Dataset Information

Caspase-3 deficiency reveals a physiologic role for Smac/DIABLO in regulating programmed cell death.

ABSTRACT: Inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP)-binding proteins such as Grim, Reaper and HID have been shown to exert a critical role in regulating caspase activity in species such as D. Melanogaster. However, a comparable role for the mammalian homologue of second mitochondrial-derived activator of caspase/direct IAP-binding protein with low pI (Smac/DIABLO) has yet to be clearly established in vivo. Despite tremendous interest in recent years in the use of so-called Smac mimetics to enhance chemotherapeutic potency, our understanding of the true physiologic nature of Smac/DIABLO in regulating programmed cell death (PCD) remains elusive. In order to critically evaluate the role of Smac/DIABLO in regulating mammalian PCD, deficiency of caspase-3 was used as a sensitizing mutation in order to reduce aggregate levels of executioner caspase activity. We observe that combinatorial deletion of Diablo and Casp3, but neither alone, results in perinatal lethality in mice. Consistent with this, examination of both intrinsic and extrinsic forms of PCD in lines of murine embryonic fibroblasts demonstrate that loss of Smac/DIABLO alters both caspase-dependent and caspase-independent intrinsic PCD. Comparative small interfering RNA inhibition studies of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis, cellular inhibitor of apoptosis (cIAP)-1, cIAP-2, caspase-6 and -7 in both wild-type and Casp3/Diablo DKO mouse embryonic fibroblast lineages, supports a model in which Smac/DIABLO acts to enhance the early phase executioner caspase activity through the modulation of inhibitory interactions between specific IAP family members and executioner caspases-3 and -7.

SUBMITTER: Hui KK

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3190114 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Caspase-3 deficiency reveals a physiologic role for Smac/DIABLO in regulating programmed cell death.

Hui K K W KK Kanungo A K AK Elia A J AJ Henderson J T JT

Cell death and differentiation 20110520 11

Inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP)-binding proteins such as Grim, Reaper and HID have been shown to exert a critical role in regulating caspase activity in species such as D. Melanogaster. However, a comparable role for the mammalian homologue of second mitochondrial-derived activator of caspase/direct IAP-binding protein with low pI (Smac/DIABLO) has yet to be clearly established in vivo. Despite tremendous interest in recent years in the use of so-called Smac mimetics to enhance chemotherape ...[more]

PMID: 21597464

Similar Datasets

Project description:SMAC/Diablo, a pro-apoptotic protein, yet it is overexpressed in several cancer types. We have described a noncanonical function for SMAC/Diablo as a regulator of lipid synthesis during cancer cell proliferation and development. Here, we explore the molecular mechanism through which SMAC/Diablo regulates phospholipid synthesis. We showed that SMAC/Diablo directly interacts with mitochondrial phosphatidylserine decarboxylase (PSD) and inhibits its catalytic activity during synthesis of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) from phosphatidylserine (PS). Unlike other phospholipids (PLs), PE is synthesized not only in the endoplasmic reticulum but also in mitochondria. As a result, PSD activity and mitochondrial PE levels were increased in the mitochondria of SMAC/Diablo-deficient cancer cells, with the total amount of cellular PLs and phosphatidylcholine (PC) being lower as compared to SMAC-expressing cancer cells. Moreover, in the absence of SMAC/Diablo, PSD inhibited cancer cell proliferation by catalysing the overproduction of mitochondrial PE and depleting the cellular levels of PC, PE and PS. Additionally, we demonstrated that both SMAC/Diablo and PSD colocalization in the nucleus resulted in increased levels of nuclear PE, that acts as a signalling molecule in regulating several nuclear activities. By using a peptide array composed of 768-peptides derived from 11 SMAC-interacting proteins, we identified six nuclear proteins ARNT, BIRC2, MAML2, NR4A1, BIRC5 and HTRA2 Five of them also interacted with PSD through motifs that are not involved in SMAC binding. Synthetic peptides carrying the PSD-interacting motifs of these proteins could bind purified PSD and inhibit the PSD catalytic activity. When targeted specifically to the mitochondria or the nucleus, these synthetic peptides inhibited cancer cell proliferation. To our knowledge, these are the first reported inhibitors of PSD acting also as inhibitors of cancer cell proliferation. Altogether, we demonstrated that phospholipid metabolism and PE synthesis regulated by the SMAC-PSD interaction are essential for cancer cell proliferation and may be potentially targeted for treating cancer.

Project description:BACKGROUND: Programmed cell death has been traditionally related with caspase activation. However, it is now accepted that caspase-independent forms of programmed cell death also regulate cell death. In chronic lymphocytic leukemia, CD47 ligation induces one of these alternative forms of cell death: type III programmed cell death. This poorly understood process is characterized by cytoplasmic hallmarks, such as mitochondrial damage. To gain insights into the molecular pathways regulating type III programmed cell death in chronic lymphocytic leukemia, we performed extensive biochemical and cell biology assessments. DESIGN AND METHODS: After CD47 triggering, purified B-cells from 20 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia were studied by flow cytometry, immunofluorescence and three-dimensional imaging, immunoblotting, electron microscopy, and fibrillar/globular actin measurements. Finally, we subjected CD47-treated chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells to a phagocytosis assay. RESULTS: We first confirmed that induction of type III programmed cell death is an efficient means of triggering cell death in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Further, we demonstrated that the signaling events induced by CD47 ligation provoked a reduction in cell size. This alteration is related to F-actin disruption, as the two other cytoskeleton networks, microtubules and intermediate filaments, remain undisturbed in type III programmed cell death. Strikingly, we revealed that the pharmacological modulation of F-actin dynamics regulated this type of death. Finally, our data delineated a new programmed cell death pathway in chronic lymphocytic leukemia initiated by CD47 triggering, and followed by serine protease activation, F-actin rearrangement, mitochondrial damage, phosphatidylserine exposure, and cell clearance. CONCLUSIONS: Our work reveals a key molecular tool in the modulation of cell death in chronic lymphocytic leukemia: F-actin. By assessing the regulation of F-actin and type III programmed cell death, this analysis provides new options for destroying chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells, such as a combination of therapies based on apoptosis regulators (e.g., caspases, Bcl-2, Bax) along with alternative therapies based on type III death effectors (e.g., F-actin).

Dataset Information

Caspase-3 deficiency reveals a physiologic role for Smac/DIABLO in regulating programmed cell death.

Publications

Caspase-3 deficiency reveals a physiologic role for Smac/DIABLO in regulating programmed cell death.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets