Mitochondrial Implication in Accidental and Programmed Cell Death: Apoptosis and Necrosis

Both physiological cell death (apoptosis) and at least some cases of accidental cell death (necrosis) involve a two-step-process. At a first level, numerous physiological or pathological stimuli can trigger mitochondrial permeability transition which constitutes a rate-limiting event and initiates the common phase of the death process. Mitochondrial permeability transition (FT) involves the formation of proteaceous, regulated pores, probably by apposition of inner and outer mitochondrial membrane proteins which cooperate to form the mitochondrial PT pore complex. Inhibition of PT by pharmacological intervention on mitochondrial structures or mitochondrial expression of the apoptosis-inhibitory oncoprotein Bcl-2 thus can prevent cell death. At a second level, the consequences of mitochondrial dysfunction (collapse of the mitochondrial transmembrane potential, uncoupling of the respiratory chain, hyperproduction of superoxide anions, disruption of mitochondrial biogenesis, outflow of matrix calcium and glutathione, and release of soluble intermembrane proteins) can entail a bioenergetic catastrophe culminating in the disruption of plasma membrane integrity (necrosis) and/or the activation and action of apoptogenic proteases with secondary endonuclease activation and consequent oligonucleosomal DNA fragmentation (apoptosis). The acquisition of the biochemical and ultrastructural features of apoptosis critically relies on the liberation of apoptogenic proteases or protease activators from the mitochondrial intermembrane space. This scenario applies to very different models of cell death. The notion that mitochondrial events control cell death has major implications for the development of death-inhibitory drugs.     

胱冬肽酶非依赖性的细胞程序性死亡

在多细胞有机体的组织内稳态维持和正常发育过程中,细胞程序性死亡发挥着重要的作用。细胞程序性死亡有多种形式(如细胞凋亡、类细胞凋亡和类坏死等),其中了解较清楚的是细胞凋亡。一直以来,胱冬肽酶(caspase)被认为是细胞凋亡发生中关键的一种蛋白酶。但是最近的研究表明,包括细胞凋亡在内的一些细胞程序性死亡可以以一种不依赖胱冬肽酶的方式发生。细胞程序性死亡与胱冬肽酶之间存在非依赖性关系。     

Epigenetics and Cell Death: DNA Hypermethylation in Programmed Retinal Cell Death

Background

Vertebrate genomes undergo epigenetic reprogramming during development and disease. Emerging evidence suggests that DNA methylation plays a key role in cell fate determination in the retina. Despite extensive studies of the programmed cell death that occurs during retinal development and degeneration, little is known about how DNA methylation might regulate neuronal cell death in the retina.

Methods

The developing chicken retina and the rd1 and rhodopsin-GFP mouse models of retinal degeneration were used to investigate programmed cell death during retinal development and degeneration. Changes in DNA methylation were determined by immunohistochemistry using antibodies against 5-methylcytosine (5mC) and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC).

Results

Punctate patterns of hypermethylation paralleled patterns of caspase3-dependent apoptotic cell death previously reported to occur during development in the chicken retina. Degenerating rd1 mouse retinas, at time points corresponding to the peak of rod cell death, showed elevated signals for 5mC and 5hmC in photoreceptors throughout the retina, with the most intense staining observed in the peripheral retina. Hypermethylation of photoreceptors in rd1 mice was associated with TUNEL and PAR staining and appeared to be cCaspase3-independent. After peak rod degeneration, during the period of cone death, occasional hypermethylation was observed in the outer nuclear layer.

Conclusion

The finding that cell-specific increases of 5mC and 5hmC immunostaining are associated with the death of retinal neurons during both development and degeneration suggests that changes in DNA methylation may play a role in modulating gene expression during the process of retinal degeneration. During retinal development, hypermethylation of retinal neurons associates with classical caspase-dependent apoptosis as well as caspase-3 independent cell death, while hypermethylation in the rd1 mouse photoreceptors is primarily associated with caspase-3 independent programmed cell death. These findings suggest a previously unrecognized role for epigenetic mechanisms in the onset and/or progression of programed cell death in the retina.     

细胞程序式死亡途径的新进展

关于细胞程序式死亡(programmed cell death,PCD)的分类目前有多种不同的观点,如有凋亡、副凋亡、胀亡和自噬等.但随着对PCD的深入研究,发现过去的分类是不合理的.出现了彼此重叠的机制.这是由于研究者认识的局限性造成的.因此,很有必要对细胞程序式死亡途径进行重新认识.根据最新研究成果将PCD主要划分为7种,它们分别为经典凋亡、自体吞噬、凋亡样程序性死亡、坏死样程序性死亡、类凋亡、丝裂灾变和衰老.     

植物发育过程中的细胞程序性死亡

细胞程序性死亡(PCD)是植物发育过程中必不可少的一部分,近年来对植物发育过程中的细胞程序性死亡机制的研究已经广泛开展。植物发育过程中的PCD对植物自身形态建成和组织分化有重要意义。一般认为动、植物的PCD有很大的相似性,但植物发育过程也有着独特的PCD机制,例如依靠有裂解功能的液泡来参与PCD。通过比较植物和其他生物发育过程中的PCD,可对植物发育过程中PCD的特征有着更深入的了解。说明植物发育过程中PCD的研究将在理论和生产上有重大意义。     

植物衰老中的编程性细胞死亡

本文通过对植物衰老和动植物中编程性细胞死亡(PCD)的研究,阐述了植物衰老中PCD存在的依据,澄清了植物衰老和PCD的关系,提出了植物衰老中可能的PCD发生途径,为调控植物衰老的遗传操作提供依据.     

