title: A kinase-independent function of Ask1 in caspase-independent cell death.
abstract: Ask1 (apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1) is activated as a consequence of cell exposure to a variety of stresses and can then initiate apoptosis. A known pathway of apoptosis downstream of Ask1 involves the activation of the stress-activated protein kinases, the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria, the activation of caspases, and the fragmentation of nuclei. Here, we characterized a novel mechanism of Ask1-mediated cell killing that is triggered by the interaction with Daxx. Co-transfection of Ask1 and Daxx induced a caspase-independent cell-death process characterized at the morphological level by distinctive crumpled nuclei easily distinguishable from the condensed and fragmented nuclei seen during classical caspase-dependent apoptosis. The kinase activity of Ask1 was not involved in this process, because mutants lacking kinase activity were as efficient as wild type Ask1 in mediating Daxx-induced cell death. Ask1N, a deletant that lacks the C-terminal half including the kinase domain of Ask1, was constitutively active in producing crumpled nuclei. In contrast, Ask1DeltaN, the reciprocal deletant that possesses constitutive kinase activity, produced fragmented nuclei typical of caspase-dependent death processes. We conclude that in addition to a caspase-dependent pro-apoptotic function that depends on its kinase activity, Ask1 possesses a caspase-independent killing function that is independent on its kinase activity and is activable by interaction with Daxx. In the physiological situation, such an activity is induced as a consequence of the translocation of Daxx from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, a condition that occurs following activation of the death receptor Fas.
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche en cancérologie de l'Université Laval, L'Hôtel-Dieu de Québec, 9 rue McMahon, Québec G1R 2J6, Canada.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Charette
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lambert
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Landry
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism*; D016923:Cell Death; D002460:Cell Line; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D056970:Co-Repressor Proteins; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D017353:Gene Deletion; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D018832:Molecular Chaperones; D009154:Mutation; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D010957:Plasmids / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D013997:Time Factors; D014162:Transfection; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C120363:ASK1 protein, Arabidopsis; D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D056970:Co-Repressor Proteins; C106985:DAXX protein, human; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D018832:Molecular Chaperones; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D019014:fas Receptor; D020169:Caspases