title: Cleavage of automodified poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase during apoptosis. Evidence for involvement of caspase-7.
abstract: The abundant nuclear enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) synthesizes poly(ADP-ribose) in response to DNA strand breaks. During almost all forms of apoptosis, PARP is cleaved by caspases, suggesting the crucial role of its inactivation. A few studies have also reported a stimulation of PARP during apoptosis. However, the role of PARP stimulation and cleavage during this cell death process remains poorly understood. Here, we measured the stimulation of endogenous poly(ADP-ribose) synthesis during VP-16-induced apoptosis in HL60 cells and found that PARP was cleaved by caspases at the time of its poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation. In vitro experiments showed that PARP cleavage by caspase-7, but not by caspase-3, was stimulated by its automodification by long and branched poly(ADP-ribose). Consistently, caspase-7 exhibited an affinity for poly(ADP-ribose), whereas caspase-3 did not. In addition, caspase-7 was activated and accumulated in the nucleus of HL60 cells in response to the VP-16 treatment. Furthermore, caspase-7 activation was concommitant with PARP cleavage in the caspase-3-deficient cell line MCF-7 in response to staurosporine treatment. These results strongly suggest that, in vivo, it is caspase-7 that is responsible for PARP cleavage and that poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation of PARP accelerates its proteolysis. Cleavage of the active form of caspase substrates could be a general feature of the apoptotic process, ensuring the rapid inactivation of stress signaling proteins.
authors.affiliation: Health and Environment Unit, Laval University Medical Research Center, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec, Ste-Foy, Québec G1V 4G2, Canada.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Germain
authors.forename: E B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Affar
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: D'Amours
authors.forename: V M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Dixit
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Salvesen
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Poirier
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D053148:Caspase 3; D053179:Caspase 7; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism*; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D018922:HL-60 Cells; D006801:Humans; D006868:Hydrolysis; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; C505520:CASP7 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D053179:Caspase 7; D020169:Caspases