title: Identification of NRF2, a member of the NF-E2 family of transcription factors, as a substrate for caspase-3(-like) proteases.
abstract: Apoptosis is mediated by members of the interleukin-1beta converting enzyme (ICE) family of proteases (caspases), which are activated by diverse stimuli, although the downstream molecular targets of caspases are still poorly understood. Using the modified yeast two-hybrid system, which we recently established to clone genes for caspase substrates, we identified NRF2 as a novel caspase substrate. NRF2 is a member of the NF-E2 family of basic region leucine-zipper transcription factors and has been shown to induce phase II detoxifying enzymes through anti-oxidant response elements. NRF2 was cleaved at two sites by recombinant caspase-3 in vitro as well as in HeLa cells during TNFalpha-mediated apoptosis. Overexpression of the C-terminal cleavage fragment containing the DNA binding and leucine-zipper domains induced apoptosis in HeLa cells. These observations suggest that NRF2 might have some role in the induction of apoptosis after cleavage by caspases.
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Laboratory, Sumitomo Chemical Co. Ltd., 4-2-1, Takatsukasa, Takarazuka, Hyogo 665-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohtsubo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kamada
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mikami
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tsujimoto
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites; D020170:Caspase 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D053148:Caspase 3; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D016350:Leucine Zippers; D051379:Mice; D051267:NF-E2-Related Factor 2; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015003:Yeasts
chemical_list: D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D051267:NF-E2-Related Factor 2; C495635:NFE2L2 protein, human; C495636:Nfe2l2 protein, mouse; D015534:Trans-Activators; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; C505409:Casp3 protein, mouse; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases; D020170:Caspase 1