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ABSTRACT: Caspase-2 has been implicated in apoptosis and in non-apoptotic processes such as cell cycle regulation, tumor suppression and ageing. Using caspase-2 knockout (casp2(-/-)) mice, we show here that the putative anti-ageing role of this caspase is due in part to its involvement in the stress response pathway. The old casp2(-/-) mice show increased cellular levels of oxidized proteins, lipid peroxides and DNA damage, suggesting enhanced oxidative stress. Furthermore, murine embryonic fibroblasts from casp2(-/-) mice showed increased reactive oxygen species generation when challenged with pro-oxidants. Reduced activities of antioxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were observed in the old casp2(-/-) mice. Interestingly, in the old casp2(-/-) animals expression of FoxO1 and FoxO3a was significantly reduced, whereas p21 levels and the number of senescent hepatocytes were elevated. In contrast to young wild-type mice, the casp2(-/-) animals fed an on ethanol-based diet failed to show enhanced GSH-Px and SOD activities. Thus, caspase-2, most likely via FoxO transcription factors, regulates the oxidative stress response in vivo.
Cell death and differentiation 02/2012; 19(8):1370-80. · 8.24 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Caspase-2 is one of the most conserved caspases, yet its biological function remains a matter of controversy. In the present article we analysed mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) from caspase-2 knockout mice for their sensitivity to various apoptosis inducing agents. We found that cell death induced by drugs that disrupt cytoskeleton is significantly inhibited in Casp2(-/-) MEFs. These drugs included zoledronic acid, vincristine, cytochalasin D and paclitaxel. We demonstrate that MEFs lacking Casp2 show clonogenic survival following drug treatment, whereas all Casp2(+/+) MEFs die, indicating that caspase-2 is required for apoptosis induced by cytoskeletal disruption. We further found that caspase-2 mediates apoptosis via Piddosome, Bid and Bax activation, and cytochrome c release. In the absence of caspase-2, Bid and Bax activation, and cytochrome c release are significantly delayed following drug treatment. Our data provide strong support for a context-dependent function of caspase-2 in apoptosis.
Oncogene 06/2008; 27(24):3393-404. · 6.37 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The activation of caspases is the principal event in the execution of apoptosis. Initiator caspases are activated through an autocatalytic mechanism often involving dimerisation or oligomerisation. In Drosophila, the only initiator caspase DRONC, is tightly inhibited by DIAP1 and removal of DIAP1 permits activation of DRONC by the Drosophila Apaf-1-related killer, ARK. ARK is proposed to facilitate DRONC oligomerisation and autoprocessing at residue E352. This study examines whether autoprocessing of DRONC is required for its activation and for DRONC-mediated cell death. Using purified recombinant proteins, we show here that while DRONC autocleaves at residue E352, mutation of this site did not abolish enzyme activation, DRICE-induced cleavage of DRONC or DRONC-mediated activation of DRICE. We performed a detailed mutational analysis of DRONC cleavage sites and show that overexpression of DRONC cleavage mutants in Drosophila cells retain pro-apoptotic activity. Using an in vitro cell-free assay, we found ARK alone did not activate DRONC and demonstrate a requirement for an additional cytosolic factor in ARK-mediated DRONC activation. These results suggest that, similar to mammalian caspase-2 and caspase-9, the initial cleavage of DRONC is not essential for its activation and suggest a mechanism of ARK-mediated DRONC activation different from that proposed previously.
Cell Death and Differentiation 04/2008; 15(3):461-70. · 8.85 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The Bcl-2-family of proteins localize to intracellular membranes via a C-terminal hydrophobic membrane anchor (MA) domain, to exert their antiapoptotic or proapoptotic functions. In Drosophila, both Bcl-2 family members, DEBCL and BUFFY, contain an MA. In DEBCL the MA is necessary for the localization of protein to mitochondria and for its proapoptotic activity. BUFFY is highly similar to DEBCL but its localization and function are not clearly defined. Here, we report on comparative analysis of BUFFY and DEBCL to decipher the molecular basis for their subcellular localization. We show that these two proteins localize to distinct intracellular membranes, DEBCL predominantly to mitochondria and BUFFY to endoplasmic reticula (ER). Our results suggest that the MA-flanking residues in DEBCL, homologous to Bcl-X(L), are required for the targeting of DEBCL to mitochondria. The C-terminal positively charged residues present in DEBCL are absent in BUFFY, which allows for its localization to ER. The MA in both proteins is required for the correct targeting and proapoptotic activities of these proteins. Interestingly, a functional nuclear localization signal was identified in the N-terminal region of BUFFY and in the absence of the MA, BUFFY accumulated in the nucleus. The functional implications of these findings are discussed.
