Involvement of endonuclease G in nucleosomal DNA fragmentation under sustained endogenous oxidative stress

The nuclease a-inhibitor complex is characterized by a novel metal ion bridge

Nonspecific, extracellular nucleases have received enhanced attention recently as a consequence of the critical role that these enzymes can play in infectivity by overcoming the host neutrophil defense system. The activity of the cyanobacterial nuclease NucA, a member of the betabetaalpha Me superfamily, is controlled by the specific nuclease inhibitor, NuiA. Here we report the 2.3-A resolution crystal structure of the NucA-NuiA complex, showing that NucA inhibition by NuiA involves an unusual divalent metal ion bridge that connects the nuclease with its inhibitor. The C-terminal Thr-135(NuiA) hydroxyl oxygen is directly coordinated with the catalytic Mg(2+) of the nuclease active site, and Glu-24(NuiA) also extends into the active site, mimicking the charge of a scissile phosphate. NuiA residues Asp-75 and Trp-76 form a second interaction site, contributing to the strength and specificity of the interaction. The crystallographically defined interface is shown to be consistent with results of studies using site-directed NuiA mutants. This mode of inhibition differs dramatically from the exosite mechanism of inhibition seen with the DNase colicins E7/E9 and from other nuclease-inhibitor complexes that have been studied. The structure of this complex provides valuable insights for the development of inhibitors for related nonspecific nucleases that share the DRGH active site motif such as the Streptococcus pneumoniae nuclease EndA, which mediates infectivity of this pathogen, and mitochondrial EndoG, which is involved in recombination and apoptosis.

Impairment of the mitochondrial respiratory enzyme activity triggers sequential activation of apoptosis-inducing factor-dependent and caspase-dependent signaling pathways to induce apoptosis after spinal cord injury

The mitochondrion participates in caspase-independent or caspase-dependent apoptotic pathways through the release of apoptosis-inducing factor or cytochrome c. Whether both mitochondrial apoptotic cascades are triggered in the injured spinal cord remains unknown. Here, we demonstrated that neurons, astrocytes and microglia in spinal segments proximal to a complete spinal cord transection underwent two phases of apoptotic cell death. The early phase of high-molecular weight (HMW) DNA fragmentation was associated with nuclear translocation of apoptosis-inducing factor, reduction in mitochondrial respiratory chain enzyme activity and decrease in cellular ATP concentration. The delayed phase of low-molecular weight (LMW) DNA fragmentation was accompanied by cytosolic release of cytochrome c, activation of caspases 9 and 3, and resumption of mitochondrial respiratory functions and ATP contents. Microinfusion of coenzyme Q(10), an electron carrier in mitochondrial respiratory chain, into the epicenter of the transected spinal cord attenuated both phases of induced apoptosis, and reversed the elicited mitochondrial dysfunction, bioenergetic failure, and activation of apoptosis-inducing factor, cytochrome c, or caspases 9 and 3. We conclude that mitochondrial dysfunction after spinal cord transection represents the initiating cellular events that trigger the sequential activation of apoptosis-inducing factor-dependent and caspase-dependent signaling cascades, leading to apoptotic cell death in the injured spinal cord.

Inhibition of K+ efflux prevents mitochondrial dysfunction, and suppresses caspase-3-, apoptosis-inducing factor-, and endonuclease G-mediated constitutive apoptosis in human neutrophils

Neutrophils die rapidly via apoptosis and their survival is contingent upon rescue from constitutive programmed cell death by signals from the microenvironment. In these experiments, we investigated whether prevention of K(+) efflux could affect the apoptotic machinery in human neutrophils. Disruption of the natural K(+) electrochemical gradient suppressed neutrophil apoptosis (assessed by annexin V binding, nuclear DNA content and nucleosomal DNA fragmentation) and prolonged cell survival within 24-48 h of culture. High extracellular K(+) (10-100 mM) did not activate extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and Akt, nor affected phosphorylation of p38 MAPK associated with constitutive apoptosis. Consistently, pharmacological blockade of ERK kinase or phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) did not affect the anti-apoptotic action of KCl. Inhibition of K(+) efflux effectively reduced, though never completely inhibited, decreases in mitochondrial transmembrane potential (DeltaPsi(m)) that preceded development of apoptotic morphology. Changes in DeltaPsi(m) resulted in attenuation of cytochrome c release from mitochondria into the cytosol and decreases in caspase-3 activity. Culture of neutrophils in medium containing 80 mM KCl with the pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK resulted in slightly greater suppression of apoptosis than KCl alone. High extracellular KCl also attenuated translocation of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) and endonuclease G (EndoG) from mitochondria to nuclei. The DNase inhibitor, aurintricarboxylic acid (ATA) partially inhibited nucleosomal DNA fragmentation, and the effects of ATA and 80 mM KCl were not additive. These results show that prevention of K(+) efflux promotes neutrophil survival by suppressing apoptosis through preventing mitochondrial dysfunction and release of the pro-apoptotic proteins cytochrome c, AIF and EndoG independent of ERK, PI 3-kinase and p38 MAPK. Thus, K(+) released locally from damaged cells may function as a survival signal for neutrophils.

Does apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) have both life and death functions in cells?

Apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) is expelled from mitochondria after some apoptotic stimuli and translocates to the nucleus, which may contribute to DNA and nuclear fragmentation in some non-physiological mammalian cell deaths. Conversely, the requirement for mitochondrial AIF in oxidative phosphorylation and energy generation provides a plausible explanation for the embryonic lethality or neurodegeneration that has been found in different AIF-deficient mouse models. These findings may help illuminate the ability of mitochondrial AIF to suppress cytoplasmic stress granule formation and to promote the tumorigenic growth of cancer cells. AIF is ideally located in the mitochondrion to perform a vital normal function in energy production. Once it translocates to the nucleus, however, the cell might die either of energy failure or nuclear fragmentation (or both). We propose that the main function of AIF is to support energy production in both normal and transformed cell physiology, whereas nuclear-translocated AIF might contribute to stress-induced or pathological cell death in certain scenarios.