FLICE is predominantly expressed as two functionally active isoforms, caspase-8/a and caspase-8/b

Induction of apoptosis by the cell surface receptor CD95 (APO-1/Fas) has been shown to involve activation of a family of cysteine proteases (caspases). Recently, a new member of this family has been identified, designated FLICE (caspase-8/MACH/Mch5). FLICE is part of the CD95 death-inducing signaling complex and is therefore the most upstream caspase in the CD95 apoptotic pathway. A total of eight different isoforms of FLICE (caspase-8/a-h) have been described. To determine which isoforms are expressed in different cells we have generated a panel of monoclonal antibodies directed against all functional domains of FLICE. Using these antibodies we could show that only two of the FLICE isoforms (caspase-8/a and caspase-8/b) were predominantly expressed in cells of different origin. Both isoforms were recruited to the CD95 death-inducing signaling complex and were activated upon CD95 stimulation with similar kinetics. Taken together, only two of the eight published caspase-8 isoforms could be detected in significant amounts at the protein level.     

Sendai virus infection induces apoptosis through activation of caspase-8 (FLICE) and caspase-3 (CPP32)

Sendai virus (SV) infection and replication lead to a strong cytopathic effect with subsequent death of host cells. We now show that SV infection triggers an apoptotic program in target cells. Incubation of infected cells with the peptide inhibitor z-VAD-fmk abrogated SV-induced apoptosis, indicating that proteases of the caspase family were involved. Moreover, proteolytic activation of two distinct caspases, CPP32/caspase-3 and, as shown for the first time in virus-infected cells, FLICE/caspase-8, could be detected. So far, activation of FLICE/caspase-8 has been described in apoptosis triggered by death receptors, including CD95 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-R1. In contrast, we could show that SV-induced apoptosis did not require TNF or CD95 ligand. We further found that apoptosis of infected cells did not influence the maturation and budding of SV progeny. In conclusion, SV-induced cell injury is mediated by CD95- and TNF-R1-independent activation of caspases, leading to the death of host cells without impairment of the viral life cycle.     

CLARP, a death effector domain-containing protein interacts with caspase-8 and regulates apoptosis

We have identified and characterized CLARP, a caspase-like apoptosis-regulatory protein. Sequence analysis revealed that human CLARP contains two amino-terminal death effector domains fused to a carboxyl-terminal caspase-like domain. The structure and amino acid sequence of CLARP resemble those of caspase-8, caspase-10, and DCP2, a Drosophila melanogaster protein identified in this study. Unlike caspase-8, caspase-10, and DCP2, however, two important residues predicted to be involved in catalysis were lost in the caspase-like domain of CLARP. Analysis with fluorogenic substrates for caspase activity confirmed that CLARP is catalytically inactive. CLARP was found to interact with caspase-8 but not with FADD/MORT-1, an upstream death effector domain-containing protein of the Fas and tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 signaling pathway. Expression of CLARP induced apoptosis, which was blocked by the viral caspase inhibitor p35, dominant negative mutant caspase-8, and the synthetic caspase inhibitor benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp-(OMe)-fluoromethylketone (zVAD-fmk). Moreover, CLARP augmented the killing ability of caspase-8 and FADD/MORT-1 in mammalian cells. The human clarp gene maps to 2q33. Thus, CLARP represents a regulator of the upstream caspase-8, which may play a role in apoptosis during tissue development and homeostasis.     

Conformationally constrained inhibitors of caspase-1 (interleukin-1 beta converting enzyme) and of the human CED-3 homologue caspase-3 (CPP32, apopain)

A systematic study of interleukin-1 beta converting enzyme (ICE, caspase-1) and caspase-3 (CPP32, apopain) inhibitors incorporating a P2-P3 conformationally constrained dipeptide mimetic is reported. Depending on the nature of the P4 substituent, highly selective inhibitors of both Csp-1 or Csp-3 were obtained.     

