title: Expression of caspase 3 in ovarian follicle cells of the lizard Podarcis sicula.
abstract: In this study, our aim was to determine whether caspase 3 plays a role, during previtellogenesis, in the ovarian follicular epithelium of the lizard Podarcis sicula. We investigated the presence and localization of proform and active caspase 3 by enzyme assay, Western blotting and immunocytochemistry. In parallel, a fragment of caspase 3 was cloned for the first time in this species, sequenced and used for in situ hybridization to localize messengers and analysed by a phylogenetic survey to shed light on its homology with reptilian caspases. Results demonstrated that: (1) the follicle cells expressed a caspase of the 3/7 group and the mRNA for caspase 3 was transcribed in the stem phase and was completely translated during cell differentiation; (2) the proform protein was stored during the differentiated (nurse) stage and activated at the end of previtellogenesis provoking the degeneration of cells; (3) the predicted protein sequence, although partial, had a strong similarity with the known reptilian caspases 3. The epithelial cells of the ovarian follicle, therefore, do not employ caspase 3 during the nurse stage but, instead, prepare for apoptosis long before the process actually begins. The relevance of this strategy is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Mezzocannone 8, 80134, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tammaro
authors.affiliation: Department of Sciences and Technology, University of Naples Parthenope, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Palma
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Simoniello
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Filomena
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ristoratore
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Ugo
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Coppola
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Mezzocannone 8, 80134, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosaria
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Scudiero
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Mezzocannone 8, 80134, Naples, Italy. mottacm@unina.it.
authors.forename: Chiara Maria
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Motta
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D053179:Caspase 7 / Q000378:metabolism; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D057075:Enzyme Assays; D005260:Female; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008116:Lizards / Q000378:metabolism*; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D053148:Caspase 3; D053179:Caspase 7
keywords: Apoptosis and tissue differentiation; Caspase 3 activation; Caspase 3 expression; Ovarian follicular epithelium remodelling; Pyriform cells