Cell Death and Differentiation 06/2007; 14(5):907-15. · 8.85 Impact Factor
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Cell Death and Differentiation 08/2006; 13(7):1049-51. · 8.85 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: A unified model for initiator caspase activation has previously been proposed based on the biochemical analysis of caspase-8 and -9. Caspase-2 is structurally related to caspase-9, but its mechanism of activation is not known. Using an uncleavable mutant of caspase-2, we show that dimerization (and not processing) is the key event that drives initial procaspase-2 activation. Following dimerization, caspase-2 undergoes autocatalytic cleavage that promotes its stable dimerization and further enhances the catalytic activity of caspase-2. Although the caspase-2 zymogen does not require cleavage for the initial acquisition of activity, intersubunit cleavage is required to generate levels of activity required to induce cell death by overexpression. We also provide evidence that the reported disulfide bond linkage between two caspase-2 monomers is dispensable for caspase-2 dimerization. As caspase-2 does not require cleavage for its initial activation, our findings confirm caspase-2 to be a bona fide initiator caspase.
Cell Death and Differentiation 12/2004; 11(11):1234-41. · 8.85 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Caspases are main effectors of apoptosis in metazoans. Genome analysis indicates that there are seven caspases in Drosophila, six of which have been previously characterized. Here we describe the cloning and characterization of the last Drosophila caspase, DAMM. Similar to mammalian effector caspases, DAMM lacks a long prodomain. We show that the DAMM precursor, along with the caspases DRONC and DECAY, is partially processed in cells undergoing apoptosis. Recombinant DAMM produced in Escherichia coli shows significant catalytic activity on a pentapeptide caspase substrate. Low levels of damm mRNA are ubiquitously expressed in Drosophila embryos during early stages of development. Relatively high levels of damm mRNA are detected in larval salivary glands and midgut, and in adult egg chambers. Ectopic expression of DAMM in cultured cells induces apoptosis, and similarly, transgenic overexpression of DAMM, but not of a catalytically inactive DAMM mutant, in Drosophila results in a rough eye phenotype. We demonstrate that expression of the catalytically inactive DAMM mutant protein significantly suppresses the rough eye phenotype due to the overexpression of HID, suggesting that DAMM may be required in a hid-mediated cell death pathway.
Journal of Biological Chemistry 08/2001; 276(27):25342-50. · 4.77 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Cellular defects which prevent apoptotic cell death can result in the generation of hyperproliferative disorders and can prevent the effective treatment of such diseases. The majority of cellular defects which result in apoptosis resistance lie upstream of caspase activation. We have described chimeric caspase molecules consisting of the prodomain of caspase-2 fused to the amino terminus of caspase-3, and which are tagged at the carboxyl terminus with green fluorescent protein (GFP) to allow direct visualisation of transfected cells. Here we show that these chimeric caspase molecules possess potent, rapid cell-killing activity in cell lines which display a range of defects resulting in apoptosis resistance.
