Palmitate-induced apoptosis can occur through a ceramide-independent pathway

Cytotoxic accumulation of long chain fatty acids has been proposed to play an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus and heart disease. To explore the mechanism of cellular lipotoxicity, we cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells in the presence of media supplemented with fatty acid. The saturated fatty acid palmitate, but not the monounsaturated fatty acid oleate, induced programmed cell death as determined by annexin V positivity, caspase 3 activity, and DNA laddering. De novo ceramide synthesis increased 2.4-fold with palmitate supplementation; however, this was not required for palmitate-induced apoptosis. Neither biochemical nor genetic inhibition of de novo ceramide synthesis arrested apoptosis in Chinese hamster ovary cells in response to palmitate supplementation. Rather, our data suggest that palmitate-induced apoptosis occurs through the generation of reactive oxygen species. Fluorescence of an oxidant-sensitive probe was increased 3.5-fold with palmitate supplementation indicating that production of reactive intermediates increased. In addition, palmitate-induced apoptosis was blocked by pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate and 4,5-dihydroxy-1,3-benzene-disulfonic acid, two compounds that scavenge reactive intermediates. These studies suggest that generation of reactive oxygen species, independent of ceramide synthesis, is important for the lipotoxic response and may contribute to the pathogenesis of diseases involving intracellular lipid accumulation.     

The murine TRAIL receptor signals caspase-independent cell death through ceramide

Death receptors such as the 55 kDa tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor (TNF-R55) or Fas can initiate both apoptotic (caspase-dependent) and caspase-independent routes to programmed cell death (PCD). Here, we demonstrate for the first time that the single murine receptor for (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (mTRAIL-R2) can induce a caspase-independent form of PCD with necrosis-like features in addition to apoptosis. Analysis of morphological and cellular features of caspase-independent PCD in response to TRAIL and TNF suggests that mTRAIL-R2 and TNF-R55 elicit caspase-independent PCD through similar pathways, although without participation of cathepsins. Cells overexpressing acid ceramidase (AC), an enzyme that metabolizes the sphingolipid ceramide, show enhanced survival from TRAIL-induced caspase-independent PCD but not from apoptosis, implicating a function of ceramide as a key mediator in caspase-independent PCD (but not apoptosis) induced by mTRAIL-R2. In concert with the enhanced resistance of AC-overexpressing cells against caspase-independent PCD induced by TNF, our results suggest that ceramide acts as a common mediator of caspase-independent PCD caused by death receptors such as mTRAIL-R2 and TNF-R55.     

The C-terminal moiety of HIV-1 Vpr induces cell death via a caspase-independent mitochondrial pathway

Previous biochemical studies suggested that HIV-1-encoded Vpr may kill cells through an effect on the adenine nucleotide translocase (ANT), thereby causing mitochondrial membrane permeabilization (MMP). Here, we show that Vpr fails to activate caspases in conditions in which it induces cell killing. The knock-out of essential caspase-activators (Apaf-1 or caspase-9) or the knock-out of a mitochondrial caspase-independent death effector (AIF) does not abolish Vpr-mediated killing. In contrast, the cytotoxic effects of Vpr are reduced by transfection-enforced overexpression of two MMP-inhibitors, namely the endogenous protein Bcl-2 or the cytomegalovirus-encoded ANT-targeted protein vMIA. Vpr, which can elicit MMP through a direct effect on mitochondria, and HIV-1-Env, which causes MMP through an indirect pathway, exhibit additive (but not synergic) cytotoxic effects. In conclusion, it appears that Vpr induces apoptosis through a caspase-independent mitochondrial pathway.     

Mitochondrial effectors in caspase-independent cell death

Activation of caspases is recognized as a key element in the apoptotic process. However, new evidence is drawing attention to the emergent role of cell death pathways where caspases are not involved. Recent advances in the molecular understanding of these new ways to die, called caspase-independent, have revealed that mitochondria play an important role via the release of proapoptotic proteins. The purpose of this review is to integrate, from a biological and structural point of view, the most recent advances in the knowledge of the main mitochondrial proapoptotic proteins involved in this cell death cascade. The origin of programmed cell death is discussed through these strongly conserved effectors.     

