应caspase-3的级联反应来实现的。     

A Neuroprotective Herbal Mixture Inhibits Caspase-3-independent Apoptosis in Retinal Ganglion Cells

It was previously demonstrated that Menta-FX, a mixture of Panax quinquefolius L. (PQE), Ginkgo biloba (GBE), and Hypericum perforatum extracts (HPE), enhances retinal ganglion cell survival after axotomy. However, the mechanisms of neuroprotection remain unknown. The aim of this study is to elucidate the neuroprotective mechanisms of Menta-FX. Since PQE, GBE and HPE have all been observed to display anti-oxidative property, the involvement of anti-oxidation in Menta-FX’s neuroprotective effect was investigated. Menta-FX lowered nitric oxide (NO) content in axotomized retinas without affecting nitric oxide synthase activity, suggesting that Menta-FX possibly exhibited a NO scavenging property. In addition, the effect of Menta-FX on the frequency of axotomy-induced nuclear fragmentation and caspase-3 activation was investigated. Menta-FX treatment significantly reduced nuclear fragmentation in axotomized retinas. Surprisingly, Menta-FX had no effect on caspase-3 activation, but selectively lowered caspase-3-independent nuclear fragmentation in axotomized retinal ganglion cells. In addition, inhibition of PI3K activity by intravitreal injection of wortmannin, a phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K) inhibitor, completely abolished the neuroprotective effect of Menta-FX, indicating that Menta-FX’s neuroprotective effect was PI3K-dependent. Data here suggest that Menta-FX displayed a PI3K-dependent, selective inhibition on a caspase-3-independent apoptotic pathway in axotomized RGCs, thus, highlighting the potential use of herbal remedies as neuroprotective agents for other neurodegenerative diseases.     

猪流行性腹泻病毒通过病毒蛋白酶激活Caspase-3诱导细胞凋亡

冠状病毒是一大类能够引起呼吸系统疾病,从而威胁人类健康的病毒．目前,对冠状病毒诱导细胞凋亡及其机制研究甚少.本研究以动物冠状病毒 猪流行性腹泻病毒(PEDV) 为模型探讨冠状病毒诱导细胞凋亡效应及其可能作用机制. 通过流式细胞术检测发现感染PEDV病毒后细胞凋亡率明显升高,且PEDV诱导细胞凋亡呈时间和剂量依赖性(P<0.05或P<0.01);进一步研究发现,冠状病毒木瓜样蛋白酶（PLP）在病毒引起凋亡过程中起重要作用.实验发现,转染PEDV-PLP质粒后,caspase-3活化体表达水平明显升高. 提示冠状病毒PLP蛋白酶通过激活caspase-3在病毒诱导细胞凋亡过程中起着关键作用. 以上结果为研究人类冠状病毒PLP蛋白功能及其通过细胞凋亡调节宿主抗病毒天然免疫机制提供重要基础.     

Autophagy Inhibition Mediates Apoptosis Sensitization in Cancer Therapy by Relieving FOXO3a Turnover

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Involvement of Bcl-2 Family and Caspase-3-Like Protease in NO-Mediated Neuronal Apoptosis

Abstract: To clarify mechanisms of neuronal death in the postischemic brain, we examined whether astrocytes exposed to hypoxia/reoxygenation exert a neurotoxic effect, using a coculture system. Neurons cocultured with astrocytes subjected to hypoxia/reoxygenation underwent apoptotic cell death, the effect enhanced by a combination of interleukin-1β with hypoxia. The synergistic neurotoxic activity of hypoxia and interleukin-1β was dependent on de novo expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and on nitric oxide (NO) production in astrocytes. Further analysis to determine the neurotoxic mechanism revealed decreased Bcl-2 and increased Bax expression together with caspase-3 activation in cortical neurons cocultured with NO-producing astrocytes. Inhibition of NO production in astrocytes by N ^G-monomethyl- l -arginine, an inhibitor of NOS, significantly inhibited neuronal death together with changes in Bcl-2 and Bax protein levels and in caspase-3-like activity. Moreover, treatment of neurons with a bax antisense oligonucleotide inhibited the caspase-3-like activation and neuronal death induced by an NO donor, sodium nitroprusside. These data suggest that NO produced by astrocytes after hypoxic insult induces apoptotic death of neurons through mechanisms involving the caspase-3 activation after down-regulation of BCl-2 and up-regulation of Bax protein levels.     

