title: Evaluation of the neuronal apoptotic pathways involved in cytoskeletal disruption-induced apoptosis.
abstract: The cytoskeleton is critical to neuronal functioning and survival. Cytoskeletal alterations are involved in several neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. We studied the possible pathways involved in colchicine-induced apoptosis in cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs). Although colchicine evoked an increase in caspase-3, caspase-6 and caspase-9 activation, selective caspase inhibitors did not attenuate apoptosis. Inhibitors of other cysteine proteases such as PD150606 (a calpain-specific inhibitor), Z-Phe-Ala fluoromethyl ketone (a cathepsins-inhibitors) and N(alpha)-p-tosyl-l-lysine chloromethyl ketone (serine-proteases inhibitor) also had no effect on cell death/apoptosis induced by colchicine. However, BAPTA-AM 10 microM (intracellular calcium chelator) prevented apoptosis mediated by cytoskeletal alteration. These data indicate that calcium modulates colchicine-induced apoptosis in CGNs. PARP-1 inhibitors did not prevent apoptosis mediated by colchicine. Finally, colchicine-induced apoptosis in CGNs was attenuated by kenpaullone, a cdk5 inhibitor. Kenpaullone and indirubin also prevented cdk5/p25 activation mediated by colchicine. These findings indicate that cytoskeletal alteration can compromise cdk5 activation, regulating p25 formation and suggest that cdk5 inhibitors attenuate apoptosis mediated by cytoskeletal alteration. The present data indicate the potential therapeutic value of drugs that prevent the formation of p25 for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.
authors.affiliation: Unitat de Farmacologia i Farmacognòsia, Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de Barcelona, Nucli Universitari de Pedralbes, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Elvira G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Jordà
authors.forename: Ester
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Verdaguer
authors.forename: Andrés
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jimenez
authors.forename: S Garcia de
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Arriba
authors.forename: Clemens
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Allgaier
authors.forename: Mercè
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pallàs
authors.forename: Antoni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Camins
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D003078:Colchicine / Q000494:pharmacology; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004533:Egtazic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D004533:Egtazic Acid; C025603:1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid; D003078:Colchicine