Inula racemosa Hook.f. commonly known as Pushkarmula (Compositae) has been used as a traditional drug in India, China and Europe. In the present study, 95% ethanolic extract of roots and its fractions (n-hexane, chloroform, n-butanol and aqueous) were evaluated for in vitro cytotoxicity against cancer cell lines of colon, ovary, ...

Hypoxia is associated with increased metastatic potential and poor prognosis in solid tumors. In this study, we demonstrated in the murine 5T33MM model that multiple myeloma (MM) cells localize in an extensively hypoxic niche compared with the naive bone marrow. Next, we investigated whether hypoxia could be used as a ...

Serine proteases form a large family of protein-cleaving enzymes that play an essential role in processes like blood coagulation, apoptosis and inflammation. Immune cells express a wide variety of serine proteases such as granzymes in cytotoxic lymphocytes, neutrophil elastase, cathepsin G and proteinase 3 in neutrophils and chymase and tryptase ...

Carcinogenesis is determined based on both cell proliferation and death rates. Recent studies demonstrate that heat shock proteins (HSPs) regulate apoptosis. HLJ1, a member of the DnaJ-like Hsp40 family, is a newly identified tumor suppressor protein closely related to relapse and survival in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. However, ...

In TFK-1 and EGI-1 cholangiocarcinoma cell lines, zoledronic acid (ZOL) determines an S-phase block without apoptosis. Here, we investigated the occurrence of apoptosis stigmata when ZOL is associated to the BH3-mimetic ABT-737. In EGI-1 and TFK-1 cholangiocarcinoma cell lines untreated or treated with ABT-737 alone or in combination with ZOL, ...

Oxidative cell death contributes to neuronal cell death in many neurological diseases such as stroke, brain trauma, and Alzheimer's disease. In this study, we explored the involvement of poly(ADP-ribose)-polymerase (PARP) in oxidative stress-induced necroptosis. We showed that PJ34, a potent and specific inhibitor of PARP, can completely inhibit glutamate-induced necroptosis ...

The role of proteases in the regulation of apoptosis is becoming increasingly apparent. Whilst many of these proteases are already characterised, some have yet to be identified. Traditionally caspases held the traditional role as the prime mediators of apoptosis; however, attention is now turning towards the contribution made by serine ...

In the present study, we investigated the response of A549 (non-small cell lung-cancer), HepG2 (human hepatoma) and MCF-7 (human breast adenocarcinoma) cell lines to treatment with aclarubicin (ACL). The aim of this research was to compare the ability of ACL to induce apoptosis or necrosis in solid tumours. The mode ...

The biological roles of poly(ADP-ribose) polymers (PAR) and poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation of proteins in the central nervous system are diverse. The homeostasis of PAR orchestrated by poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) and poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG) is crucial for cell physiology and pathology. Both enzymes are ubiquitously distributed in neurons and glia; however, they are ...

Apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) is involved in bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) ascending aorta aneurysms characteristically affecting the convex site. Caspase-3 is a pivotal effector of the apoptosis machinery. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of an inhibited caspase-3 pathway on apoptosis in convex ...

A new water-soluble phthalocyanine derivative, 2,3,9,10,16,17,23,24-octakis(3-aminopropyloxy) phthalocyaninato zinc II (PoII) was studied as a photosensitizer for photodynamic therapy (PDT) in MCF-7c3 cells. We report here that PoII and red light induces apoptosis. However, the precise mechanism appears to differ from that induced by PDT with other known phthalocyanines. The present ...

to examine the role of diltiazem in the prevention of VSMC apoptosis exposed to high glucose through inhibition of LOX-1 expression. we performed experimental study on the primary culture of VSMCs. Expression LOX-1, and Caspase-3 activity (a key regulatory protease at which many signaling pathways merge for the execution of ...

orf390 (WSSV449) is a novel apoptosis inhibitor gene in the genome of the White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV). In the present study, we focus on the function of orf390 gene. Stable expression of orf390 prevented SF9 insect cells from undergoing actinomycin D-induced apoptosis. ORF390 also rescued the replication of a ...

