title: Suppression or induction of apoptosis by opposing pathways downstream from calcium-activated calcineurin.
abstract: Ca(2+)-mobilizing compounds such as the Ca(2+) ionophore A23187 or the endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) ATPase inhibitor thapsigargin can suppress or induce apoptosis in the same cells. The use of different calcineurin inhibitors has shown that both suppression and induction of apoptosis by the Ca(2+)-mobilizing compounds were mediated by calcineurin activation. Ca(2+)-mobilizing compounds activated p38 and p44/42 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). Induction of apoptosis by the Ca(2+)-mobilizing compounds was suppressed by an inhibitor of p38 MAPK but not by an inhibitor of p44/42 MAPK. These MAPK inhibitors did not suppress apoptosis induction by wild-type p53 or by withdrawal of IL-6 from IL-6-dependent cells that are mediated by calcineurin-independent pathways. These MAPK inhibitors also did not affect the ability of Ca(2+)-mobilizing compounds to suppress apoptosis. The results indicate that (i) Ca(2+)- mobilizing compounds activate different and opposing pathways that diverge downstream from calcineurin activation that can either suppress or induce apoptosis in the same cells; (ii) p38 MAPK but not p44/42 MAPK is involved in induction of apoptosis but not in its suppression by the Ca(2+)-mobilizing compounds; and (iii) neither p38 nor p44/42 MAPKs mediate induction of apoptosis by some calcineurin-independent pathways.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lotem
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kama
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sachs
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis; D015153:Blotting, Western; D000001:Calcimycin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019703:Calcineurin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007476:Ionophores / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D020123:Sirolimus / Q000494:pharmacology; D019284:Thapsigargin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007476:Ionophores; D000001:Calcimycin; D019284:Thapsigargin; D016572:Cyclosporine; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D019703:Calcineurin; D002118:Calcium; D020123:Sirolimus