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 05/2001; 282(5):1114-9. · 2.48 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The amiloride-sensitive epithelial Na(+) channels (ENaC) in the intralobular duct cells of mouse mandibular glands are inhibited by the ubiquitin-protein ligase, Nedd4, which is activated by increased intracellular Na(+). In this study we have used whole-cell patch clamp methods in mouse mandibular duct cells to investigate the role of the C termini of the alpha-, beta-, and gamma-subunits of ENaC in mediating this inhibition. We found that peptides corresponding to the C termini of the beta- and gamma-subunits, but not the alpha-subunit, inhibited the activity of the Na(+) channels. This mechanism did not involve Nedd4 and probably resulted from the exogenous C termini interfering competitively with the protein-protein interactions that keep the channels active. In the case of the C terminus of mouse beta-ENaC, the interacting motif included betaSer(631), betaAsp(632), and betaSer(633). In the C terminus of mouse gamma-ENaC, it included gammaSer(640). Once these motifs were deleted, we were able to use the C termini of beta- and gamma-ENaC to prevent Nedd4-mediated down-regulation of Na(+) channel activity. The C terminus of the alpha-subunit, on the contrary, did not prevent Nedd4-mediated inhibition of the Na(+) channels. We conclude that mouse Nedd4 interacts with the beta- and gamma-subunits of ENaC.
Journal of Biological Chemistry 05/2001; 276(17):13744-9. · 4.77 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The recently published genome sequence of Drosophila melanogaster predicts seven caspases in the fly. Five of these caspases have been previously characterised. Here, we describe the Drosophila caspase, STRICA. STRICA is a caspase with a long amino-terminal prodomain that lacks any caspase recruitment domain or death effector domain. Instead, the prodomain of STRICA consists of unique serine/threonine stretches. Low levels of strica expression were detected in embryos, larvae, pupae and adult animals. STRICA is a cytoplasmic protein that, upon overexpression, caused apoptosis in cultured Drosophila SL2 cells that was partially suppressed by DIAP1. Interestingly, unlike other fly caspases, STRICA showed physical association with DIAP2, in cotransfection experiments. These results suggest that STRICA may have a unique cellular function.
Cell Death and Differentiation 05/2001; 8(4):387-94. · 8.85 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The amiloride-sensitive epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) plays a critical role in fluid and electrolyte homeostasis and consists of alpha, beta, and gamma subunits. The carboxyl terminus of each ENaC subunit contains a PPxY, motif which is believed to be important for interaction with the WW domains of the ubiquitin-protein ligase, Nedd4. Disruption of this interaction, as in Liddle's syndrome, where mutations delete or alter the PPxY motif of either the beta or gamma subunits, has been proposed to result in increased ENaC activity. Here we present evidence that KIAA0439 protein, a close relative of Nedd4, is also a potential regulator of ENaC. We demonstrate that KIAA0439 WW domains bind all three ENaC subunits. We show that a recombinant KIAA0439 WW domain protein acts as a dominant negative mutant that can interfere with the Na(+)-dependent feedback inhibition of ENaC in whole-cell patch clamp experiments. We propose that KIAA0439 and Nedd4 proteins either play a redundant role in ENaC regulation or function in a tissue- and/or signal-specific manner to down-regulate ENaC.
Journal of Biological Chemistry 04/2001; 276(11):8597-601. · 4.77 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Dronc is a caspase recruitment domain-containing Drosophila caspase that is expressed in a temporally and spatially restricted fashion during development. Dronc is the only fly caspase known to be regulated by the hormone ecdysone. Here we show that ectopic expression of dronc in the developing fly eye leads to increased cell death and an ablated eye phenotype that can be suppressed by halving the dosage of the genes in the H99 complex (reaper, hid, and grim) and enhanced by mutations in diap1. In contrast to previous reports, we show that the dronc eye ablation phenotype can be suppressed by coexpression of the baculoviral caspase inhibitor p35. Dronc also interacts, both genetically and biochemically, with the CED-4/Apaf-1 fly homolog, Dark. Furthermore, extracts made from Dark homozygous mutant flies have reduced ability to process Dronc, showing that Dark is required for Dronc processing. Finally, using the RNA interference technique, we show that loss of Dronc function in early Drosophila embryos results in a dramatic decrease in cell death, indicating that Dronc is important for programmed cell death during embryogenesis. These results suggest that Dronc is a key caspase mediating programmed cell death in Drosophila.