Survivin inhibition induces human neural tumor cell death through caspase-independent and -dependent pathways

Survivin inhibits apoptosis during development and carcinogenesis and is absent in differentiated cells. To determine whether survivin inhibition induces cell death in neural tumor cells, survivin antisense oligonucleotides (SAO) were administered to a human neuroblastoma (MSN) and an oligodendroglioma (TC620) resulting in a dose-dependent reduction in survivin protein. Although 74% of the SAO-treated MSN cells were trypan blue(+), PARP cleavage or activated caspase-3 was not observed. However nuclear translocation of AIF occurred and XIAP increased dramatically. Co-administration of z-Val-Ala-Asp(OMe)-fluoromethyl ketone (zVAD-fmk) with SAO did not inhibit cell death suggesting a caspase-independent mechanism of cell death. Propidium iodide (PI) staining revealed multiple large macronuclei with no apoptotic bodies supporting a role for survivin in cell division. By contrast, while 70% of the SAO-treated TC620 cells were trypan blue(+), PARP was cleaved, cells were TUNEL(+) and PI-staining revealed macronuclei and numerous apoptotic bodies. Co-treatment of the TC620 cells with SAO and zVAD-fmk blocked cell death. While no macronuclei or apoptotic bodies were observed there was a two-fold increase in metaphase cells. Our results suggest that survivin inhibition decreases the viability of human neural tumor cells and as a result of mitotic catastrophe, cell death can be initiated by either a classic apoptotic mechanism or a caspase-independent mechanism.     

Aquatic birnavirus induces necrotic cell death via the mitochondria-mediated caspase pathway

Aquatic birnavirus induces necrotic cell death by an ill-understood process. Presently, we demonstrate that infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV) induces post-apoptotic necrotic cell death through loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) followed by caspase-3 activation in CHSE-214 cells. Progressive phosphatidylserine externalization was observed at 6 h post-infection (p.i.). This was followed by the development of bulb-like vesicles (bleb formation) at 8 h p.i. Progressive loss of MMP was also observed in IPNV-infected CHSE-214 cells beginning at 6 h p.i. At 8 h and 12 h p.i., IPNV-infected cells demonstrated a dramatic increase in MMP loss, rapid entry into necrotic cell death, and activation of caspase-9 and -3. Additionally, treatment with an inhibitor of MMP loss, bongkrekic acid, an adenine nucleotide translocase inhibitor, blocked IPNV-induced PS exposure and MMP loss, as well as reduced the activation of caspase-3. Taken together, our results suggest that IPNV induces apoptotic cell death via loss of MMP, thereby triggering secondary necrosis and caspases-3 activation. Furthermore, this death-signaling pathway is disrupted by bongkrekic acid in fish cells, indicating that this drug may serve to modulate IPNV-induced pathogenesis.     

CD99 signals caspase-independent T cell death

Death signaling by Fas and TNF receptors plays a major role in the control of activated mature T cells. However, the nature of the death receptors, which may be used by the immune system to control T cells that have not acquired susceptibility to Fas ligand or TNF, is not established. In this study, we demonstrate that engagement of distinct epitopes on CD99 rapidly induces T cell death by a novel caspase-independent pathway. A new mAb to these CD99 epitopes, Ad20, induces programmed cell death of transformed T cells as determined by morphological changes, phosphatidylserine exposure on the cell surface, and uptake of propidium iodide. In general, ligation of CD99 induced kinetically faster and more profound death responses as compared with the impact of anti-Fas and TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL). Ad20-induced programmed cell death was observed with seven of eight T cell lines examined, and notably, only two of these were distinctly responsive to anti-Fas and TRAIL. CD99-mediated death signaling proceeded independently of functional CD3, CD4, CD45, and p56(lck), revealed distinctions from CD47-mediated T cell death responses, and was not influenced by interference with CD47 signaling. In contrast to the effect on transformed T cell lines, Ad20-induced death responses were not observed with normal peripheral T cells. Thus, our data suggest that CD99 is linked to a novel death pathway that may have biologic relevance in control of early T cells.     

