Nuclear translocation of DNase II and acid phosphatase during radiation-induced apoptosis in HL60 cells

Cell Death, by Any Other Name…

Studies trying to understand cell death, this ultimate biological process, can be traced back to a century ago. Yet, unlike many other fashionable research interests, research on cell death is more alive than ever. New modes of cell death are discovered in specific contexts, as are new molecular pathways. But what is "cell death", really? This question has not found a definitive answer yet. Nevertheless, part of the answer is irreversibility, whereby cells can no longer recover from stress or injury. Here, we identify the most distinctive features of different modes of cell death, focusing on the executive final stages. In addition to the final stages, these modes can differ in their triggering stimulus, thus referring to the initial stages. Within this framework, we use a few illustrative examples to examine how intercellular communication factors in the demise of cells. First, we discuss the interplay between cell-cell communication and cell death during a few steps in the early development of multicellular organisms. Next, we will discuss this interplay in a fully developed and functional tissue, the gut, which is among the most rapidly renewing tissues in the body and, therefore, makes extensive use of cell death. Furthermore, we will discuss how the balance between cell death and communication is modified during a pathological condition, i.e., colon tumorigenesis, and how it could shed light on resistance to cancer therapy. Finally, we briefly review data on the role of cell-cell communication modes in the propagation of cell death signals and how this has been considered as a potential therapeutic approach. Far from vainly trying to provide a comprehensive review, we launch an invitation to ponder over the significance of cell death diversity and how it provides multiple opportunities for the contribution of various modes of intercellular communication.

Intersections between Regulated Cell Death and Autophagy

In multicellular organisms, cell death is an essential aspect of life. Over the past decade, the spectrum of different forms of regulated cell death (RCD) has expanded dramatically with relevance in several pathologies such as inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases. This has been paralleled by the growing awareness of the central importance of autophagy as a stress response that influences decisions of cell life and cell death. Here, we first introduce criteria and methodologies for correct identification of the different RCD forms. We then discuss how the autophagy machinery is directly associated with specific cell death forms and dissect the complex interactions between autophagy and apoptotic and necrotic cell death. This highlights how the balance of the relationship between other cell death pathways and autophagy presides over life and death in specific cellular contexts.

Trimethyltin initially activates the caspase 8/caspase 3 pathway for damaging the primary cultured cortical neurons derived from embryonic mice

The organotin trimethyltin (TMT) is well known to cause neuronal damage in the central nervous system. To elucidate the mechanisms underlying the toxicity of TMT toward neurons, we prepared primary cultures of neurons from the neocortex of mouse embryos. A continuous exposure to TMT produced a decrease in cell viability as well as an increase in the number of cells with nuclear condensation/shrinkage at the exposure time window up to 24 hr. In addition to the events at the early time window, lactate dehydrogenase released was significantly elevated at the later exposure time from 36 to 48 hr. With a 3-hr exposure to TMT, a significant increase was observed in the activity of caspase 8, but not in that of caspase 9. TMT exposure produced no elevation in the level of cytochrome c released from mitochondria until 12 hr of exposure, with a significant facilitation of cytochrome c release at the exposure times of 16 and 24 hr. After the activation of caspase 8 by TMT exposure, caspase 3 activation and nuclear translocation of caspase-activated DNase were caused by exposure for 6 hr or longer. However, nuclear DNase II was elevated at the later time window of exposure. A caspase inhibitor completely prevented TMT from damaging the cells in any time window. Taken together, our data are the first demonstration that TMT toxicity is initially caused by activation of the caspase 8/caspase 3 pathway for nuclear translocation of DNases in cortical neurons in primary culture.

Deoxyribonuclease I is essential for DNA fragmentation induced by gamma radiation in mice

Gamma radiation is known to induce cell death in several organs. This damage is associated with endonuclease-mediated DNA fragmentation; however, the enzyme that produces the latter and is likely to cause cell death is unknown. To determine whether the most abundant cytotoxic endonuclease DNase I mediates gamma-radiation-induced tissue injury, we used DNase I knockout mice and zinc chelate of 3,5-diisopropylsalicylic acid (Zn-DIPS), which, as we show, has DNase I inhibiting activity in vitro. The study demonstrated for the first time that inactivation or inhibition of DNase I ameliorates radiation injury to the white pulp of spleen, intestine villi and bone marrow as measured using a quantitative TUNEL assay. The spleen and intestine of DNase I knockout mice were additionally protected from radiation by Zn-DIPS, perhaps due to the broad radioprotective effect of the zinc ions. Surprisingly, the main DNase I-producing tissues such as the salivary glands, pancreas and kidney showed no effect of DNase I inactivation. Another unexpected observation was that even without irradiation, DNA fragmentation and cell death were significantly lower in the intestine of DNase I knockout mice than in wild-type mice. This points to the physiological role of DNase I in normal cell death in the intestinal epithelium. In conclusion, our results suggested that DNase I-mediated mechanism of DNA damage and subsequent tissue injury are essential in gamma-radiation-induced cell death in radiosensitive organs.

