Measuring dynamics of caspase-8 activation in a single living HeLa cell during TNFalpha-induced apoptosis

In this study, we reported the first measurement of the dynamics of activation of caspase-8 in a single living cell. This measurement was conducted using a specially developed molecular sensor based on the FRET (fluorescence resonance energy transfer) technique. This sensor was constructed by fusing a CFP (cyan fluorescent protein) and a YFP (yellow fluorescent protein) with a linker containing a tandem caspase-8-specific cleavage site. The change of the FRET ratio upon cleavage was larger than 4-fold. Using this sensor, we found that during TNFalpha-induced apoptosis, the activation of caspase-8 was a slower process than that of caspase-3, and it was initiated much earlier than the caspase-3 activation. Inhibition of caspase-9 delayed the full activation of caspase-3 but did not affect the dynamics of caspase-8. Results of these single-cell measurements suggested that caspase-3 was activated by caspase-8 through two parallel pathways during TNFalpha-induced apoptosis in HeLa cells.