trans-dominant inhibition of poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation sensitizes cells against gamma-irradiation and N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine but does not limit DNA replication of a polyomavirus replicon.

Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation is a posttranslational modification of nuclear proteins catalyzed by poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP; EC 2.4.2.30), with NAD+ serving as the substrate. PARP is strongly activated upon recognition of DNA strand breaks by its DNA-binding domain. Experiments with low-molecular-weight inhibitors of PARP have led to the view that PARP activity plays a role in DNA repair and possibly also in DNA replication, cell proliferation, and differentiation. Accumulating evidence for nonspecific inhibitor effects prompted us to develop a molecular genetic system to inhibit PARP in living cells, i.e., to overexpress selectively the DNA-binding domain of PARP as a dominant negative mutant. Here we report on a cell culture system which allows inducible, high-level expression of the DNA-binding domain. Induction of this domain leads to about 90% reduction of poly(ADP-ribose) accumulation after gamma-irradiation and sensitizes cells to the cytotoxic effect of gamma-irradiation and of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine. In contrast, induction does not affect normal cellular proliferation or the replication of a transfected polyomavirus replicon. Thus, trans-dominant inhibition of the poly(ADP-ribose) accumulation occurring after gamma-irradiation or N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine is specifically associated with a disturbance of the cellular recovery from the inflicted damage.     

An enzymatic assay for poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) via the chemical quantitation of NAD(+): application to the high-throughput screening of small molecules as potential inhibitors

The enzyme poly(adenosine 5'-diphosphate (ADP)-ribose) polymerase (PARP-1) catalyzes the formation of (ADP)-ribose polymers on a variety of protein acceptors in a NAD+ -dependent manner. While PARP-1 is activated by DNA damage and plays a critical role in cellular survival mechanisms, its overactivation leads to a depletion of NAD+/ATP energy stores and ultimately to necrotic cell death. Due to this dual role of PARP in the cell, small-molecule inhibitors of the PARP family of enzymes have been widely investigated for use as potentiators of anticancer therapies and as inhibitors of neurodegeneration and ischemic injuries. Unfortunately, standard assays for PARP inhibition are not optimal for the high-throughput screening of compound collections or combinatorial libraries. Described herein is a highly sensitive, inexpensive, and operationally simple assay for the rapid assessment of PARP activity that relies on the conversion of NAD+ into a highly fluorescent compound. We demonstrate that this assay can readily detect PARP inhibitors in a high-throughput screen using 384-well plates. In addition, the assay can be used to determine IC50 values for PARP inhibitors that have a range of inhibitory properties. As existing PARP assays utilize specialized reagents such as radiolabeled/biotinylated NAD+ or antibodies to poly(ADP-ribose), the chemical quantitation method described herein offers a highly sensitive and convenient alternative for rapidly screening compound collections for PARP inhibition.     

Purines inhibit poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase activation and modulate oxidant-induced cell death.

Purines such as adenosine, inosine, and hypoxanthine are known to have potent antiinflammatory effects. These effects generally are believed to be mediated by cell surface adenosine receptors. Here we provide evidence that purines protect against oxidant-induced cell injury by inhibiting the activation of the nuclear enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Upon binding to broken DNA, PARP cleaves NAD+ into nicotinamide and ADP-ribose and polymerizes the latter on nuclear acceptor proteins such as histones and PARP itself. Overactivation of PARP depletes cellular NAD+ and ATP stores and causes necrotic cell death. We have identified some purines (hypoxanthine, inosine, and adenosine) as potential endogenous PARP inhibitors. We have found that purines (hypoxanthine > inosine > adenosine) dose-dependently inhibited PARP activation in peroxynitrite-treated macrophages and also inhibited the activity of the purified PARP enzyme. Consistently with their PARP inhibitory effects, the purines also protected interferon gamma + endotoxin (IFN/LPS) -stimulated RAW macrophages from the inhibition of mitochondrial respiration and inhibited nitrite production from IFN/LPS-stimulated macrophages. We have selected hypoxanthine as the most potent cytoprotective agent and PARP inhibitor among the three purine compounds, and investigated the mechanism of its cytoprotective effect. We have found that hypoxanthine protects thymocytes from death induced by the cytotoxic oxidant peroxynitrite. In line with the PARP inhibitory effect of purines, hypoxanthine has prevented necrotic cell death while increasing caspase activity and DNA fragmentation. As previously shown with other PARP inhibitors, hypoxanthine acted proximal to mitochondrial alterations as hypoxanthine inhibited the peroxynitrite-induced mitochondrial depolarization and secondary superoxide production. Our data imply that purines may serve as endogenous PARP inhibitors. We propose that, by affecting PARP activation, purines may modulate the pattern of cell death during shock, inflammation, and reperfusion injury.     