细胞程序性死亡的非Caspase依赖型途径

程序性细胞死亡是一种程序化的主动性细胞死亡,半胱胺酸天冬氨酸特异性蛋白酶家族(在该过程中起着不可忽视的作用.基于Caspase在程序性细胞死亡过程中所起的作用,将程序性细胞死亡分为两大类:Caspase依赖型和Caspase非依赖型.前者即典型的凋亡,后者包括自体吞噬、副凋亡、有丝分裂灾变、凋亡样程序性死亡、坏死样程序性死亡等.这些Caspase非依赖型的细胞程序性死亡途径与生理及病理现象密切相关.     

Localization of Apoptosis (Programmed Cell Death) in Mice by Administration of Lipopolysaccharide

Localization of apoptotic cells by administration of lipopolysaccharide into mice was studied by using the in situ specific labeling of fragmented DNA. This method clearly stained the nuclei of thymocytes at the cortex of the thymus. The nuclei of cells in the bone marrow and in the spleen were also positively stained. It was suggested that the cortex in the thymus is where the LPS-induced programmed cell death occurs.     

Programmed Cell Death in Retinal Degeneration: Targeting Apoptosis in Photoreceptors as Potential Therapy for Retinal Degeneration

Retinal degenerations are the major cause of incurable blindness characterized by loss of retinal photoreceptor cells. Several genes causing these genetic diseases have been identified, however the molecular characterization of a high percentage of patients affected by retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a common form of retinal degeneration, is still unknown. The high genetic heterogeneity of these diseases hampers the comprehension of the pathogenetic mechanism causing photoreceptor cell death. Therapies are not available yet and for this reason there is a lot of interest in understanding the etiology and the pathogenesis of these disorders at a cellular and molecular level. Some common features have been identified in different forms of RP. Apoptosis was reported to be the final outcome in all RP animal models and patients analyzed so far. We recently identified two apoptotic pathways co-activated in photoreceptors undergoing cell death in the retinal degeneration (rd1) mouse model of autosomal recessive RP. Our studies opened new perspectives together with many questions that require deeper analyses in order to take advantage of this knowledge and develop new therapeutic approaches. We believe that minimizing cell demise may represent a promising curing strategy that needs to be exploited for retinal degeneration.     

植物细胞程序性死亡研究进展

植物细胞死亡分为坏死和程序性死亡。细胞程序性死亡是具有信号或一系列分子参与,并且由细胞内在的死亡程序介导的有序过程。它在植物生长发育和抵御外界胁迫中具有重要作用。简要介绍了植物PCD的特征,对植物PCD中的信号分子和类caspase的作用等进行了综述,并对植物PCD存在的问题进行分析和展望,为深入研究植物PCD提供参考。     

细胞程序性死亡通路的研究进展

细胞程序性死亡(programmed cell death,PCD)一直被看做是细胞凋亡(apoptosis).随着细胞生物学研究的深入,新的细胞死亡途径逐渐被揭示出来,如胀亡、自噬、副凋亡等.这些通路有些是caspase依赖的,有些不依赖于caspase途径.在细胞程序性死亡过程中,各种通路不是单独起作用的,而是相互交联的,有彼此重叠的机制出现.目前,Clarke形态学分类法是得到大多数学者认可的细胞程序性死亡的分类方式.按照该分类法,可将PCD分为3大类,即:Ⅰ型细胞程序性死亡、Ⅱ型细胞程序性死亡和Ⅲ型细胞程序性死亡.     

植物细胞编程性死亡的调控

细胞编程性死亡（PCD）在植物生长发育及植物对环境的适应性方面起重要作用。文章主要从PCD相关基因,信号转导途径,蛋白酶及核酸酶等方面介绍植物细胞编程性死亡的调控。     

植物细胞程序性死亡的研究进展

细胞程序性死亡（PCD）是生物进化过程中受自身基因控制并受多种因子调控的一种细胞主动的死亡过程。PCD在植物的正常生长发育、对环境胁迫的反应和病原体入侵引发的过敏反应中起重要的作用。简要综述了植物PCD的特征、与此相关的蛋白和活性氧在PCD过程中的作用。     

Redox Regulation of Programmed Cell Death in Lymphocytes

A redox imbalance caused by an over-production of prooxidants or a decrease in antioxidants seems to play a role in the programmed cell death that occurs in various developmental programs. Such a physiological function for oxidative stress is particularly applicable to the immune system, wherein individual lymphocytes undergo continuous scrutiny to determine if they should be preserved or programmed to die. Following activation, lymphocytes produced increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) which may serve as intracellular signaling molecules. The ultimate outcome of this increased ROS formation, i.e., lymphocyte proliferation versus programmed cell death, may be dictated by macrophage-derived costimulatory molecules that bolster or diminish lymphocyte antioxidant defenses. HIV-1-infected individuals display multiple symptoms of redox imbalance consistent with their being in oxidative stress, and lymphocytes from such individuals are more prone to undergo apoptosis in vitro. It is suggested that oxidative stress is a physiological mediator of programmed cell death in lymphoid cells, and that HIV disease represents an extreme case of what can happen when regulatory safeguards are compromised.     

被子植物有性生殖过程中的细胞程序死亡

细胞程序死亡是植物发育过程中的一种普遍现象。早就认识到高等植物生殖器官中一些细胞的死亡对植物有性生殖具有重要作用。这些细胞的死亡过程与动物组织中的细胞程序死亡基本相同。但植物体内诱导生殖细胞程序死亡的信号及其传导系统则显示出其特点 ,有些还表现出雌、雄性细胞的相互作用。探索植物生殖过程中的细胞程序死亡现象将有利于澄清植物生殖过程中的一些机理问题 ,使过去的细胞学研究结果深入到分子水平进行探讨