High susceptibility of cortical neural progenitor cells to trimethyltin toxicity: involvement of both caspases and calpain in cell death

Neural progenitor cells play an essential role in both the developing embryonic nervous system and in the adult brain, where the capacity for self-renewal would be important for normal brain functions. In the present study, we used embryonic cortical neural progenitor cells to investigate the effects of trimethyltin chloride (TMT) on the survival of neural progenitor cells. In cultures of cortical neural progenitor cells, the formation of round neurospheres was observed in the presence of epidermal growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor within 9 days in vitro. The neurospheres were then harvested for subsequent replating and culturing for assessment of cell viability in either the presence or absence of TMT at the concentration of 5microM. Lasting exposure to TMT produced not only nuclear condensation in the cells in a time-dependent manner over a period of 6-24h, but also the release of lactate dehydrogenase into the culture medium. Immunoblot and immunocytochemical analyses revealed that TMT had the ability to activate both caspase-3 and calpain, as well as to cause nuclear translocation of deoxyribonuclease II, which is located within cytoplasm in intact cells. Additionally, treatment with a calpain inhibitor [trans-epoxysuccinyl-l-leucylamido-(4-guanidino) butane] and a caspase inhibitor [Z-Val-Ala-Asp(OMe)-CH2F] produced a significant reduction in damaged cells induced by TMT. Taken together, our data indicate that neural progenitor cells are highly susceptible to TMT in undergoing cell death via the activation of 2 parallel pathways, ones involving calpain and the other, caspase-3.

In vivo acute treatment with trimethyltin chloride causes neuronal degeneration in the murine olfactory bulb and anterior olfactory nucleus by different cascades in each region

Our earlier study demonstrated that in vivo acute treatment with trimethyltin chloride (TMT) produces severe neuronal damage in the dentate gyrus and cognition impairment in mice. In the present study, we assessed whether TMT was capable of causing neuronal degeneration in the olfactory bulb (OB) and anterior olfactory nucleus (AON) of the mouse brain. An intraperitoneal injection of TMT at the dose of 2.8 mg/kg led to a dramatic increase in the number of degenerating cells, which were reactive with antibody against single-stranded DNA, in the granule cell layer (GCL) of the OB and AON 1 day and 2 days later, respectively. TMT treatment produced a marked translocation of phospho-c-Jun-N-terminal kinase from the cytoplasm to the nucleus in the AON. Expectedly, a marked increase in phospho-c-Jun-positive cells was seen in the AON after the treatment. In addition to the AON, the mitral cell layer of the olfactory bulb showed the presence of phospho-c-Jun-positive cells after the treatment. However, the GCL had no cells positive for either phospho-c-Jun-N-terminal kinase or phospho-c-Jun at any time after the treatment with TMT. Similarly, TMT-induced nuclear translocation of the lysosomal enzyme deoxyribonuclease II was seen in the AON, but not in the GCL. On the other hand, TMT elicited the expression of activated caspase 3 in the GCL but not in the AON. Taken together, our results suggest that TMT is capable of causing neuronal degeneration in the murine OB and AON through different cascades in the two structures.

Iron-binding drugs targeted to lysosomes: a potential strategy to treat inflammatory lung disorders

In many inflammatory lung disorders, an abnormal assimilation of redox-active iron will exacerbate oxidative tissue damage. It may be that the most important cellular pool of redox-active iron exists within lysosomes, making these organelles vulnerable to oxidative stress. In experiments employing respiratory epithelial cells and macrophages, the chelation of intra-lysosomal iron efficiently prevented lysosomal rupture and the ensuing cell death induced by hydrogen peroxide, ionising radiation or silica particles. Furthermore, cell-permeable iron-binding agents (weak bases) that accumulate within lysosomes due to proton trapping were much more efficient for cytoprotection than the chelator, desferrioxamine. On a molar basis, the weak base alpha-lipoic acid plus was 5000 times more effective than desferrioxamine at preventing lysosomal rupture and apoptotic cell death in cell cultures exposed to hydrogen peroxide. Thus, iron-chelating therapy that targets the lysosome might be a future treatment strategy for inflammatory pulmonary diseases.