Pathophysiological aspects of cellular pyridine nucleotide metabolism: focus on the vascular endothelium. Review

In recent years, pyridine nucleotides NAD(H) and NADP(H) have been established as an important molecules in physiological and pathophysiological signaling and cell injury pathways. Protein modification is catalyzed by ADP-ribosyl transferases that attach the ADP-ribose moiety of NAD+ to specific aminoacid residues of the acceptor proteins, with significant changes in the function of these acceptors. Mono(ADP-ribosyl)ation reactions have been implicated to play a role both in physiological responses and in cellular responses to bacterial toxins. Cyclic ADP-ribose formation also utilizes NAD+ and primarily serves as physiological, signal transduction mechanisms regulating intracellular calcium homeostasis. In pathophysiological conditions associated with oxidative stress (such as various forms of inflammation and reperfusion injury), activation of the nuclear enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) occurs, with subsequent, substantial fall in cellular NAD+ and ATP levels, which can determine the viability and function of the affected cells. In addition, NADPH oxidases can significantly affect the balance and fate of NAD+ and NADP in oxidatively stressed cells and can facilitate the generation of various positive feedback cycles of injury. Under severe oxidant conditions, direct oxidative damage to NAD+ has also been reported. The current review focuses on PARP and on NADPH oxidases, as pathophysiologically relevant factors in creating disturbances in the cellular pyridine nucleotide balance. A separate section describes how these mechanisms apply to the pathogenesis of endothelial cell injury in selected cardiovascular pathophysiological conditions.     

Acute ammonia intoxication induces an NMDA receptor-mediated increase in poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase level and NAD metabolism in nuclei of rat brain cells

Acute ammonia toxicity is mediated by excessive activation of NMDA receptors. Activation of NMDA receptors leads to activation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) which mediates NMDA excitotoxicity. PARP is activated following DNA damage and may lead to cell death via NAD+ and ATP depletion. The aim of the present work was to assess whether acute ammonia intoxication in vivo leads to increased PARP in brain cells nuclei and to altered NAD+ and superoxide metabolism and the contribution of NMDA receptors to these alterations. Acute ammonia intoxication increases PARP content twofold in brain cells nuclei.NAD+ content decreased by 55% in rats injected with ammonia. This was not due to decreased NAD+ synthetase nor increased NAD+ hydrolase activities and would be due to increased NAD+ consumption by PARP. Superoxide radical formation increased by 75% in nuclei of brains of rats injected with ammonia, that also induced protein nitrotyrosylation and DNA damage. Blocking NMDA receptors prevented ammonia-induced PARP, superoxide and nitrotyrosylation increase, DNA damage and NAD+ decrease. These results show that acute ammonia intoxication in vivo leads to activation of NMDA receptors, leading to increased superoxide formation and PARP content and depletion of NAD+ in brain cells nuclei that contribute to ammonia toxicity.     