Journal of Biological Chemistry 01/2001; 275(51):40416-24. · 4.77 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Caspases, a group of cysteine proteases, constitute the effector arm of the cell death machinery. There are seven caspases known in Drosophila, three of which contain long amino-terminal prodomains. Although, compared to mammalian caspases, much less is known about the biology of Drosophila caspases, many studies have shown that caspases are essential for programmed cell death in the fly and are likely to be regulated in ways similar to their mammalian counterparts. Studies on fly caspases have revealed some new insights on cell death regulation. For example, the transcript for the fly caspase DRONC is regulated by the hormone ecdysone during programmed cell death in specific tissues. Recent data on DRONC also suggest that some fly caspases may have unique substrate specificities not ascribed to mammalian caspases. The presence of multiple caspases in Drosophila indicates that apoptotic pathways in insects are likely to be as complex as in vertebrates.
Cell Death and Differentiation 12/2000; 7(11):1039-44. · 8.85 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Nedd4 is a member of a growing family of ubiquitin-protein ligases which consist of a lipid-binding domain, two to four WW domains and a C-terminal ubiquitin-protein ligase domain. The Nedd4 mRNA levels are developmentally regulated and Nedd4 protein is highly expressed in many mouse embryonic tissues. In this study we have used a far-Western screen to identify embryonic proteins that interact with the WW domains in mouse Nedd4. We report here identification of eight Nedd4 WW-domain-interacting proteins from mouse embryonic cDNA expression libraries. Two of the proteins are novel, while two have been identified previously as ligands for a WW domain. All of these proteins contain one or more PY motifs. In seven of the eight proteins, these PY motifs are necessary for their interaction with the WW domains of Nedd4. Using site-directed mutagenesis, and by using individual WW domains of Nedd4 as probes for far-Western analysis, we show that the three WW domains in Nedd4 interact with varying affinities with the PY motifs present in various Nedd4-binding proteins. These results provide evidence that Nedd4 can potentially interact with multiple proteins, possibly simultaneously, through its WW domains.
Biochemical Journal 12/2000; 351 Pt 3:557-65. · 4.90 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: RAIDD, a caspase recruitment domain (CARD) containing molecule, interacts with procaspase-2 in a CARD-dependent manner. This interaction has been suggested to mediate the recruitment of caspase-2 to the tumour necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1). In this paper we have studied the subcellular localization of RAIDD and its interaction with caspase-2. We demonstrate that endogenous RAIDD is mostly localized in the cytoplasm and to some extent in the nucleus. RAIDD localization is not affected by TNF-treatment of HeLa cells, but in cells ectopically expressing caspase-2, a fraction of RAIDD is recruited to the nucleus. In transfected cells, coexpression of RAIDD and caspase-2 leads to CARD-dependent colocalization of the two proteins to discrete subcellular structures. We further show that overexpression of the RAIDD-CARD results in the formation of filamentous structures due to CARD-mediated oligomerization. These structures were similar to death effector filaments (DEFs) formed by FADD and FLICE death effector domains (DEDs), and partially colocalized with DEFs. Our results suggest that similar to the DED, the RAIDD-CARD has the ability to form higher order complexes, believed to be important in apoptotic execution. We also present evidence that RAIDD-CARD oligomerization may be regulated by intramolecular folding of the RAIDD molecule.
Cell Death and Differentiation 03/2000; 7(2):155-65. · 8.85 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Bcl-2 family of proteins are key regulators of apoptosis. Both proapoptotic and antiapoptotic members of this family are found in mammalian cells, but no such proteins have been described in insects. Here, we report the identification and characterization of Debcl, the first Bcl-2 homologue in Drosophila melanogaster. Structurally, Debcl is similar to Bax-like proapoptotic Bcl-2 family members. Ectopic expression of Debcl in cultured cells and in transgenic flies causes apoptosis, which is inhibited by coexpression of the baculovirus caspase inhibitor P35, indicating that Debcl is a proapoptotic protein that functions in a caspase-dependent manner. debcl expression correlates with developmental cell death in specific Drosophila tissues. We also show that debcl genetically interacts with diap1 and dark, and that debcl-mediated apoptosis is not affected by gene dosage of rpr, hid, and grim. Biochemically, Debcl can interact with several mammalian and viral prosurvival Bcl-2 family members, but not with the proapoptotic members, suggesting that it may regulate apoptosis by antagonizing prosurvival Bcl-2 proteins. RNA interference studies indicate that Debcl is required for developmental apoptosis in Drosophila embryos. These results suggest that the main components of the mammalian apoptosis machinery are conserved in insects.