Interleukin 1beta-converting enzyme (caspase-1) is overexpressed in adenocarcinoma of the pancreas

We investigated the expression of interleukin 1beta-converting enzyme (ICE; caspase-1) in human adenocarcinomas of the pancreas. Immunohistochemistry and Western blot analyses revealed an overexpression of ICE in 71 and 80% of tumor cells, respectively. Also, on a mRNA level, ICE mRNA was overexpressed in 45% of the cases, as compared to normal pancreatic tissue. Interestingly, the overexpression of ICE in tumor cells correlated significantly with the overexpression of cyclin D1, epidermal growth factor, and epidermal growth factor receptor (P < 0.0005, P < 0.05, and P < 0.002, respectively), which are involved in cell cycle progression and proliferation in human pancreatic carcinoma. This is the first report concerning ICE expression in human carcinomas; however, the exact mechanism underlying these close correlations warrant further research.     

FLICE, a novel FADD-homologous ICE/CED-3-like protease, is recruited to the CD95 (Fas/APO-1) death--inducing signaling complex

To identify CAP3 and CAP4, components of the CD95 (Fas/APO-1) death-inducing signaling complex, we utilized nano-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry, a recently developed technique to sequence femtomole quantities of polyacrylamide gel-separated proteins. Interestingly, CAP4 encodes a novel 55 kDa protein, designated FLICE, which has homology to both FADD and the ICE/CED-3 family of cysteine proteases. FLICE binds to the death effector domain of FADD and upon overexpression induces apoptosis that is blocked by the ICE family inhibitors, CrmA and z-VAD-fmk. CAP3 was identified as the FLICE prodomain which likely remains bound to the receptor after proteolytic activation. Taken together, this is unique biochemical evidence to link a death receptor physically to the proapoptotic proteases of the ICE/CED-3 family.     

Monomeric monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) binds and activates the MCP-1 receptor CCR2B

To address the role of dimerization in the function of the monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, MCP-1, we mutated residues that comprise the core of the dimerization interface and characterized the ability of these mutants to dimerize and to bind and activate the MCP-1 receptor, CCR2b. One mutant, P8A*, does not dimerize. However, it has wild type binding affinity, stimulates chemotaxis, inhibits adenylate cyclase, and stimulates calcium influx with wild type potency and efficacy. These data suggest that MCP-1 binds and activates its receptor as a monomer. In contrast, Y13A*, another monomeric mutant, has a 100-fold weaker binding affinity, is a much less potent inhibitor of adenylate cyclase and stimulator of calcium influx, and is unable to stimulate chemotaxis. Thus Tyr13 may make important contacts with the receptor that are required for high affinity binding and signal transduction. We also explored whether a mutant, [1+9-76]MCP-1 (MCP-1 lacking residues 2-8), antagonizes wild type MCP-1 by competitive inhibition, or by a dominant negative mechanism wherein heterodimers of MCP-1 and [1+9-76]MCP-1 bind to the receptor but are signaling incompetent. Consistent with the finding that MCP-1 can bind and activate the receptor as a monomer, we demonstrate that binding of MCP-1 in the presence of [1+9-76]MCP-1 over a range of concentrations of both ligands fits well to a simple model in which monomeric [1+9-76]MCP-1 functions as a competitive inhibitor of monomeric MCP-1. These results are crucial for elucidating the molecular details of receptor binding and activation, for interpreting mutagenesis data, for understanding how antagonistic chemokine variants function, and for the design of receptor antagonists.     

Functional activation of Nedd2/ICH-1 (caspase-2) is an early process in apoptosis

The ICE/CED-3 family of proteases (caspases) play a central role in the execution phase of apoptosis. These proteases are synthesised as precursor molecules that require processing at specific aspartate residues to produce the two subunits that comprise the active enzyme. The activation of some of these proteases has been shown to occur during apoptosis. Here we show that Nedd2/ICH-1 (caspase-2) is activated during apoptosis induced by a variety of apoptotic stimuli. This activation occurs very early upon treatment of cells with apoptotic agents and appears to precede the activation of CPP32 (caspase-3). The activation of Nedd2 was not seen in cells that are resistant to apoptosis. These observations suggest that Nedd2 is an early effector in the pathway leading to cell death. Our observations also lend weight to the hypothesis that a group of caspases containing long prodomains are the first to be activated in response to apoptotic signals and that they lie upstream of a second class of caspases such as CPP32 containing short or no prodomains.     