C-Peptide Prevents Hippocampal Apoptosis in Type 1 Diabetes

To explore mechanisms underlying central nervous system (CNS) complications in diabetes, we examined hippocampal neuronal apoptosis and loss, and the effect of C-peptide replacement in type 1 diabetic BB/W rats. Apoptosis was demonstrated after 8 months of diabetes, by DNA fragmentation, increased number of apoptotic cells, and an elevated ratio of Bax/Bcl-x_L, accompanied by reduced neuronal density in the hippocampus. No apoptotic activity was detected and neuronal density was unchanged in 2-month diabetic hippocampus, whereas insulin-like growth factor (IGF) activities were impaired. In type 1 diabetic BB/W rats replaced with C-peptide, no TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL)- positive cells were shown and DNA laddering was not evident in hippocampus at either 2 or 8 months. C-peptide administration prevented the preceding perturbation of IGF expression and reduced the elevated ratio of Bax/Bcl-x_L. Our data suggest that type 1 diabetes causes a duration-dependent programmed cell death of the hippocampus, which is partially prevented by C-peptide.     

大鼠脑创伤后caspase-3的过度表达与细胞凋亡的关系

目的：探讨大鼠脑创伤后海马神经组织中casepase-3表达及其在细胞凋亡中的机制。方法：雄性Wistar大鼠72只随机分成对照组和创伤组。用Marmarou方法造成大鼠重型弥漫性颅脑创伤,采用免疫组织化学检测海马CA1区神经细胞casepase-3蛋白表达情况,原位细胞DNA断裂检测末端标记（TUNEL）法观察大鼠海马CA1区神经细胞凋亡动态变化。同时行TUNEL与caspase-3双标染色。结果：对照组海马区神经细胞casepase-3未见明显表达,创伤组海马CA1区神经细胞casepase-3表达在伤后3小时开始升高,伤后3天达高峰（P〈0．01）,伤后7天下降明显。对照组海马区未见TUNEL阳性细胞,创伤组海马区TUNEL阳性细胞伤后3小时开始增多,伤后3天达高峰（P〈0．01）,伤后7天下降。可见创伤组TUNEL染色与caspase-3免疫染色双标阳性的细胞伤后6小时细胞数量逐渐增多,于伤后3天达高峰（P〈0．01）,伤后7天双标阳性细胞数量下降。Casepase-3表达与TUNEL阳性细胞明显相关（P〈0．01）。结论：大鼠脑创伤后casepase-3的过度表达是影响大鼠脑创伤后神经细胞凋亡原因之一,抑制casepase-3活性表达对神经组织起保护作用。     

Sendai Virus Infection Induces Apoptosis through Activation of Caspase-8 (FLICE) and Caspase-3 (CPP32)

Sendai virus (SV) infection and replication lead to a strong cytopathic effect with subsequent death of host cells. We now show that SV infection triggers an apoptotic program in target cells. Incubation of infected cells with the peptide inhibitor z-VAD-fmk abrogated SV-induced apoptosis, indicating that proteases of the caspase family were involved. Moreover, proteolytic activation of two distinct caspases, CPP32/caspase-3 and, as shown for the first time in virus-infected cells, FLICE/caspase-8, could be detected. So far, activation of FLICE/caspase-8 has been described in apoptosis triggered by death receptors, including CD95 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-R1. In contrast, we could show that SV-induced apoptosis did not require TNF or CD95 ligand. We further found that apoptosis of infected cells did not influence the maturation and budding of SV progeny. In conclusion, SV-induced cell injury is mediated by CD95- and TNF-R1-independent activation of caspases, leading to the death of host cells without impairment of the viral life cycle.     