The Journal of Cell Biology 03/2000; 148(4):703-14. · 10.26 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Caspases are key effectors of programmed cell death in metazoans. In Drosophila, four caspases have been described so far. Here we describe the identification and characterization of the fifth Drosophila caspase, DECAY. DECAY shares a high degree of homology with the members of the mammalian caspase-3 subfamily, particularly caspase-3 and caspase-7. DECAY lacks a long prodomain and thus appears to be a class II effector caspase. Ectopic expression of DECAY in cultured cells induces apoptosis. Recombinant DECAY exhibited substrate specificity similar to the mammalian caspase-3 subfamily. Low levels of decay mRNA are ubiquitously expressed in Drosophila embryos during early stages of development but its expression becomes somewhat spatially restricted in some tissues. During oogenesis decay mRNA was detected in egg chambers of all stages consistent with a role for DECAY in apoptosis of nurse cells. Relatively high levels of decay mRNA are expressed in larval salivary glands and midgut, two tissues which undergo histolysis during larval/pupal metamorphosis, suggesting that DECAY may play a role in developmentally programmed cell death in Drosophila.
Journal of Biological Chemistry 11/1999; 274(43):30778-83. · 4.77 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Caspases are a family of evolutionarily conserved cysteine proteases that constitute the effector arm of the apoptotic machinery. Studies in Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster, and mouse point to evolutionarily conserved caspase function in developmentally programmed cell death in metazoans. Whereas in the nematode all developmental cell death is mediated by a single caspase, in Drosophila and the mouse some caspases appear to regulate cell death in a spatio-temporally restricted manner. This article reviews what we currently know about the roles of various caspases in the execution of developmentally programmed cell death and what may be expected from future research in this field.
International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Life 09/1999; 48(2):143-50. · 3.51 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: It recently has been shown that epithelial Na(+) channels are controlled by a receptor for intracellular Na(+), a G protein (G(o)), and a ubiquitin-protein ligase (Nedd4). Furthermore, mutations in the epithelial Na(+) channel that underlie the autosomal dominant form of hypertension known as Liddle's syndrome inhibit feedback control of Na(+) channels by intracellular Na(+). Because all epithelia, including those such as secretory epithelia, which do not express Na(+) channels, need to maintain a stable cytosolic Na(+) concentration ([Na(+)](i)) despite fluctuating rates of transepithelial Na(+) transport, these discoveries raise the question of whether other Na(+) transporting systems in epithelia also may be regulated by this feedback pathway. Here we show in mouse mandibular secretory (endpiece) cells that the Na(+)-H(+) exchanger, NHE1, which provides a major pathway for Na(+) transport in salivary secretory cells, is inhibited by raised [Na(+)](i) acting via a Na(+) receptor and G(o). This inhibition involves ubiquitination, but does not involve the ubiquitin protein ligase, Nedd4. We conclude that control of membrane transport systems by intracellular Na(+) receptors may provide a general mechanism for regulating intracellular Na(+) concentration.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 09/1999; 96(17):9949-53. · 9.68 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The members of an emerging family of proteins similar to Nedd4 have a unique modular structure consisting of a Ca2+/lipid-binding domain, multiple protein-protein interaction modules and a ubiquitin-protein ligase domain. Although little is known about the physiological roles of these proteins, studies in both mammals and yeast are providing evidence that members of this family might be involved in diverse cellular functions, such as regulation of membrane channels and permeases, the cell cycle and transcription. This article attempts to bring together what is currently known about these evolutionarily conserved ubiquitin-protein ligases.
Trends in Cell Biology 06/1999; 9(5):166-9. · 12.35 Impact Factor