A scintillation proximity assay for poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) is an abundant nuclear protein in most of the eukaryotic tissues. When activated by DNA damage, PARP synthesizes poly(ADP-ribose) from NAD. Conventional radioactive PARP enzyme assay requires the separation of the polymer product from the NAD substrate, a rate-limiting step that hampers large-scale chemical library screening to identify novel small-molecule PARP inhibitors. By using biotinylated NAD, we have developed a scintillation proximity assay (SPA) for PARP. We demonstrated that PARP can incorporate the biotinylated ADP-ribose units into the radioactive poly(ADP-ribose) polymer, which can directly bind and excite the streptavidin-conjugated scintillation beads. PARP-SPA can be readily adapted to a 96-well format for automatic high-throughput screening for PARP inhibitors.     

Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation affects stabilization of Che-1 protein in response to DNA damage

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP-1) catalyzes a post-translational modification that plays a crucial role in coordinating the signalling cascade in response to stress stimuli. During the DNA damage response, phosphorylation by ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) kinase and checkpoint kinase Chk2 induces the stabilization of Che-1 protein, which is critical for the maintenance of G2/M arrest. In this study we showed that poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation, beyond phosphorylation, is involved in the regulation of Che-1 stabilization following DNA damage. We demonstrated that Che-1 accumulation upon doxorubicin treatment is reduced after the inhibition of PARP activity in HCT116 cells and in PARP-1 knock-out or silenced cells. In accordance, impairment in Che-1 accumulation by PARP inhibition reduced Che-1 occupancy at p21 promoter and affected the expression of the corresponding gene. Epistasis experiments showed that the effect of poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation on Che-1 stabilization is independent from ATM kinase activity. Indeed we demonstrated that Che-1 protein co-immunoprecipitates with ADP-ribose polymers and that PARP-1 directly interacts with Che-1, promoting its modification in vitro and in vivo.     

Thrombin or Ca++-Ionophore-Mediated Fall in Endothelial ATP Levels Independent of Poly(ADP-Ribose) Polymerase Activity and NAD Levels - Comparison with the Effects of Hydrogen Peroxide

To test the hypothesis that a fall in cellular ATP following stimulation of endothelial cells with thrombin is secondary to a decrease in NAD levels caused by poly(ADP-Ribose)polymerase (PARP), we measured the levels of NAD and ATP in endothelial cells after treatment with thrombin, the Ca⁺⁺-ionophore A23187, or hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), and compared the effects of inhibitors of PARP, NAD synthesis, and ADP-ribose breakdown on these responses. Neither thrombin nor A23187 caused a reduction in endothelial NAD levels and A23187 affected ATP levels independently of NAD levels or PARP activity. H₂O₂ induced lowering of NAD caused modest lowering of ATP but marked additional ATP-lowering, independent of PARP and NAD, was also demonstrated. We conclude that in endothelial cells ATP levels are largely independent of NAD and PARP, which do not play a role in thrombin or Ca⁺⁺-ionophore-mediated lowering of ATP. H₂O₂ caused ATP lowering through a similar mechanism as thrombin and A23187 but, additionally, caused a further ATP lowering through its intense stimulation of PARP and marked lowering of NAD.     

Involvement of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase activity in regulating Chk1-dependent apoptotic cell death

The activity of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) is highly stimulated following DNA damage resulting in formation of DNA nicks and strand breaks. This leads to modification of numerous proteins, including itself, using NAD(+) as substrate and to exhaustion of intracellular ATP. A highly cytotoxic concentration of the DNA methylating agent methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) results in cellular ATP depletion and cell death primarily by necrosis in both wild-type and DNA polymerase beta null mouse fibroblasts. The loss of ATP can be prevented by the PARP inhibitor 4-amino-1,8-naphthalimide (4-AN), and now cells die by an energy-dependent apoptotic pathway. We find that inhibition of PARP activity transforms a sub-lethal exposure to MMS into a highly cytotoxic event. Under this condition, ATP is not depleted and cell death is by apoptosis. The caspase inhibitor, Z-VAD, shifts the mechanism of cell death to necrosis indicating a caspase-dependent component of the apoptotic cell death. Co-exposure to the Chk1 inhibitor UCN-01 also produces a decrease in apoptotic cell death, but now there is an increase in viable cells and an enhancement in long-term survival. Taken together, our results suggest that inhibition of PARP activity, induced as a result of low dose MMS exposure, signals via a Chk1-dependent pathway for cell death by apoptosis.     

