title: Functional evaluation of the apoptosome in renal cell carcinoma.
abstract: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) responds very poorly to chemo- or radiotherapy. Renal cell carcinoma cell lines have been described to be resistant to apoptosis-inducing stimuli and to lack caspase expression. Here, we provide a structural and functional assessment of the apoptosome, the central caspase-activating signalling complex and a candidate for apoptosis-inactivating mutations. Cells from RCC cell lines and clinical samples isolated from RCC patients were included. Apoptosome function was measured as quantitative activation of caspases in protein extracts. In all five cell lines and in 19 out of 20 primary clear cell RCC samples, the expression of apoptosome components and caspase activation appeared normal. Of the four nonclear cell RCC that could be included, both oncocytomas gave no response to cytochrome c (in one case, no Apaf-1 was detected), one chromophobe RCC lacked caspase-9 and failed to activate caspase-3 in response to cytochrome c, and one papillary RCC showed good caspase activation despite the lack of caspase-7. Experiments utilising a peptide derived from Smac/DIABLO gave no indication that inhibitor of apoptosis proteins might exert an inhibiting effect in primary clear cell RCC. Thus, the apoptosome signalling complex is intact in human (clear cell) RCC, and an apoptosis defect must be located at other, probably upstream, sites.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, Trogerstrasse 9, Munich D-81675, Germany.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Gerhard
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zantl
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Weirich
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schliep
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Seiffert
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Häcker
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D051033:Apoptosis Inducing Factor; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000201:enzymology*; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism*; D003574:Cytochrome c Group; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D005420:Flavoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D007668:Kidney / Q000201:enzymology; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes / Q000378:metabolism*; D011506:Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D025801:Ubiquitin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C494829:AIFM1 protein, human; D051033:Apoptosis Inducing Factor; D003574:Cytochrome c Group; D005420:Flavoproteins; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes; D011506:Proteins; D025801:Ubiquitin; C120774:aposome; C076615:cytochrome c''; D020169:Caspases