Radiation-induced cell death: importance of lysosomal destabilization

The mechanisms involved in radiation-induced cellular injury and death remain incompletely understood. In addition to the direct formation of highly reactive hydroxyl radicals (HO*) by radiolysis of water, oxidative stress events in the cytoplasm due to formation of H2O2 may also be important. Since the major pool of low-mass redox-active intracellular iron seems to reside within lysosomes, arising from the continuous intralysosomal autophagocytotic degradation of ferruginous materials, formation of H2O2 inside and outside these organelles may cause lysosomal labilization with release to the cytosol of lytic enzymes and low-mass iron. If of limited magnitude, such release may induce 'reparative autophagocytosis', causing additional accumulation of redox-active iron within the lysosomal compartment. We have used radio-resistant histiocytic lymphoma (J774) cells to assess the importance of intralysosomal iron and lysosomal rupture in radiation-induced cellular injury. We found that a 40 Gy radiation dose increased the 'loose' iron content of the (still viable) cells approx. 5-fold when assayed 24 h later. Cytochemical staining revealed that most redox-active iron was within the lysosomes. The increase of intralysosomal iron was associated with 'reparative autophagocytosis', and sensitized cells to lysosomal rupture and consequent apoptotic/necrotic death following a second, much lower dose of radiation (20 Gy) 24 h after the first one. A high-molecular-mass derivative of desferrioxamine, which specifically localizes intralysosomally following endocytic uptake, added to the culture medium before either the first or the second dose of radiation, stabilized lysosomes and largely prevented cell death. These observations may provide a biological rationale for fractionated radiation.

Butyrate-induced proapoptotic and antiangiogenic pathways in EAT cells require activation of CAD and downregulation of VEGF

Butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid produced in the colon, induces cell cycle arrest, differentiation, and apoptosis in transformed cell lines. In this report, we study the effects of butyrate (BuA) on the growth of Ehrlich ascites tumor (EAT) cells in vivo. BuA, when injected intraperitoneally (i.p) into mice, inhibited proliferation of EAT cells. Further, induction of apoptosis in EAT cells was monitored by nuclear condensation, annexin-V staining, DNA fragmentation, and translocation of caspase-activated DNase into nucleus upon BuA-treatment. Ac-DEVD-CHO, a caspase-3 inhibitor, completely inhibited BuA-induced apoptosis, indicating that activation of caspase-3 mediates the apoptotic pathway in EAT cells. The proapoptotic effect of BuA also reflects on the antiangiogenic pathway in EAT cells. The antiangiogenic effect of BuA in vivo was demonstrated by the downregulation of the secretion of VEGF in EAT cells. CD31 immunohistochemical staining of peritoneum sections clearly indicated a potential angioinhibitory effect of BuA in EAT cells. These results suggest that BuA, besides regulating other fundamental cellular processes, is able to modulate the expression/secretion of the key angiogenic growth factor VEGF in EAT cells.

In vivo treatment with the K+ channel blocker 4-aminopyridine protects against kainate-induced neuronal cell death through activation of NMDA receptors in murine hippocampus

Activation of NMDA receptors has been shown to induce either neuronal cell death or neuroprotection against excitotoxicity in cultured neurons in vitro. To elucidate in vivo neuroprotective role of NMDA receptors, we investigated the effects of activation of NMDA receptors by endogenous glutamate on kainate-induced neuronal damage to the mouse hippocampus in vivo. The systemic administration of the K+ channel blocker 4-aminopyridine (4-AP, 5 mg/kg, i.p.) induced expression of c-Fos in the hippocampal neuronal cell layer, which expression was completely abolished by the noncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801, thus indicating that the administration of 4-AP would activate NMDA receptors in the hippocampal neurons. The prior administration of 4-AP at 1 h to 1 day before significantly prevented kainate-induced pyramidal cell death in the hippocampus and expression of pyramidal cells immunoreactive with an antibody against single-stranded DNA. Further immunohistochemical study on deoxyribonuclease II revealed that the pretreatment with 4-AP led to complete abolition of deoxyribonuclease II expression induced by kainate in the CA1 and CA3 pyramidal cells. The neuroprotection mediated by 4-AP was blocked by MK-801 and by the adenosine A1 antagonist 8-cyclopenthyltheophylline. Taken together, in vivo activation of NMDA receptors is capable of protecting against kainate-induced neuronal damage through blockade of DNA fragmentation induced by deoxyribonuclease II in the murine hippocampus.