Apoptotic Initiator Caspases

Apoptotic initiator caspases (caspase-2, -8, -9 and -10) constitute a subgroup of the caspase family. These caspases are the first to become proteolytically active in the apoptotic cascade. Their activation takes place in multiprotein complexes initiated by pro-apoptotic stimuli, such as TNFa, a-Fas, staurosporine. Once activated, they can process their substrates, which include the apoptotic executioner caspases. 

Moreover, a recent study also revealed that ROS generation led to the activation of caspase-2 during p-carotene-induced apoptosis in the human leukemic T cell line Molt 4. The apoptosis progressed by simultaneous activation of caspase-8 and caspase-9, and a cross talk between these initiator caspases was mediated by the pro-apoptotic protein Bid. Inhibition of caspases 2, 8, 9, and 3 independently suppressed the caspase cascade. The cleavage of the anti-apoptotic protein BclXL was found to be another important event during P-carotene-induced apoptosis, suggesting the presence of an extensive feedback amplification loop in P-carotene-induced apoptosis (Prasad et al., 2006). 

For example, Jurkat T cells apoptose in response to serum withdrawal, addition of exogenous cell-permeable ceramide or stimulation with the apoptotic agonist Fas. However, transfection with SPHKl, measured as a 400-600-fold increase in activity, reduced apoptosis and inaeased proliferation (Ohvera et al, 1999). These effects were correlated with an inhibition of the activity of caspase 3, an initiator caspase (Olivera et al, 1999), A similar effect has recently been observed in rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells (Edsall etal, 2(X)1). Tropbic withdrawal led to the activation of... 

Intrinsic system Apoptosis is initiated due to changes to the mitochondria during which the inner membrane becomes permeable to large molecules, probably as a result of a decrease in the membrane potential. This can result from intracellular damage (e.g. accumulation of Ca ions), lack of oxygen or fuel. This results in release of cytochrome c and other proteins from the mitochondria which stimulate apoptosis. In fact, these apoptotic proteins plus cytochrome c form a complex, the apoptosome, which activates an initiator caspase. 

An essential part of the apoptotic program is a caspase cascade. Apoptosis is initiated by proteolytic processing of intiator-procapsases under the influence of a variety of signals. The mature initiator caspase catalyzes the processing of a effector-procaspase to the active enzyme, which degrades specific substrates and/or activates further procaspases. In this way, caspases can be activated sequentially in a protease cascade. 

Based on the triggering stimulus and the nature of the components involved, at least two apoptotic signaling pathways can be differentiated that lead to activation of the effector caspases. On the one hand, receptor systems may be involved on the other hand, activation may be triggered by cytotoxic stress. The two pathways differ in the mechanism of activation of the initiator caspase but use the same effector caspase at least partially. 

When caspase 8, an initiator caspase, is activated by an apoptotic signal carried through FADD, it further self-activates by cleaving its own proenzyme form. Mitochondria are one target of active caspase 8. The protease causes the release of certain proteins contained between the inner and outer mitochondrial membranes ... 

Figure 7.11 Activation of the caspase proteases during apoptosis. Caspases are implicated in both the induction and execution of the apoptotic process. Following the apoptotic stimuli, initiator caspases (caspase 8 or 9) are activated by autocatalysis. The initiator caspases then activate the effector caspases (caspase 3, 6, and 7), which are responsible for most of the protein cleavage during apoptosis.

The large prodomains of procaspases contain structural motifs that belong to the death domain (DD) superfamily involved in the transduction of the apoptotic signals. This superfamily consists of the DD, the death effector domain (DED), and the caspase recruitment domain (CARD). Each of these motifs interacts with other proteins by homotypic interactions. DED is found in procaspase-8 and -10, and CARD is found in procaspase-1, -2, -4, -5, -9, -11, and -12. DED and CARD are responsible for the recruitment of initiator caspases into death- or inflammation-inducing signaling complexes, resulting in proteolytic autoactivation of caspases that subsequently initiates inflammation and apoptosis [26, 29, 30],... 

Initiator caspases involved in the apoptotic process. These caspases, also known as apical caspases, are structurally characterized by the presence of a long prodomain at the N-terminal region containing different protein-protein interaction motifs such as death effector domain (DED) found in caspase-8 and-10 or caspase recruitment domain (CARD), present in caspase-2 and -9. Via... 

The XIAP-BIR3 domain is responsible for inhibition of the initiator caspase-9, but it functions via a completely different mechanism. The BIR3 domain is an allosteric inhibitor of caspase-9 it binds to the dimer interface and prevents dimerization and subsequent activation of the enzyme (9) (Fig. 4). Caspase-9 is at the apex of the apoptotic cascade that leads to the activation of executioner cascades. As such, BIR3 can provide an extra level of regulation by sequestering monomers in a catalytically inactive conformation and ensuring that no unwanted caspase-9 activity occurs. 

Fig. 3. Schematic representation of extrinsic cell death signaling mediated by Fas ligand (FasL). Binding of FasL to Fas receptor initiates cytosolic aggregation of multiple death domains (e.g. Fas-associated death domains (FADDs)), initiating caspase activation, and subsequent apoptotic death of the cell.

Fig. 15.3 The major pathways of apoptosis. The extrinsic pathway uses extracellular death ligands (Fas ligand, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)) to activate death receptors which pass the apoptotic signal to initiator caspases (e. g. capsase 8) and to the executioner caspases (e. g. caspase 3 caspase 7). In the execution phase of apoptosis, various cellular substrates are degraded leading to cellular collapse. The intrinsic pathway uses the mitochondria as a central component for activation of apoptosis. In this pathway, a multitude of intracellular signals including various stresses, DNA damage and inappropriate cell signaling lead to activation of the pro-apoptotic protein Bax which induces release of cytochrome c from mitochindria, formation of the apoptosome and activation of the initiator caspase 9. Finally, the executioner caspases are activated and cells are destructed by proteolysis. Apoptosis via this pathway can be controlled by various antiapoptotic proteins including the Bcl-2 protein and inhibitors of apoptosis.

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