1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP(+))-induced neurotoxicity has previously been attributed to either caspase-dependent apoptosis or caspase-independent cell death. In the current study, we found that MPP(+) induces a unique, non-apoptotic nuclear morphology coupled with a caspase-independent but calpain-dependent mechanism of cell death in primary cultures of rat cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs). Using a ...

To determine whether inflammation and apoptosis are involved in the pathogenesis of autism, we examined cytokines, Bcl2 expression and cathepsin D protease activity in the lymphoblasts of autistic subjects and age-matched controls. We found increased expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6, but decreased Bcl2 expression in lymphoblasts of ...

Sulfur mustard (SM [bis-(2-chloroethyl) sulfide]) is a chemical warfare agent that causes skin blisters presumably due to DNA alkylation and cross-links. We recently showed that SM also induces apoptotic death in cultured normal human bronchial/tracheal epithelial (NHBE) cells and small airway epithelial cells (SAEC) in vitro. In this process, caspases-8 ...

Ganoderma lucidum, a well-known medicinal mushroom, is highly valued and commonly used in Oriental medicine. Although recent experimental data has revealed the proapoptotic potency of G. lucidum extracts, the underlying mechanisms of this apoptotic activity have not yet been studied in detail. In the present study, the effects of ethanol ...

Varicella-zoster virus infects multiple human and monkey cells in culture. The mode of cell death appears to be autophagy or apoptosis. Analysis of VZV-infected human melanoma (MeWo) cells revealed that Bcl-2 mRNA and protein levels were decreased significantly 64 and 72 hpi (hours post infection), accompanied by the release of ...

1-(3-C-ethynyl-beta-d-ribo-pentofuranosyl)cytosine (ECyd) is a ribose-modified nucleoside analog of cytidine with potent anticancer activity in several cancers. The main antitumor mechanism of this promising RNA-directed nucleoside anti-metabolite is efficient blockade of RNA synthesis in cancer cells. Here, we examined the therapeutic potential of this RNA-directed anti-metabolite in in vitro models of ...

Methylmercury (MeHg) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are widespread environmental pollutants commonly found as contaminants in the same food sources. Even though their neurotoxic effects are established, the mechanisms of action are not fully understood. In the present study, we have used the mouse hippocampal neuronal cell line HT22 to investigate ...

This study presents evidence that cathepsin B, a lysosomal protease, may be involved in the regulation of apoptosis during serum-starvation in teleost follicles. Zebrafish vitellogenic follicles were isolated, incubated under serum-free conditions and homogenized. The follicle extracts demonstrated caspase-3-like activity using the fluorogenic substrate DEVD-AMC, indicating the onset of apoptosis. ...

Apoptosis is one mode of programmed cell death in sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD). Distribution of affected brain regions varies between subtypes of sCJD. To compare apoptosis-related proteins representing different stages of cell death, we evaluated 30 anatomical regions for PARP, NF-kappaB, C-Jun, caspase 3 and 9, and BAX immunoreactivity in ...

AIM OF THE STUDY: Cordyceps is a parasitic fungus and has long been used as a traditional Chinese medicine to treat illnesses, promote longevity, increase athletic power, and relieve exhaustion and cancer. In this study, we reveal the mechanisms underlying apoptosis induced by Cordyceps pruinosa butanol fraction (CPBF) in the ...

Many of the current anticancer therapies rely on the induction of apoptosis, and several mechanisms that protect cells against apoptosis may be upregulated in tumors. A growing body of evidence suggests that single drugs with a clearly defined intracellular target may be less efficient in arresting tumor growth and induction ...

Serine protease cascades are involved in blood coagulation and immunity. In arthropods, they regulate melanization, which plays an important role in immune defense and wound healing. However, the mechanisms underlying melanization pathways are not completely characterized. We found that in the mosquito Aedes aegypti, there are two distinct melanization activation ...

