title: Caspase-3 is not essential for DNA fragmentation in MCF-7 cells during apoptosis induced by the pyrrolo-1,5-benzoxazepine, PBOX-6.
abstract: Effector caspases-3, -6 and -7 are responsible for producing the morphological features associated with apoptosis, such as DNA fragmentation. The present study demonstrates that a member of a novel series of pyrrolo-1,5-benzoxazepines, PBOX-6, induces apoptosis in MCF-7 cells, which lack caspase-3. Apoptosis was accompanied by DNA fragmentation and the activation of caspase-7, but not caspases-3 and -6. Inhibition of caspase-7 activity reduced the extent of apoptosis induced, indicating that activation of caspase-7 is involved in the mechanism by which PBOX-6 induces apoptosis in MCF-7 cells. This study suggests that caspase-3 is not necessarily essential for DNA fragmentation and the morphological changes associated with apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry Department, Trinity College, 2, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Margaret M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Mc Gee
authors.forename: Edel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hyland
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Campiani
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ramunno
authors.forename: Vito
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nacci
authors.forename: Daniela M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Zisterer
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D053148:Caspase 3; D053179:Caspase 7; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism*; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D010077:Oxazepines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D010077:Oxazepines; D011758:Pyrroles; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; C505520:CASP7 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D053179:Caspase 7; D020169:Caspases; C418868:PBOX-6