The Infona portal uses cookies, i.e. strings of text saved by a browser on the user's device. The portal can access those files and use them to remember the user's data, such as their chosen settings (screen view, interface language, etc.), or their login data. By using the Infona portal the user accepts automatic saving and using this information for portal operation purposes. More information on the subject can be found in the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By closing this window the user confirms that they have read the information on cookie usage, and they accept the privacy policy and the way cookies are used by the portal. You can change the cookie settings in your browser.
Many apoptotic pathways culminate in the activation of caspase cascades usually triggered by the apical caspases-8 or -9. We describe a paradigm where apoptosis is initiated by the effector caspase-3. Diethylmaleate (DEM)-induced apoptotic damage in Jurkat cells was blocked by the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, whereas, a peptide inhibitor of caspase-3 but not caspase-9 blocked DEM-induced mitochondrial...
Prominent blood and tissue eosinophilia is clinically manifested in a number of inflammatory states, particularly in allergic diseases. Corticosteroids are the most effective anti-inflammatory drugs used in the treatment of eosinophilic disorders, including bronchial asthma. Their beneficial effects result, among others, from (i) the suppression of the synthesis and the effects of eosinophil survival...
There are many factors contributing to the resistance to TRAIL (Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand)-induced apoptosis. However, it is not clear whether the mechanism of resistance to TRAIL is constitutive or inductive. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the resistant mechanisms to TRAIL at different levels in the apoptotic pathway. The human T-lymphoblastic...
Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL are pro-survival members of the Bcl-2 family. These proteins have been shown to antagonize the pro-apoptotic activity of Bax and promote cell survival through blocking Bax translocation from the cytosol to mitochondria and by preventing the release of cytochrome c. However, it has been recently reported that transiently expressed Bcl-2 unexpectedly leads to significant cell toxicity...
Transfection of PC12 pheochromocytoma cells with bcl-2 potentiates apoptosis induced by the antimitotic agent, neocarzinostatin (NCS). The mechanism of potentiation involves caspase 3-dependent cleavage of Bcl-2 to its pro-apoptotic counterpart, but the cellular events proximal to caspase 3 activation in this system are not known. Two min after initiation of NCS treatment, Bax begins to translocate...
Imiquimod, the first member of the imidazoquinoline family of immune response modifiers, has proven good clinical efficacy against basal cell carcinomas and actinic keratoses in several independent studies. In addition, there is recent evidence that imiquimod is also efficacious against other tumors such as cutaneous metastases of malignant melanoma or vascular tumors. Imiquimod exerts its antitumoral...
HL-60 cell differentiation into neutrophil like cells is associated with their induction of apoptosis. We investigated the cellular events that occur pre and post mitochondrial permeability transition to determine the role of the mitochondria in the induction of differentiation induced apoptosis. Pro-apoptotic Bax was translocated to and cleaved at the mitochondrial membrane in addition to t-Bid activation...
Inappropriate apoptosis results in the epidermal hyperplasia as in psoriasis and UVB irradiation has been successfully used to treat this kind of skin disorders. Previously, we reported that the novel phytosphingosine derivative, tetraacetyl phytosphingosine (TAPS) induced apoptosis in HaCaT cells. This study examined the effect of UVB irradiation and/or TAPS on the induction of apoptosis in HaCaT...
T cell homeostasis is achieved by balancing the production and proliferation of T cells with their apoptotic cell death. Activation of naïve T cells by antigen in the context of MHC results in the massive expansion of antigen-specific T cells and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Following expansion, the majority of the T cells die via apoptosis, while a small number of them survive...
Ent-11α-hydroxy-15-oxo-kaur-16-en-19-oic-acid (5F), an antitumor component, is a chemical compound isolated from Pteris semipinnata L (PsL), a Chinese traditional herb. We examined whether 5F could affect apoptosis in human colon cancer HT-29 cells, and test whether and how the over-expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL could offset the effect of 5F on cell growth. The result demonstrated that 5F significantly...
Apoptosis is a cell suicide mechanism that enables organisms to control cell number and eliminate cells that threaten survival. The apoptotic cascade can be triggered through two major pathways. Extracellular signals such as members of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family can activate the receptor-mediated extrinsic pathway. Alternatively, stress signals such as DNA damage, hypoxia, and loss of...
Cytomegaloviruses (CMVs), a subset of betaherpesviruses, employ multiple strategies to suppress apoptosis in infected cells and thus to delay their death. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) encodes at least two proteins that directly interfere with the apoptotic signaling pathways, viral inhibitor of caspase-8-induced apoptosis vICA (pUL36), and mitochondria-localized inhibitor of apoptosis vMIA (pUL37...
Fibric acid derivatives have a potent and effective lipid-lowering action, however, the use of these compounds is sometimes limited due to the occurrence of hepatic injury. In the present study, we characterized cell injury induced by fenofibrate in cultured human hepatocytes. Fenofibrate caused a loss of cell viability and nuclear damage as assessed by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated...
We demonstrate herein that zinc pyrithione can induce apoptosis at nanomolar concentrations. Zinc pyrithione was a potent inducer of cell death causing greater than 40–60% apoptosis among murine thymocytes, murine splenic lymphocytes and human Ramos B and human Jurkat T cells. Conversely, the addition of a zinc chelator protected thymocytes against zinc pyrithione induced apoptosis indicating these...
Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) plays an essential role in various biological functions, including cell proliferation, differentiation and cell death. However, how it prevents the cell apoptotic mechanism is still unclear. Previous studies have demonstrated that decreasing the activity of ODC by difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), an irreversible inhibitor of ODC, causes the accumulation of intracellular...
Postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer frequently respond paradoxically to estrogen administration with tumor regression. Using both LTED and E8CASS cells derived from MCF-7 breast cancer cells by long-term estrogen-deprivation, we previously reported that 17β -estradiol (estradiol) is a powerful, pro-apoptotic hormone which kills the cancer cells through activation...
Postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer frequently respond paradoxically to estrogen administration with tumor regression. Using both LTED and E8CASS cells derived from MCF-7 breast cancer cells by long-term estrogen-deprivation, we previously reported that 17β -estradiol (estradiol) is a powerful, pro-apoptotic hormone which kills the cancer cells through activation...
The function of the proteasome has been linked to various pathologies, including cancer and neurodegeneration. Proteasomal inhibition can lead to death in a variety of cell types, however the manner in which this occurs is unclear, and may depend on the particular cell type. In this work we have extended previous findings pertaining to the effects of pharmacological proteasomal inhibitors on PC12...
Overexpression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins may play an important role in the aggressive behavior of prostate cancer cells and their resistance to therapy. The Bcl-2 homology 3 domain (BH3) is a uniquely important functional element within the pro-apoptotic class of the Bcl-2-related proteins, mediating their ability to dimerize with other Bcl-2-related proteins and promote apoptosis. The...
Set the date range to filter the displayed results. You can set a starting date, ending date or both. You can enter the dates manually or choose them from the calendar.