Autophagy contributes to caspase-independent macrophage cell death

Macrophage cell death plays a role in many physiological and pathophysiological conditions. Previous work has shown that macrophages can undergo caspase-independent cell death, and this process is associated with Nur77 induction, which is involved in inducing chromatin condensation and DNA fragmentation. Here we show that autophagy is a cytosolic event that controls caspase-independent macrophage cell death. Autophagy was induced in macrophages treated with lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) and the pan-caspase inhibitor benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp (Z-VAD), and the inhibition of autophagy by either chemical inhibitors or by the RNA interference knockdown of beclin (a protein required for autophagic body formation) inhibited caspase-independent macrophage cell death. We also found an increase in poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) polymerase (PARP) activation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in LPS + Z-VAD-treated macrophages, and both are involved in caspase-independent macrophage cell death. We further determined that the formation of autophagic bodies in macrophages occurs downstream of PARP activation, and PARP activation occurs downstream of ROS production. Using macrophages in which receptor-interacting protein 1 (RIP1) was knocked down by small interfering RNA, and macrophages isolated from Toll/interleukin-1 receptor-domain-containing adaptor inducing IFN-beta (TRIF)-deficient mice, we found that TRIF and RIP1 function upstream of ROS production in LPS + Z-VAD-treated macrophages. We also found that Z-VAD inhibits LPS-induced RIP1 cleavage, which may contribute to ROS over-production in macrophages. This paper reveals that TRIF, RIP1, and ROS production, as well as PARP activation, are involved in inducing autophagy, which contributes to caspase-independent macrophage cell death.     

Triggering caspase-independent cell death to combat cancer

Caspase-mediated apoptosis is a major hindrance to tumour growth and metastasis. Accordingly, defects in signalling pathways leading to the activation of caspases are common in tumours. Moreover, many tumour cells can unexpectedly survive the activation of caspases. As a result, caspase-independent cell death programmes are gaining increasing interest among cancer researchers. The heterogeneity of cancer cells with respect to their sensitivity to various death stimuli further emphasizes the need for additional death pathways in the therapeutic control of cell death. An understanding of the molecular control of alternative death pathways is beginning to emerge, being comparable with that of the molecular anatomy of apoptosis at the time of the discovery of caspases less than a decade ago. Here, newly discovered triggers and molecular regulators of alternative cell death programmes are reviewed and their potential in future cancer therapy is discussed.     

Caspase-independent programmed cell death with necrotic morphology.

Cell death is generally classified into two large categories: apoptosis represents active, programmed cell death, while necrosis represents passive cell death without underlying regulatory mechanisms. Recent progress revealed that caspases, a family of cysteine proteases, play a central role in the regulation of apoptosis. Unexpectedly, however, caspase inhibition occasionally turns the morphology of programmed cell death from apoptotic into necrotic without inhibiting death itself. In this article, we review different models of caspase-independent programmed cell death showing necrotic-like morphology, including our Ras-mediated caspase-independent cell death. Based on these findings, we suggest the existence of a necrotic-like cell death regulated by cellular intrinsic death programs distinct from that of apoptosis. Even though type 2 physiological cell death, or autophagic degeneration, has been recognized as a necrotic-like programmed cell death for a long time, the underlying molecular mechanisms have not been identified despite its physiological significance. This has been in part due to the previous absence of adequate caspase-independent cellular models to study, recent efforts may now help to elucidate these mechanisms.     

Filling a GAP(DH) in caspase-independent cell death

Mitochondrial outer-membrane permeabilization can lead to cell death even without activation of caspases. In this issue of Cell, Colell et al. (2007) identify the glycolytic enzyme glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase as a potent inhibitor of caspase-independent cell death that may allow metabolically active cells to survive mitochondrial insult.     

Anoxic cell core can promote necrotic cell death in cardiomyocytes at physiological extracellular PO2

The physical law of diffusion imposes O2 concentration gradients from the plasma membrane to the center of the cell. The present study was undertaken to determine how such intracellular radial gradients of O2 affect the fate of isolated single cardiomyocytes. In single rat cardiomyocytes, mitochondrial respiration was moderately elevated by an oxidative phosphorylation uncoupler to augment the intracellular O2 gradient. At physiological extracellular O2 levels (2-5%), decreases in myoglobin O2 saturation and increases in NADH fluorescence at the center of the cell were imaged (anoxic cell core) while the mitochondrial membrane potential (DeltaPsim) and ATP levels at the anoxic cell core were relatively sustained. In contrast, treatment with 0.5 mM iodoacetamide (IA) to inhibit creatine kinase (CK) resulted in depletion of both DeltaPsim and ATP at the anoxic cell core. Even at normal extracellular Po2, actively respiring cardiomyocytes developed rigor contracture followed by necrotic cell death. Furthermore, such rigor was remarkably accelerated by IA, whereas cell injury was perfectly rescued by mitochondrial F1Fo inhibition by oligomycin. These results suggest that increases in radial gradients of O2 potentially promote cell death through the reverse action of F1Fo in mitochondria located at the anoxic cell core. However, in the intact cardiomyocyte, the CK-mediated energy flux from the subsarcolemmal space may sustain DeltaPsim at the cell core, thus avoiding uncontrolled consumption of ATP that can lead to necrotic cell death. Mitochondria at the anoxic core can cause necrotic cell death in cardiomyocytes at physiological extracellular Po2.     

