The effect of ICAD-S on the formation and intracellular distribution of a nucleolytically active caspase-activated DNase

Caspase-mediated cleavage of X-ray repair cross-complementing group 4 promotes apoptosis by enhancing nuclear translocation of caspase-activated DNase

X-ray repair cross-complementing group 4 (XRCC4), a repair protein for DNA double-strand breaks, is cleaved by caspases during apoptosis. In this study, we examined the role of XRCC4 in apoptosis. Cell lines, derived from XRCC4-deficient M10 mouse lymphoma cells and stably expressing wild-type XRCC4 or caspase-resistant XRCC4, were established and treated with staurosporine (STS) to induce apoptosis. In STS-induced apoptosis, expression of wild-type, but not caspase-resistant, XRCC4 in XRCC4-deficient cells enhanced oligonucleosomal DNA fragmentation and the appearance of TUNEL-positive cells by promoting nuclear translocation of caspase-activated DNase (CAD), a major nuclease for oligonucleosomal DNA fragmentation. CAD activity is reportedly regulated by the ratio of two inhibitor of CAD (ICAD) splice variants, ICAD-L and ICAD-S mRNA, which, respectively, produce proteins with and without the ability to transport CAD into the nucleus. The XRCC4-dependent promotion of nuclear import of CAD in STS-treated cells was associated with reduction of ICAD-S mRNA and protein, and enhancement of phosphorylation and nuclear import of serine/arginine-rich splicing factor (SRSF) 1. These XRCC4-dependent, apoptosis-enhancing effects were canceled by depletion of SRSF1 or SR protein kinase (SRPK) 1. In addition, overexpression of SRSF1 in XRCC4-deficient cells restored the normal level of apoptosis, suggesting that SRSF1 functions downstream of XRCC4 in activating CAD. This XRCC4-dependent, SRPK1/SRSF1-mediated regulatory mechanism was conserved in apoptosis in Jurkat human leukemia cells triggered by STS, and by two widely used anti-cancer agents, Paclitaxel and Vincristine. These data imply that the level of XRCC4 expression could be used to predict the effects of apoptosis-inducing drugs in cancer treatment.

Decreased Expression of Inhibitor of Caspase-Activated DNase (ICAD) in Renal Cell Carcinoma - Tissue Microarray of Human Samples

Although primary localised tumours of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) can be treated relatively successfully with surgery, metastatic RCC has poor prognosis because of late diagnosis and resistance to therapies. In the present study, we were interested in profiling the protein expression of “inhibitor of caspase-activated DNase” (ICAD), an apoptosis inhibitor, in kidney cancer and its paired normal kidney. Immunohistochemistry with automated batch staining and morphometry using digital pathology were used to compare ICAD in 121 RCC specimens with their paired normal kidney tissue. Tissue microarray of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded archival tissue was used. Intensity and localisation of ICAD were compared between normal and cancer samples, and against grading within the cancers. The results demonstrated that, in this cohort, ICAD was highly expressed in the proximal tubular epithelium of normal kidney, and significantly decreased in clear cell RCC tissue (p < 0.05) as well as other subtypes of RCC (p < 0.01) compared with normal kidney. There was a tendency towards nuclear localisation of ICAD in clear cell RCC, but not in other subtypes of RCC. No significant association was found between ICAD intensity and grade of RCC. In summary, down-regulation of ICAD occurs in RCC. ICAD normally inhibits DNA fragmentation and apoptosis; thus, its down-regulation was unexpected in a cancer known for its resistance to apoptosis. However, these RCC samples were from primary, not metastatic, RCC sites, and down-regulated ICAD may be part of a progressive pathway that promotes RCC metastasis.

Regulation of DNA fragmentation: the role of caspases and phosphorylation

DNA fragmentation is a hallmark of apoptosis that is induced by apoptotic stimuli in various cell types. Apoptotic signal pathways, which eventually cause DNA fragmentation, are largely mediated by the family of cysteinyl aspartate-specific protease caspases. Caspases mediate apoptotic signal transduction by cleavage of apoptosis-implicated proteins and the caspases themselves. In the process of caspase activation, reversible protein phosphorylation plays an important role. The activation of various proteins is regulated by phosphorylation and dephosphorylation, both upstream and downstream of caspase activation. Many kinases/phosphatases are involved in the control of cell survival and death, including the mitogen-activated protein kinase signal transduction pathways. Reversible protein phosphorylation is involved in the widespread regulation of cellular signal transduction and apoptotic processes. Therefore, phosphatase/kinase inhibitors are commonly used as apoptosis inducers/inhibitors. Whether protein phosphorylation induces apoptosis depends on many factors, such as the type of phosphorylated protein, the degree of activation and the influence of other proteins. Phosphorylation signaling pathways are intricately interrelated; it was previously shown that either induction or inhibition of phosphorylation causes cell death. Determination of the relationship between protein and phosphorylation helps to reveal how apoptosis is regulated. Here we discuss DNA fragmentation and protein phosphorylation, focusing on caspase and serine/threonine protein phosphatase activation.

Loss of splicing factor ASF/SF2 induces G2 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, but inhibits internucleosomal DNA fragmentation

ASF/SF2 is an SR protein splicing factor that participates in constitutive and alternative pre-mRNA splicing and is essential for cell viability. Using a genetically modified chicken B-cell line, DT40-ASF, we now show that ASF/SF2 inactivation results in a G2-phase cell cycle arrest and subsequent programmed cell death. However, although several hallmarks of apoptosis are apparent, internucleosomal DNA fragmentation was not detected. Furthermore, inactivation of ASF/SF2 also blocks DNA fragmentation normally induced by a variety of apoptotic stimuli. Notably, mRNA encoding the inhibitor of caspase-activated DNase-L (ICAD-L), which acts as an inhibitor as well as a chaperone of caspase-activated DNase (CAD), decreased in abundance, whereas the level of mRNA encoding ICAD-S, which has only inhibitory activity, increased upon ASF/SF2 depletion. Strikingly, expression of appropriate levels of exogenous human ICAD-L restored apoptotic DNA laddering in ASF/SF2-depleted cells. These results not only indicate that loss of an SR protein splicing factor can induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, but also illustrate the important role of ICAD and its regulation by alternative splicing in the process of apoptotic DNA fragmentation.