Malaria-Induced NLRP12/NLRP3-Dependent Caspase-1 Activation Mediates Inflammation and Hypersensitivity to Bacterial Superinfection

Cyclic paroxysm and high fever are hallmarks of malaria and are associated with high levels of pyrogenic cytokines, including IL-1β. In this report, we describe a signature for the expression of inflammasome-related genes and caspase-1 activation in malaria. Indeed, when we infected mice, Plasmodium infection was sufficient to promote MyD88-mediated caspase-1 activation, dependent on IFN-γ-priming and the expression of inflammasome components ASC, P2X7R, NLRP3 and/or NLRP12. Pro-IL-1β expression required a second stimulation with LPS and was also dependent on IFN-γ-priming and functional TNFR1. As a consequence of Plasmodium-induced caspase-1 activation, mice produced extremely high levels of IL-1β upon a second microbial stimulus, and became hypersensitive to septic shock. Therapeutic intervention with IL-1 receptor antagonist prevented bacterial-induced lethality in rodents. Similar to mice, we observed a significantly increased frequency of circulating CD14⁺CD16⁻Caspase-1⁺ and CD14^dimCD16⁺Caspase-1⁺ monocytes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from febrile malaria patients. These cells readily produced large amounts of IL-1β after stimulation with LPS. Furthermore, we observed the presence of inflammasome complexes in monocytes from malaria patients containing either NLRP3 or NLRP12 pyroptosomes. We conclude that NLRP12/NLRP3-dependent activation of caspase-1 is likely to be a key event in mediating systemic production of IL-1β and hypersensitivity to secondary bacterial infection during malaria.     

大鼠脑创伤后caspase-3的过度表达与细胞凋亡的关系

目的:探讨大鼠脑创伤后海马神经组织中casepase-3表达及其在细胞凋亡中的机制。方法:雄性Wistar大鼠72只随机分成对照组和创伤组,用Marmarou方法造成大鼠重型弥漫性颅脑创伤,采用免疫组织化学检测海马CA1区神经细胞casepase-3蛋白表达情况,原位细胞DNA断裂检测末端标记(TUNEL)法观察大鼠海马CA1区神经细胞凋亡动态变化。同时行TUNEL与caspase-3双标染色。结果:对照组海马区神经细胞casepase-3未见明显表达,创伤组海马CA1区神经细胞casepase-3表达在伤后3小时开始升高,伤后3天达高峰(P0.01),伤后7天下降明显。对照组海马区未见TUNEL阳性细胞,创伤组海马区TUNEL阳性细胞伤后3小时开始增多,伤后3天达高峰(P0.01),伤后7天下降。可见创伤组TUNEL染色与caspase-3免疫染色双标阳性的细胞伤后6小时细胞数量逐渐增多,于伤后3天达高峰(P0.01),伤后7天双标阳性细胞数量下降。Casepase-3表达与TUNEL阳性细胞明显相关(P0.01)。结论:大鼠脑创伤后casepase-3的过度表达是影响大鼠脑创伤后神经细胞凋亡原因之一,抑制casepase-3活性表达对神经组织起保护作用。     

Disinhibition Mediates a Form of Hippocampal Long-Term Potentiation in Area CA1

The hippocampus plays a central role in memory formation in the mammalian brain. Its ability to encode information is thought to depend on the plasticity of synaptic connections between neurons. In the pyramidal neurons constituting the primary hippocampal output to the cortex, located in area CA1, firing of presynaptic CA3 pyramidal neurons produces monosynaptic excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) followed rapidly by feedforward (disynaptic) inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs). Long-term potentiation (LTP) of the monosynaptic glutamatergic inputs has become the leading model of synaptic plasticity, in part due to its dependence on NMDA receptors (NMDARs), required for spatial and temporal learning in intact animals. Using whole-cell recording in hippocampal slices from adult rats, we find that the efficacy of synaptic transmission from CA3 to CA1 can be enhanced without the induction of classic LTP at the glutamatergic inputs. Taking care not to directly stimulate inhibitory fibers, we show that the induction of GABAergic plasticity at feedforward inhibitory inputs results in the reduced shunting of excitatory currents, producing a long-term increase in the amplitude of Schaffer collateral-mediated postsynaptic potentials. Like classic LTP, disinhibition-mediated LTP requires NMDAR activation, suggesting a role in types of learning and memory attributed primarily to the former and raising the possibility of a previously unrecognized target for therapeutic intervention in disorders linked to memory deficits, as well as a potentially overlooked site of LTP expression in other areas of the brain.