Activation of calpain I converts excitotoxic neuron death into a caspase-independent cell death

Glutamate receptor overactivation contributes to neuron death after stroke, trauma, and epileptic seizures. Exposure of cultured rat hippocampal neurons to the selective glutamate receptor agonist N-methyl-d-aspartate (300 microm, 5 min) or to the apoptosis-inducing protein kinase inhibitor staurosporine (300 nm) induced a delayed neuron death. In both cases, neuron death was preceded by the mitochondrial release of the pro-apoptotic factor cytochrome c. Unlike staurosporine, the N-methyl-d-aspartate-induced release of cytochrome c did not lead to significant activation of caspase-3, the main caspase involved in the execution of neuronal apoptosis. In contrast, activation of the Ca(2+)-activated neutral protease calpain I was readily detectable after the exposure to N-methyl-d-aspartate. In a neuronal cell-free apoptosis system, calpain I prevented the ability of cytochrome c to activate the caspase cascade by inhibiting the processing of procaspase-3 and -9 into their active subunits. In the hippocampal neuron cultures, the inhibition of calpain activity restored caspase-3-like protease activity after an exposure to N-methyl-d-aspartate. Our data demonstrate the existence of signal transduction pathways that prevent the entry of cells into a caspase-dependent cell death program after the mitochondrial release of cytochrome c.     

A necrotic cell death model in a protist

While necrotic cell death is attracting considerable interest, its molecular bases are still poorly understood. Investigations in simple biological models, taken for instance outside the animal kingdom, may benefit from less interference from other cell death mechanisms and from better experimental accessibility, while providing phylogenetic information. Can necrotic cell death occur outside the animal kingdom? In the protist Dictyostelium, developmental stimuli induced in an autophagy mutant a stereotyped sequence of events characteristic of necrotic cell death. This sequence included swift mitochondrial uncoupling with mitochondrial 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate fluorescence, ATP depletion and increased oxygen consumption. This was followed by perinuclear clustering of dilated mitochondria. Rapid plasma membrane rupture then occurred, which was evidenced by time-lapse videos and quantified by FACS. Of additional interest, developmental stimuli and classical mitochondrial uncouplers triggered a similar sequence of events, and exogenous glucose delayed plasma membrane rupture in a nonglycolytic manner. The occurrence of necrotic cell death in the protist Dictyostelium (1) provides a very favorable model for further study of this type of cell death, and (2) strongly suggests that the mechanism underlying necrotic cell death was present in an ancestor common to the Amoebozoa protists and to animals and has been conserved in evolution.     

Quiescent hepatic stellate cells induce toxicity and sensitivity to doxorubicin in cancer cells through a caspase-independent cell death pathway: Central role of apoptosis-inducing factor

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major health problem worldwide and in the United States as its incidence has increased substantially within the past two decades. HCC therapy remains a challenge, primarily due to underlying liver disorders such as cirrhosis that determines treatment approach and efficacy. Activated hepatic stellate cells (A-HSCs) are the key cell types involved in hepatic fibrosis/cirrhosis. A-HSCs are important constituents of HCC tumor microenvironment (TME) and support tumor growth, chemotherapy resistance, cancer cell migration, and escaping immune surveillance. This makes A-HSCs an important therapeutic target in hepatic fibrosis/cirrhosis as well as in HCC. Although many studies have reported the role of A-HSCs in cancer generation and investigated the therapeutic potential of A-HSCs reversion in cancer arrest, not much is known about inactivated or quiescent HSCs (Q-HSCs) in cancer growth or arrest. Here we report that Q-HSCs resist cancer cell growth by inducing cytotoxicity and enhancing chemotherapy sensitivity. We observed that the conditioned media from Q-HSCs (Q-HSCCM) induces cancer cell death through a caspase-independent mechanism that involves an increase in apoptosis-inducing factor expression, nuclear localization, DNA fragmentation, and cell death. We further observed that Q-HSCCM enhanced the efficiency of doxorubicin, as measured by cell viability assay. Exosomes present in the conditioned media were not involved in the mechanism, which suggests the role of other factors (proteins, metabolites, or microRNA) secreted by the cells. Identification and characterization of these factors are important in the development of effective HCC therapy.     