Q fever is a zoonosis caused by Coxiella burnetii, an obligate intracellular bacterium typically found in myeloid cells. The infection is a source of severe obstetrical complications in humans and cattle and can undergo chronic evolution in a minority of pregnant women. Because C. burnetii is found in the placentas ...

To evaluate the anticarcinogenic activity of methanol extract of Pleurospermum kamtschaticum (PKE), we assessed its apoptosis-inducing capability in HT-29 colon carcinoma cells. PKE treatment for 2 h reduced cell viability in a dose-related manner, and induced apoptotic morphological changes. Flow cytometric analysis indicated that PKE treatment at 0.05 mg/ml induced ...

Tanshinone I (Tan-I) is a diterpene quinone extracted from the traditional herbal medicine Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge. Recently, Tan-I has been reported to have anti-tumor effects. In this study, we investigated the growth inhibition and apoptosis inducing effects of Tan-I on three kinds of monocytic leukemia cells (U937, THP-1 and SHI ...

Roscovitine, a cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) inhibitor, has been reported to have anti-tumor effects in some cancer cell lines by inducing apoptosis. However, the exact underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Here, we report that roscovitine induces expression and cleavage of the universal CDK inhibitor p21Waf1/Cip1 in non-small cell lung cancer ...

We isolated 23 marine actinomycetes from seawater samples. Of these, strain SY-103 exhibited the strongest cytotoxic activity on human leukemic cell lines. Biochemical tests and 16S rDNA sequencing of this strain allowed us to identify SY-103 as a strain of the genus Streptomyces. In the present study, the pure cytotoxic ...

Bee venom (BV) has been used as treatment against a wide variety of ailments, including inflammatory diseases. Various studies have demonstrated anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects of BV. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 induces hepatocyte apoptosis via the mitochondrial permeability transition. However, there is no evidence or information regarding the antiapoptotic effect ...

OBJECTIVES: To explore the function of p38MAPK and caspase-3 in DADS-induced apoptosis in human HepG2 cells, and discuss the signal transduetion mechanism of HepG2 cells in the apoptosis process induced by DADS by using the inhibitors of p38MAPK (SB203580) and caspase-3 (Z-DEVD-FMK). METHODS: After the human HepG2 cells had been ...

Legionella pneumophila (LPN) can cause a lethal infectious disease with a marked inflammatory response in humans. However, the mechanism of this severe inflammation remains poorly understood. Since necrosis is known to induce inflammation, we investigated whether LPN induces necrosis in macrophages. We also analyzed the involvement of lysosomal cathepsin B ...

We compared the pro-apoptotic effect of two dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans, gomisin A and gomisin N, isolated from Schizandra chinensis Baill, in U937 human promyelocytic leukemia cells in vitro. Gomisin N, but not gomisin A, inhibited cell growth in a dose-dependent manner, which was associated with the induction of apoptosis. The increase ...

Toll-like receptor-3 (TLR3), a member of an immune recognition receptor family, is widely expressed in tumour cells and has been shown previously to have the capacity to not only activate immune signalling pathways, but also to exert proapoptotic activity in some cells. We show here that HaCaT human keratinocytes are ...

The acidic leucine-rich nuclear phosphoprotein 32 (ANP32)B has been reported to regulate gene expression by acting as a histone chaperone or modulate messenger RNA trafficking by serving as a HuR ligand. However, its exact cellular functions are poorly understood. By utilizing a proteomics-based approach, in this work, we identify that ...

Arsenic trioxide (As(2)O(3)), an ingredient in many traditional Chinese medicines, has drawn broad attention due to its therapeutic effects on a variety of cancers, including some solid tumors. However, the effects of As(2)O(3) on cholangiocarcinoma have not been reported. In the present study, we demonstrate for the first time that ...

Caspases are a family of cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteases that are highly conserved in multicellular organisms and function as central regulators of apoptosis. A member of this family, caspase-3, has been identified as a key mediator of apoptosis in neuronal cells. Recent studies in snail, fly and rat suggest that caspase-3 ...