Oligomerization state of the DNA fragmentation factor in normal and apoptotic cells

The caspase-activated DNase (CAD) is the primary nuclease responsible for oligonucleosomal DNA fragmentation during apoptosis. The DNA fragmentation factor (DFF) is composed of the 40-kDa CAD (DFF40) in complex with its cognate 45-kDa inhibitor (inhibitor of CAD: ICAD or DFF45). The association of ICAD with CAD not only inhibits the DNase activity but is also essential for the co-translational folding of CAD. Activation of CAD requires caspase-3-dependent proteolysis of ICAD. The tertiary structures of neither the inactive nor the activated DFF have been conclusively established. Whereas the inactive DFF is thought to consist of the CAD/ICAD heterodimer, activated CAD has been isolated as a large (>MDa) multimer, as well as a monomer. To establish the subunit stoichiometry of DFF and some of its structural determinants in normal and apoptotic cells, we utilized size-exclusion chromatography in combination with co-immunoprecipitation and mutagenesis techniques. Both endogenous and heterologously expressed DFF have an apparent molecular mass of 160-190 kDa and contain 2 CAD and 2 ICAD molecules (CAD/ICAD)2 in HeLa cells. Although the N-terminal (CIDE-N) domain of CAD is not required for ICAD binding, it is necessary but not sufficient for ICAD homodimerization in the DFF. In contrast, the CIDE-N domain of ICAD is required for CAD/ICAD association. Using bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET), dimerization of ICAD in DFF was confirmed in live cells. In apoptotic cells, endogenous and exogenous CAD forms limited oligomers, representing the active nuclease. A model is proposed for the rearrangement of the DFF subunit stoichiometry in cells undergoing programmed cell death.

Interaction of DNA Fragmentation Factor (DFF) with DNA Reveals an Unprecedented Mechanism for Nuclease Inhibition and Suggests That DFF Can Be Activated in a DNA-bound State

DNA fragmentation factor (DFF) is a complex of the DNase DFF40 (CAD) and its chaperone/inhibitor DFF45 (ICAD-L) that can be activated during apoptosis to induce DNA fragmentation. Here, we demonstrate that DFF directly binds to DNA in vitro without promoting DNA cleavage. DNA binding by DFF is mediated by the nuclease subunit, which can also form stable DNA complexes after release from DFF. Recombinant and reconstituted DFF is catalytically inactive yet proficient in DNA binding, demonstrating that the nuclease subunit in DFF is inhibited in DNA cleavage but not in DNA binding, revealing an unprecedented mode of nuclease inhibition. Activation of DFF in the presence of naked DNA or isolated nuclei stimulates DNA degradation by released DFF40 (CAD). In transfected HeLa cells transiently expressed DFF associates with chromatin, suggesting that DFF could be activated during apoptosis in a DNA-bound state.

Contrasting nuclear dynamics of the caspase-activated DNase (CAD) in dividing and apoptotic cells

Although compelling evidence supports the central role of caspase-activated DNase (CAD) in oligonucleosomal DNA fragmentation in apoptotic nuclei, the regulation of CAD activity remains elusive in vivo. We used fluorescence photobleaching and biochemical techniques to investigate the molecular dynamics of CAD. The CAD-GFP fusion protein complexed with its inhibitor (ICAD) was as mobile as nuclear GFP in the nucleosol of dividing cells. Upon induction of caspase-3-dependent apoptosis, activated CAD underwent progressive immobilization, paralleled by its attenuated extractability from the nucleus. CAD immobilization was mediated by its NH2 terminus independently of its DNA-binding activity and correlated with its association to the interchromosomal space. Preventing the nuclear attachment of CAD provoked its extracellular release from apoptotic cells. We propose a novel paradigm for the regulation of CAD in the nucleus, involving unrestricted accessibility of chromosomal DNA at the initial phase of apoptosis, followed by its nuclear immobilization that may prevent the release of the active nuclease into the extracellular environment.

Meis1-mediated apoptosis is caspase dependent and can be suppressed by coexpression of HoxA9 in murine and human cell lines

Coexpression of the homeodomain protein Meis1 and either HoxA7 or HoxA9 is characteristic of many acute myelogenous leukemias. Although Meis1 can be overexpressed in bone marrow long-term repopulating cells, it is incapable of mediating their transformation. Although overexpressing HoxA9 alone transforms murine bone marrow cells, concurrent Meis1 overexpression greatly accelerates oncogenesis. Meis1-HoxA9 cooperation suppresses several myeloid differentiation pathways. We now report that Meis1 overexpression strongly induces apoptosis in a variety of cell types in vitro through a caspase-dependent process. Meis1 requires a functional homeodomain and Pbx-interaction motif to induce apoptosis. Coexpressing HoxA9 with Meis1 suppresses this apoptosis and provides protection from several apoptosis inducers. Pbx1, another Meis1 cofactor, also induces apoptosis; however, coexpressing HoxA9 is incapable of rescuing Pbx-mediated apoptosis. This resistance to apoptotic stimuli, coupled with the previously reported ability to suppress multiple myeloid differentiation pathways, would provide a strong selective advantage to Meis1-HoxA9 coexpressing cells in vivo, leading to leukemogenesis.