Activation of Poly(ADP-Ribose)Polymerase in rat hepatocytes does not contribute to their cell death by oxidative stress

Oxidative stress induced by tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tBOOH) in freshly isolated rat hepatocytes caused DNA damage and loss of membrane integrity. Such DNA lesions are likely to be single strand breaks since neither caryolysis nor chromatine condensation was seen in electron micrographs from tBOOH-treated cells. In addition, pulsed field gel electrophoresis of genomic DNA from both control and tBOOH-treated hepatocytes showed similar profiles, indicating the absence of internucleosomal DNA cleavage, a classical reflection of apoptotic endonuclease activity. The activation of the repair enzyme poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP) following DNA damage by tBOOH induced a dramatic drop in both NAD(+) and ATP. The inhibition of PARP by 3-aminobenzamide enhanced DNA damage by tBOOH, restored NAD(+) and ATP levels, but did not result in better survival against cell killing by tBOOH. The lack of the protective effect of PARP inhibitor, therefore, does not implicate PARP in the mechanism of tBOOH-induced cytotoxicity. Electron micrographs also show no mitochondrial swelling in cells under oxidative stress, but such organelles were mainly located around the nucleus, a picture already observed in autoschizis, a new suggested kind of cell death which shows both apoptotic and necrotic morphological characteristics.     

Detection of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase activation in oxidatively stressed cells and tissues using biotinylated NAD substrate.

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) is a nuclear enzyme activated by DNA damage. Activated PARP cleaves NAD(+) into nicotinamide and (ADP-ribose) and polymerizes the latter on nuclear acceptor proteins. Over-activation of PARP by reactive oxygen and nitrogen intermediates represents a pathogenetic factor in various forms of inflammation, shock, and reperfusion injury. Using a novel commercially available substrate, 6-biotin-17-nicotinamide-adenine-dinucleotide (bio-NAD(+)), we have developed three applications, enzyme cytochemistry, enzyme histochemistry, and cell ELISA, to detect the activation of PARP in oxidatively stressed cells and tissues. With the novel assay we were able to detect basal and hydrogen peroxide-induced PARP activity in J774 macrophages. We also observed that mitotic cells display remarkably elevated PARP activity. Hydrogen peroxide-induced PARP activation could also be detected in wild-type peritoneal macrophages but not in macrophages from PARP-deficient mice. Application of hydrogen peroxide to the skin of mice also induced bio-NAD(+) incorporation in the keratinocyte nuclei. Hydrogen peroxide-induced PARP activation and its inhibition by pharmacological PARP inhibitors could be detected in J774 cells with the ELISA assay that showed good correlation with the traditional [(3)H]-NAD incorporation method. The bio-NAD(+) assays represent sensitive, specific, and non-radioactive alternatives for detection of PARP activation.     

Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase inhibitors preserve nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and adenosine 5'-triphosphate pools in DNA-damaged cells: mechanism of stimulation of unscheduled DNA synthesis

Inhibitors of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase stimulated the level of DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis in DNA-damaged L1210 cells but had negligible effects in undamaged L1210 cells. The poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors stimulated DNA repair synthesis after cells were exposed to high concentrations of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (68 and 136 microM) but not after exposure to low concentrations (13.6 and 34 microM). When the L1210 cells were exposed to 136 microM N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, the activation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase resulted in the rapid depletion of oxidized nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) levels and subsequent depletion of adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) pools. After low doses of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (13.6 microM), there were only small decreases in NAD+ and ATP. Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors prevented the rapid fall in NAD+ and ATP pools. This preservation of the ATP pool has a permissive effect on energy-dependent functions and accounts for the apparent stimulation of DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis. Thus, the mechanism by which poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors stimulate DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis in DNA-damaged cells appears to be mediated by their ability to prevent the drastic depletion of NAD+ pools that occurs in heavily damaged cells, thereby preserving the cells' ability to generate ATP and maintain energy-dependent processes.     