Nitric oxide prevents IL-1beta and IFN-gamma-inducing factor (IL-18) release from macrophages by inhibiting caspase-1 (IL-1beta-converting enzyme)

Procytokine processing by caspase-1 is required for the maturation and release of IL-1beta and IFN-gamma-inducing factor (IGIF) (or IL-18) from activated macrophages (Mphi). Nitric oxide (NO) has emerged as a potent inhibitor of cysteine proteases. Here, we tested the hypothesis that NO regulates cytokine release by inhibiting IL-1beta-converting enzyme (ICE) or caspase-1 activity. Activated RAW264.7 cells released four to five times more IL-1beta, but not TNF-alpha, in the presence of the NO synthase inhibitor N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine. Stimulated peritoneal Mphi from wild-type mice (inducible NO synthase (iNOS)+/+) also released more IL-1beta if exposed to N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine, whereas Mphi from iNOS knockout mice (iNOS-/-) did not. Inhibition of NO synthesis in stimulated RAW264.7 cells also resulted in a threefold increase in intracellular caspase-1 activity. The NO donor S-nitroso-N-acetyl-DL-penicillamine inhibited caspase-1 activity in cells as well as the activity of purified recombinant caspase-1 and also prevented the cleavage of pro-IL-1beta and pro-IGIF by recombinant caspase-1. The inhibition of caspase-1 by NO was reversible by the addition of DTT, which is consistent with S-nitrosylation as the mechanism of caspase-1 inhibition. An in vivo role for the regulation of caspase-1 by NO was established in iNOS knockout animals, which exhibited significantly higher plasma levels of IL-1beta and IFN-gamma than their wild-type counterparts at 10 h following LPS injection. Taken together, these data indicate that NO suppresses IL-1beta and IGIF processing by inhibiting caspase-1 activity, providing evidence for a unique role for induced NO in regulating IL-1beta and IGIF release.     

The role of p53 and the CD95 (APO-1/Fas) death system in chemotherapy-induced apoptosis

To explore the pathway of p53 dependent cell death, we investigated if p53 dependent apoptosis following DNA damage is mediated by the CD95 (APO-1/Fas) receptor/ligand system. We investigated cell lines of solid human tumors upon treatment with clinically relevant chemotherapeutic drugs known to act via p53 accumulation. Treatment with these cytotoxic drugs led to an upregulation of both, the CD95 receptor (CD95) and the CD95L (CD95L). Induction of the CD95L occurred in p53 wild-type (wt), p53 mutant (mt) and in cell lines lacking p53 altogether (p53-/-). Thus, the regulation of the CD95L in response to chemotherapeutic drugs clearly involves p53 independent mechanisms. Most importantly, upregulation of CD95 occurred only in cell lines with wild-type p53, thereby strongly increasing the responsiveness towards CD95 mediated apoptosis. Thus, upregulation of the CD95 receptor seems to be dependent on intact wild-type p53. Apoptosis was mediated by cleavage of the receptor proximal caspase, caspase-8 (FLICE/MACH). Caspase-8 cleavage was observed, independent of the p53 status of the tumor cells and irrespective whether or not apoptosis was dependent on the CD95 system. Hence, additional effector pathways besides CD95/CD95L signaling are likely to contribute to drug-induced apoptosis.     

Proteolytic cleavage of urokinase-type plasminogen activator by stromelysin-1 (MMP-3)

Matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3, or stromelysin-1) specifically hydrolyzes the Glu143-Leu144 peptide bond in 45-kDa single-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator (scu-PA) and in its two-chain (tcu-PA) derivative, yielding a 17-kDa NH2-terminal domain comprising the u-PA receptor (u-PAR) binding site and a 32-kDa COOH-terminal moiety containing the serine proteinase domain of u-PA. The conversion is completely abolished in the presence of the MMP inhibitors EDTA or 1,10-phenanthroline. Biospecific interaction analysis indicates that binding of MMP-3 occurs through the 32-kDa fragment. The 32-kDa fragment derived from scu-PA (scu-PA-32k) has a specific activity of 相似文献