Berberine induces caspase-independent cell death in colon tumor cells through activation of apoptosis-inducing factor

Berberine, an isoquinoline alkaloid derived from plants, is a traditional medicine for treating bacterial diarrhea and intestinal parasite infections. Although berberine has recently been shown to suppress growth of several tumor cell lines, information regarding the effect of berberine on colon tumor growth is limited. Here, we investigated the mechanisms underlying the effects of berberine on regulating the fate of colon tumor cells, specifically the mouse immorto-Min colonic epithelial (IMCE) cells carrying the Apc(min) mutation, and of normal colon epithelial cells, namely young adult mouse colonic epithelium (YAMC) cells. Berberine decreased colon tumor colony formation in agar, and induced cell death and LDH release in a time- and concentration-dependent manner in IMCE cells. In contrast, YAMC cells were not sensitive to berberine-induced cell death. Berberine did not stimulate caspase activation, and PARP cleavage and berberine-induced cell death were not affected by a caspase inhibitor in IMCE cells. Rather, berberine stimulated a caspase-independent cell death mediator, apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) release from mitochondria and nuclear translocation in a ROS production-dependent manner. Amelioration of berberine-stimulated ROS production or suppression of AIF expression blocked berberine-induced cell death and LDH release in IMCE cells. Furthermore, two targets of ROS production in cells, cathepsin B release from lysosomes and PARP activation were induced by berberine. Blockage of either of these pathways decreased berberine-induced AIF activation and cell death in IMCE cells. Thus, berberine-stimulated ROS production leads to cathepsin B release and PARP activation-dependent AIF activation, resulting in caspase-independent cell death in colon tumor cells. Notably, normal colon epithelial cells are less susceptible to berberine-induced cell death, which suggests the specific inhibitory effects of berberine on colon tumor cell growth.     

Interdigital cell death function and regulation: new insights on an old programmed cell death model

Interdigital cell death (ICD) is the oldest and best-studied model of programmed cell death (PCD) in vertebrates. The classical view of ICD function is the separation of digits by promotion of tissue regression. However, in addition, ICD can contribute to digit individualization by restricting interdigital tissue growth. Depending on the species, the relative contribution of either regression or growth-restricting functions of ICD to limb morphogenesis may differ. Under normal conditions, most cells appear to die by apoptosis during ICD. Accordingly, components of the apoptotic machinery are found in the interdigits, though their role in the initiation and execution of cell death is yet to be defined. Fgf8 has been identified as a survival factor for the distal mesenchymal cells of the limb such that ICD can initiate following specific downregulation of Fgf8 expression in the ectoderm overlying the interdigital tissue. On the other hand, Bmps may promote cell death directly by acting on the interdigital tissue, or indirectly by downregulating Fgf8 expression in the ectoderm. In addition, retinoic acid can activate ICD directly or through a Bmp-mediated mechanism. Interactions at different levels between these factors establish the spatiotemporal patterning of ICD activation. Defining the regulatory network behind ICD activation will greatly advance our understanding of the mechanisms controlling PCD in general.     

CD47 ligation induces caspase-independent cell death in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Thrombospondin forms a 'molecular bridge' between phagocytic and apoptotic cells through interaction with alphavbeta3/CD36. We report here that engagement of CD47, a newly described thrombospondin receptor, by immobilized monoclonal antibody against CD47 or by thrombospondin induced in all B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia clones the cytoplasmic features of apoptosis (cell shrinkage, decrease in mitochondrial transmembrane potential and phosphatidylserine externalization) without the nuclear features (chromatin condensation, appearance of single-stranded DNA, DNA fragmentation and cleavage of poly ADP-ribose polymerase). These cytoplasmic events of apoptosis were not prevented by the addition of caspase inhibitor z-VAD-fmk, or by the presence of survival factors (such as interleukin-4 and gamma interferon) or cell activation. Morphological studies confirmed the integrity of the nucleus and showed swelling of the mitochondria. This caspase-independent death pathway may be relevant to the development of alternate therapeutic strategies in chronic lymphocytic leukemia, which remains an incurable disease.