PARP1-dependent kinetics of recruitment of MRE11 and NBS1 proteins to multiple DNA damage sites

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) is a nuclear enzyme that is rapidly activated by DNA strand breaks and signals the presence of DNA lesions by attaching ADP-ribose units to chromatin-associated proteins. The therapeutic applications of PARP inhibitors in potentiating the killing action of ionizing radiation have been well documented and are attracting increasing interest as a cancer treatment. However, the initial kinetics underlying the recognition of multiple DNA lesions by PARP1 and how inhibition of PARP potentiates the activity of DNA-damaging agents are unknown. Here we report the spatiotemporal dynamics of PARP1 recruitment to DNA damage induced by laser microirradiation in single living cells. We provide direct evidence that PARP1 is able to accumulate at a locally induced DNA double strand break. Most importantly, we observed that the rapid accumulation of MRE11 and NBS1 at sites of DNA damage requires PARP1. By determining the kinetics of protein assembly following DNA damage, our study reveals the cooperation between PARP1 and the double strand break sensors MRE11 and NBS1 in the close vicinity of a DNA lesion. This may explain the sensitivity of cancer cells to PARP inhibitors.     

Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase Activation and Cell Injury in the Course of Rat Heart Heterotopic Transplantation

Free radicals and other reactive species generated during reperfusion of ischemic tissues may cause DNA damage and, consequently, the activation of the nuclear enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). An excessive PARP activation may result in a depletion of intracellular NAD + and ATP, hence cell suffering and, ultimately, cell death. The present study is aimed at clarifying the role of PARP in a heart transplantation procedure and the contribution of myocyte necrosis and/or apoptosis to this process. In our experimental model, rat heart subjected to heterotopic transplantation, low temperature global ischemia (2 h) was followed by an in vivo reperfusion (30 or 60 &#117 min). Under these conditions clear signs of oxidative stress, such as lipoperoxidation and DNA strand breaks, were evident. In addition to a marked activation, accompanied by a significant NAD + and ATP depletion, PARP protein levels significantly increased after 60 &#117 min of reperfusion. Ultrastructural analysis showed nuclear clearings, intracellular oedema and plasma membrane discontinuity. Other relevant observations were the absence of typical signs of apoptosis like caspase-3 activation and PARP cleavage, random DNA fragmentation, rise in serum levels of heart damage markers. Our results suggest that during heart transplantation, the activation of PARP, causing energy depletion, results in myocardial cell injury whose dominant feature, at least in our experimental model, is necrosis rather than apoptosis.     

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase activation and cell injury in the course of rat heart heterotopic transplantation

Free radicals and other reactive species generated during reperfusion of ischemic tissues may cause DNA damage and, consequently, the activation of the nuclear enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). An excessive PARP activation may result in a depletion of intracellular NAD + and ATP, hence cell suffering and, ultimately, cell death. The present study is aimed at clarifying the role of PARP in a heart transplantation procedure and the contribution of myocyte necrosis and/or apoptosis to this process. In our experimental model, rat heart subjected to heterotopic transplantation, low temperature global ischemia (2 h) was followed by an in vivo reperfusion (30 or 60 λmin). Under these conditions clear signs of oxidative stress, such as lipoperoxidation and DNA strand breaks, were evident. In addition to a marked activation, accompanied by a significant NAD + and ATP depletion, PARP protein levels significantly increased after 60 λmin of reperfusion. Ultrastructural analysis showed nuclear clearings, intracellular oedema and plasma membrane discontinuity. Other relevant observations were the absence of typical signs of apoptosis like caspase-3 activation and PARP cleavage, random DNA fragmentation, rise in serum levels of heart damage markers. Our results suggest that during heart transplantation, the activation of PARP, causing energy depletion, results in myocardial cell injury whose dominant feature, at least in our experimental model, is necrosis rather than apoptosis.     

