title: Apoptosis induced in neuronal cells by oxidative stress: role played by caspases and intracellular calcium ions.
abstract: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been implicated in the pathophysiology of many neurologic disorders and brain dysfunction. In the same pathological settings evidence has been provided in favour of a participation of intracellular Ca(2+) concentration altered homeostasis in the chain of events leading to neuronal apoptosis. In the present review literature reports and experimental data on the relationship between caspase activation and alteration of intracellular calcium concentrations in the mechanisms triggering neuronal apoptosis are discussed. The data gathered support the conclusion that during oxidative stress in neuronal cells the production of ROS triggers a mechanism that, through the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria and caspase-3 activation, leads to apoptosis; the concomitant ROS-mediated elevation of intracellular Ca(2+) concentration triggers caspase-2 activation but both events do not seem to be involved in cell death.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of Naples 'Federico II', Via S Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy. lannunzi@unina.it
authors.forename: Lucio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Annunziato
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amoroso
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pannaccione
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cataldi
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pignataro
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Alessio
authors.forename: Rossana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sirabella
authors.forename: Agnese
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Secondo
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sibaud
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Di Renzo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism*; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018384:Oxidative Stress
chemical_list: D005609:Free Radicals; D020169:Caspases; D002118:Calcium