title: Selective and protracted apoptosis in human primary neurons microinjected with active caspase-3, -6, -7, and -8.
abstract: We have shown previously that caspase-6 is activated in serum deprivation-mediated human neuronal cell death and correlates with increased production of Alzheimer's disease (AD) amyloid beta peptide (Abeta). Here, we show by direct microinjection of recombinant active enzymes that caspase-6 (>0.5 pg/cell) induces a protracted course of apoptosis in neurons in a caspase-specific, dose- and time-dependent manner in the presence of serum. Only transient activation of caspase-6 is required to initiate apoptosis. Caspase-6 induces apoptosis directly without the activation of other caspase effectors. Doses of caspase-6 of <0.25 pg/cell induce only 20% cell death within 16 d but render neurons vulnerable to oxidative stress, indicating that caspase activation affects neurons despite the absence of cell death. Caspase-3 induces neuronal apoptosis in 20% of the cells, whereas caspase-7 or -8 do not induce apoptosis. In contrast, astrocytes undergo apoptosis within 24 hr when microinjected with caspase-3 but not caspase-6, -7, or -8. These results show cell type-specific vulnerability to caspases in the CNS. The results suggest that activation of caspases in human neurons does not lead to an immediate and rapid process of cell death but provokes a protracted form of apoptosis. Activation of caspases in human neurons may participate in the long-term overproduction of Abeta and other potential toxic fragments resulting from caspase-mediated proteolysis. These results are consistent with the protracted and age-dependent nature of AD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 1W9.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Goodyer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: LeBlanc
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000201:enzymology / Q000209:etiology; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / Q000378:metabolism; D017209:Apoptosis; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D053148:Caspase 3; D053178:Caspase 6; D053179:Caspase 7; D053181:Caspase 8; D053453:Caspase 9; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D020169:Caspases / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008845:Microinjections; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D019311:Staurosporine / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; C505514:CASP6 protein, human; C505520:CASP7 protein, human; C505530:CASP8 protein, human; C506433:CASP9 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D053178:Caspase 6; D053179:Caspase 7; D053181:Caspase 8; D053453:Caspase 9; D020169:Caspases; D019311:Staurosporine