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase in plants affects energy homeostasis, cell death and stress tolerance

Plants contain two genes that code for poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP): parp1 and parp2. Both PARPs are activated by DNA damage caused by, example reactive oxygen species. Upon activation polymers of ADP-ribose are synthesized on a range of nuclear enzymes using NAD(+) as substrate. Here, we show that in plants stresses such as drought, high light and heat activate PARP causing NAD(+) breakdown and ATP consumption. When the PARP activity is reduced by means of chemical inhibitors or by gene silencing, cell death is inhibited and plants become tolerant to a broad range of abiotic stresses like high light, drought and heat. Plant lines with low poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation activity maintain under stress conditions their energy homeostasis by reducing NAD(+) breakdown and consequently energy consumption. The higher energy-use efficiency avoids the need for a too intense mitochondrial respiration and consequently reduces the formation of reactive oxygen species. From these results it can be concluded that breeding or engineering for a high energy-use efficiency under stress conditions is a valuable, but until today nearly unexploited, approach to enhance overall stress tolerance of crops.     

The world according to PARP

An immediate cellular response to DNA damage is the synthesis of poly(ADP-ribose) by the enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). This nuclear enzyme and the unique post-translational modification it catalyzes have long been considered to function exclusively in cellular surveillance of genotoxic stress. The recent identification of multiple members of a PARP family might force a revision of this concept. The novel primary structures and subcellular localizations for some of these PARPs suggests new and unexpected roles for poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation in telomere replication and cellular transport.     

Hydrogen peroxide-induced DNA repair and death of resting human blood lymphocytes

DNA single-strand breaks induced by cell treatment with hydrogen peroxide are repaired and simultaneously trigger programmed cell death in resting human blood lymphocytes. Apoptosis is accompanied by special morphological changes in lymphocytes (15% of total cell number), internucleosomal DNA degradation, and p53 level elevation. According to morphological criteria, a major part (up to 40% of total cell number) displayed necrotic death features. Nicotinamide inhibited repair in cells with 2.5-fold elevation of the apoptotic cell proportion, whereas the fraction of cells with necrotic nuclear morphology decreased 4.5-fold. Both the inhibition of repair and the protective effect of nicotinamide against necrotic death indicate that the repair process and related poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP) activation induce a decrease in intracellular NAD+ and ATP contents below the threshold at which necrosis becomes the preferential mechanism of cell death. The mixed pattern of cell death induced by hydrogen peroxide observed in resting lymphocytes can be explained in the context of a concept of cell de-energization as a consequence of effective single-stand break repair during the first hours after removing the genotoxic agent.     

Failure of Poly(ADP-Ribose) Polymerase Cleavage by Caspases Leads to Induction of Necrosis and Enhanced Apoptosis

Activation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) by DNA breaks catalyzes poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation and results in depletion of NAD+ and ATP, which is thought to induce necrosis. Proteolytic cleavage of PARP by caspases is a hallmark of apoptosis. To investigate whether PARP cleavage plays a role in apoptosis and in the decision of cells to undergo apoptosis or necrosis, we introduced a point mutation into the cleavage site (DEVD) of PARP that renders the protein resistant to caspase cleavage in vitro and in vivo. Here, we show that after treatment with tumor necrosis factor alpha, fibroblasts expressing this caspase-resistant PARP exhibited an accelerated cell death. This enhanced cell death is attributable to the induction of necrosis and an increased apoptosis and was coupled with depletion of NAD+ and ATP that occurred only in cells expressing caspase-resistant PARP. The PARP inhibitor 3-aminobenzamide prevented the NAD+ drop and concomitantly inhibited necrosis and the elevated apoptosis. These data indicate that this accelerated cell death is due to NAD+ depletion, a mechanism known to kill various cell types, caused by activation of uncleaved PARP after DNA fragmentation. The present study demonstrates that PARP cleavage prevents induction of necrosis during apoptosis and ensures appropriate execution of caspase-mediated programmed cell death.