title: Increased expression of Apaf-1 and procaspase-3 and the functionality of intrinsic apoptosis apparatus in non-small cell lung carcinoma.
abstract: The intrinsic apoptosis apparatus plays a significant role in generating and amplifying cell death signals. In this study we examined whether there are differences in the expression of its components and in its functioning in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) and the lung. We show that NSCLC cell lines express Apaf-1 and procaspase-9 and -3 proteins and that the expression of Apaf-1 and procaspase-3, but not of procaspase-9 and -7, is frequently up-regulated in NSCLC tissues as compared to the lung. NSCLC tissues and lungs and some NSCLC cell lines expressed also caspase-9S(b) and displayed a high caspase-9S(b)/procaspase-9 expression ratio. Procaspase-3 from NSCLCs and lungs was readily processed to caspase-3 by granzyme B or caspase-8, and the granzyme B-generated caspase-3-like activity was significantly higher in tumor tissues and cells than in lungs. By contrast, cytochrome c plus dATP could induce a significant increase of caspase-3-like activity in cytosol only in some NSCLC cell lines and in subsets of studied NSCLC tissues and lungs, while procaspase-3 and -7 were detectably processed only in NSCLC tissues which showed a high (cytochrome c+dATP)-induced caspase-3-like activity. Taken together, the present study provides evidence that the expression of Apaf-1 and procaspase-3 is up-regulated in NSCLCs and indicates that the tumors have a capability to suppress the apoptosome-driven caspase activation in their cytosol.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Pneumology, University Hospital Bulovka, CZ-18081 Prague 8, Czech Republic. krepelae@fnb.cz
authors.forename: Evzen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Krepela
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Procházka
authors.forename: Xiaoyi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liul
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fiala
authors.forename: Zdenĕk
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kinkor
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D053477:Apoptotic Protease-Activating Factor 1; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D053148:Caspase 3; D053179:Caspase 7; D020169:Caspases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism; D003838:Deoxyadenine Nucleotides / Q000378:metabolism; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D004792:Enzyme Precursors / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D053804:Granzymes; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: C506592:APAF1 protein, human; D000199:Actins; D053477:Apoptotic Protease-Activating Factor 1; D003838:Deoxyadenine Nucleotides; D004792:Enzyme Precursors; D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D045304:Cytochromes c; C509213:GZMB protein, human; D053804:Granzymes; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; C505520:CASP7 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D053179:Caspase 7; D020169:Caspases; C026600:2'-deoxyadenosine triphosphate