The cellular endolysosomal compartment is dynamic, complex and incompletely understood. Its organelles and constituents vary between different cell types, but endolysosomal proteases are key components of this compartment in all cells. In immune cells, these proteases function in pathogen recognition and elimination, signal processing and cell homeostasis, and they are ...

Novel 2-phenyl-4-quinolone compounds have potent cytotoxic effects on different human cancer cell lines. In this study, we examined anticancer activity and mechanisms of 20-fluoro-6,7-methylenedioxy-2-phenyl-4-quinolone (CHM-1) in human osterogenic sarcoma U-2 OS cells. CHM-1-induced apoptosis was determined by flow cytometric analysis, DAPI staining, Comet assay, and caspase inhibitors. CHM-1-inhibited cell migration ...

Magnolol inhibited proliferation of human malignant melanoma A375-S2 cells. The drug induced oligonucleosomal fragmentation of DNA in A375-S2 cells and increased caspase-3, 8, 9 activities followed by the degradation of caspase-3 substrates, inhibitor of caspase dependent DNase (ICAD) and poly-(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Pan-caspase inhibitor (z-VADfmk), caspase-3 inhibitor (z-DEVD-fmk), capase-8 inhibitor ...

The green tea constituent, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), has chemopreventive and anticancer effects. This is partially because of the selective ability of EGCG to induce apoptosis and death in cancer cells without affecting normal cells. In the present study, the activity of EGCG against the myeloma cell line, KM3, was examined. Our ...

Scorpion venom possesses protein toxins having numerous biological activities, some of which are potentially anticancerous. Previously we had reported antiproliferative activity of the venom of Indian black scorpion, Heterometrus bengalensis Koch. Here we have isolated and purified a novel protein named Bengalin (72kDa) from the venom, responsible for antiproliferative and ...

Evasion of apoptosis contributes to the pathogenesis of solid tumours including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Malignant cells resist apoptosis through over-expression of inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs), such as X-linked IAP (XIAP). A phenylurea-based small molecule inhibitor of XIAP, XIAP antagonist compound (XAC) 1396-11, was investigated preclincally to determine ...

Extracellular adenosine-induced apoptosis of HepG2 cells, a human hepatoma cell line, in a concentration (0.1-20mM)- and treatment (24-72h)-dependent manner by activating caspase-3, -8, and -9. In the gene expression assay using a DNA microalley, adenosine upregulated mRNAs for tumor necrosis factor (TNF), TNF receptor 1-associated death domain protein (TRADD), TNF ...

The innate and adaptive immune system utilise endocytic protease activity to promote functional immune responses. Cysteine and aspartic proteases (cathepsins) constitute a subset of endocytic proteases, the immune function of which has been described extensively. Although historically these studies have focused on their role in processes such as antigen presentation ...

BACKGROUND: The apoptotic signalling pathways involved in the delayed type of apoptosis occurring in HeLa Hep2 cells following radiation were investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: HeLa Hep2 cells were exposed to 5 Gy of cobalt-60 radiation. The activation of caspase-2, caspase-8, caspase-9 and effector caspase-3 was investigated by caspase assay plates ...

Continuously generated hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) inhibits typical apoptosis and instead initiates a caspase-independent, apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF)-mediated pyknotic cell death. This may be related to H(2)O(2)-mediated DNA damage and subsequent ATP depletion, although the exact mechanisms by which the mode of cell death is decided after H(2)O(2) exposure are still unclear. ...

We show that combinatorial mouse alleles for the secreted metalloproteases Adamts5, Adamts20 (bt), and Adamts9 result in fully penetrant soft-tissue syndactyly. Interdigital webs in Adamts5(-/-);bt/bt mice had reduced apoptosis and decreased cleavage of the proteoglycan versican; however, the BMP-FGF axis, which regulates interdigital apoptosis was unaffected. BMP4 induced apoptosis, but ...

Proteases control many vital aspects of humoral and cellular immune responses, including the maturation of cytokines and the killing of target cells. Recently, it has become evident that triggering of the T-cell receptor controls T-cell proliferation through proteases such as mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue 1 (MALT1) and Caspase-8 that act both ...