title: Identification of ASK1, MKK4, JNK, c-Jun, and caspase-3 as a signaling cascade involved in cadmium-induced neuronal cell apoptosis.
abstract: Cd induces oxidative stress and apoptosis in various cells by activating mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), but the precise signaling components of the MAPK cascade and their role in neuronal apoptosis are still unclear. Here, we report that Cd treatment of SH-SY5Y cells caused apoptosis through sequential phosphorylation of the apoptosis signal regulating kinase 1, MAPK kinase 4, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and c-Jun as determined by overexpression of dominant negative (DN) constructs of these genes or using a specific JNK inhibitor SP600125. Both Cd-induced JNK and c-Jun phosphorylation and apoptosis were inhibited dramatically by N-acetyl-L-cysteine, a free radical scavenger. In addition, caspase inhibitors, zDEVD and zVAD, reduced apoptosis but not JNK and c-Jun phosphorylation induced by Cd, while overexpression of DN JNK1 inhibited caspase-3 activity. Taken together, our data suggested that the JNK/c-Jun signaling cascade plays a crucial role in Cd-induced neuronal cell apoptosis and provides a molecular linkage between oxidative stress and neuronal apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, National Institute of Health, Seoul 122-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sun Don
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Chang Kyu
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Su-Yong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Eun
authors.forename: Pan Dong
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.forename: Sangmee Ahn
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Jo
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002104:Cadmium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D048670:MAP Kinase Kinase 4 / Q000378:metabolism; D048848:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinase 5 / Q000378:metabolism; D020930:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes / Q000378:metabolism; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes; D002104:Cadmium; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048848:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinase 5; D020930:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases; C482858:MAP3K5 protein, human; D048670:MAP Kinase Kinase 4; C482559:MAP2K4 protein, human; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases