PubMed Health⌕ Search

SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “Cell Death”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Activation-induced T-cell death is cell cycle dependent and regulated by cyclin B.

Developing thymocytes and some T-cell hybridomas undergo activation-dependent programmed cell death. Although recent studies have identified some critical regulators in programmed cell death, the role of cell cycle regulation in activation-induced cell death in T cells has not been addressed. We demonstrate that synchronized T-cell hybridomas, irrespective of the point in the cell cycle at which they are activated, stop cycling shortly after they reach G2/M. These cells exhibit the diagnostic characteristics of apoptotic cell death. Although p34cdc2 levels are not perturbed after activation of synchronously cycling T cells, cyclin B- and p34cdc2-associated histone H1 kinase activity is persistently elevated. This activation-dependent induction of H1 kinase activity in T cells is associated with a decrease in the phosphotyrosine content of p34cdc2. We also demonstrate that transient inappropriate coexpression of cyclin B with p34cdc2 induces DNA fragmentation in a heterologous cell type. Finally, in T cells, cyclin B-specific antisense oligonucleotides suppress activation-induced cell death but not cell death induced by exposure to dexamethasone. We therefore conclude that a persistent elevation of the level of cyclin B kinase is required for activation-induced programmed T-cell death.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Hypoglycemia induced changes in cell death and cell proliferation in the organogenesis stage embryonic mouse heart.

BACKGROUND: Hypoglycemia is a side effect of diabetes therapy and causes abnormal heart development. Embryonic heart cells are largely resistant to teratogen-induced apoptosis. METHODS: Hypoglycemia was tested for effects on cell death and cell proliferation in embryonic heart cells by exposing mouse embryos on embryonic day (E) 9.5 (plug = E0.5) to hypoglycemia (30-50 mg/dl glucose) in vivo or in vitro for 24 hr. Long-term effects of in vivo exposure on conceptus viability were evaluated at E18.5. Cell death was evaluated on E10.5 by: 1) two TUNEL assays in sectioned embryos to demonstrate DNA fragmentation; 2) confocal microscopy in whole embryos stained with Lysotracker; 3) flow cytometry in dispersed heart cells stained for TUNEL and myosin heavy chain (MHC) to quantify and characterize cell type susceptibility; and 4) immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western analysis in sectioned embryos to evaluate potential involvement of caspase-3 active subunit and p53. Effects on cell proliferation were evaluated by IHC and Western analysis of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). RESULTS: In vivo hypoglycemic exposure on E9.5 reduced viability in conceptuses examined on E18.5. Hearts examined on E10.5 demonstrated increased TUNEL and Lysotracker staining. In hearts of embryos exposed to hypoglycemia, flow cytometry demonstrated increased TUNEL-positive cells and cells dual-labeled for TUNEL and MHC. Protein expression of caspase-3 active subunit and p53 was increased and PCNA was markedly reduced in hearts of embryos exposed to hypoglycemia. CONCLUSIONS: Hypoglycemia reduces embryonic viability, induces significant cell death, and reduces cell proliferation in the E9.5 mouse heart, and these processes may involve active caspase-3 and p53.

Animals↗

Hypoxia-induced cell death of HepG2 cells involves a necrotic cell death mediated by calpain.

To elucidate mechanism of cell death in response to hypoxia, we attempted to compare hypoxia-induced cell death of HepG2 cells with cisplatin-induced cell death, which has been well characterized as a typical apoptosis. Cell death induced by hypoxia turned out to be different from cisplatin-mediated apoptosis in cell viability and cleavage patterns of caspases. Hypoxia-induced cell death was not associated with the activation of p53 while cisplatin-induced apoptosis is p53 dependent. In order to explain these differences, we tested involvement of micro-calpain and m-calpain in hypoxia-induced cell death. Calpains, especially micro-calpain, were initially cleaved by hypoxia, but not by cisplatin. Interestingly, the treatment of a calpain inhibitor restored PARP cleavage that was absent during hypoxia, indicating the recovery of activated caspase-3. The inhibition of calpains prevented proteolysis induced by hypoxia. In addition, hypoxia resulted in a necrosis-like morphology while cisplatin induced an apoptotic morphology. The calpain inhibitor prevented necrotic morphology induced by hypoxia and converted partially to apoptotic morphology with nuclear segmentation. Our result suggests that calpains are involved in hypoxia-induced cell death that is likely to be necrotic in nature and the inhibition of calpain switches hypoxia-induced cell death to apoptotic cell death without affecting cell viability.

Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones↗

[ORP150 (150 kDa oxygen regulated protein) suppressed neuronal cell death].

Cells subject to environmental change express stress proteins, which contribute importantly to maintenance of metabolic homeostasis and viability. As the most abundant cell type in the central nervous system, astrocytes show a phenotype resistant to environmental alterations. Based upon this ability of astrocytes, we have purified and cloned a novel stress protein, ORP150, a 150-kDa oxygen regulated protein. We have shown that ORP150 is an inducible chaperone present in endoplasmic reticulum (ER), which regulates cytosolic free calcium and activation of proteolytic pathways causing cell death in neurons subject to excitatory stress. Using mice heterozygous for ORP150 deficiency, exposure to excitatory stimuli caused hippocampal neurons to display exaggerated elevation of cytosolic calcium accompanied by an increased vulnerability to glutamate-induced cell death in vitro and decreased survival to kainate in vivo. In contrast, targeted neuronal overexpression of ORP150 suppressed each of these events and enhanced neuronal and animal survival in parallel with diminished seizure intensity. Our data underscore a pivotal role for ER stress in glutamate toxicity and pinpoint a key ER chaperone, ORP150, which orchestrates the protective stress response critical for neuronal survival.

Animals↗

Ion channels and cell volume in regulation of cell proliferation and apoptotic cell death.

Cell proliferation must be accompanied by increase of cell volume and apoptosis is typically paralleled by cell shrinkage. Moreover, profound osmotic cell shrinkage may trigger apoptosis. In isotonic environment cell volume changes require the respective alterations of transport across the cell membrane. Cell proliferation is typically paralleled by activation of K(+) channels, which is required for the maintenance of the cell membrane potential, a critical determinant of Ca(2+) entry through Ca(2+) channels. The Ca(2+) entry leads to oscillations of cytosolic Ca(2+) activity which is followed by activation of Ca(2+) dependent transcription factors and by depolymerization of the actin filament network. The latter disinhibits the Na(+) H(+) exchanger and Na(+) , K(+) , 2Cl(-)cotransport thus leading to cell swelling. At some point transient activation of Cl(-) channels is required leading to transient decrease of cell volume. Apoptosis is typically paralleled by sustained activation of Cl(-) channels leading to Cl(-) , HCO-(3) and osmolyte exit. The subsequent cell shrinkage and cytosolic acidification are not counter-regulated by activation of the Na(+) /H(+) exchanger, which is inhibited and eventually degraded during apoptosis. At a later stage K(+) exit through K(+) channels decreases intracellular K(+) concentration and facilitates cell shrinkage. Sustained or excessive increase of Ca(+) triggers apoptotic cell death, typically paralleled by cell shrinkage due to activation of Ca(2+) sensitive K(+) channels. Cellular K(+) loss and cell shrinkage are supportive but not required for the induction of apoptosis. On the other hand, several studies point to a critical role of K(+) -channel inhibition in the initiation of apoptosis. Thus, alterations of K(+) channel and Ca(2+) channel activities may participate in the triggering of both, cell proliferation and apoptosis. The impact of those channels depends on magnitude and temporal organization of channel activation and on the activity of further signaling mechanisms. Accordingly, the same ion channel blockers may interfere with both, cell proliferation and apoptosis depending on cell type, regulatory environment and condition of the cell.

Animals↗

Crosstalk between elicitor-induced cell death and cell cycle regulation in tobacco BY-2 cells.

The molecular links between cell cycle control and the regulation of programmed cell death are largely unknown in plants. Here we studied the relationship between the cell cycle and elicitor-induced cell death using synchronized tobacco BY-2 cells. Flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy of nuclear DNA, and RNA gel-blot analyses of cell cycle-related genes revealed that the proteinaceous elicitor cryptogein induced cell cycle arrest at the G1 or G2 phase before the induction of cell death. Furthermore, the patterns of cell death induction and defence-related genes were different in different phases of the cell cycle. Constitutive treatment with cryptogein induced cell cycle arrest and cell death at the G1 or G2 phase. With transient treatment for 2 h, cell cycle arrest and cell death were only induced by treatment with the elicitor during the S or G1 phase. By contrast, the elicitor-induced production of reactive oxygen species was observed during all phases of the cell cycle. These results indicate that although recognition of the elicitor signal is cell cycle-independent, the induction of cell cycle arrest and cell death depends on the phase of the cell cycle.

Aphidicolin↗

Cell death and cell cycle perturbation in the developmental toxicity of the demethylating agent, 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine.

DNA methylation is a probable mechanism for regulating gene expression, and alterations in methylation may significantly affect embryonic development. We administered the cytidine analogue 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (dAZA), a specific and potent demethylator of DNA, to pregnant mice to determine its teratogenicity and effects on embryonic cell death and cell cycle. Groups of females were dosed intraperitoneally on gestation day 10 with doses of 0.05-3 mg/kg dAZA and killed at 4, 8, or 28 hr later. Two embryos per litter were immediately stained with Nile blue sulfate (NBS) to identify areas of cell death; the remaining embryos were frozen and stored for subsequent flow cytometric (FCM) analysis of the cellular DNA synthetic cycle in limb buds. A dose-related accumulation of cells in the S and G2/M phases was observed at 4 and 8 hr after maternal dosing. S-phase accumulation was the most sensitive indicator of effect; a dose-related increase in the percentage of hindlimb bud cells in S-phase was evident at all dosages 4 hr after maternal dosing. By 28 hr postdosing, a normal cell cycle phase distribution was observed at doses of < 0.3 mg/kg. However, cell cycle perturbations persisted at higher dosages. NBS staining demonstrated increased cell death in areas of rapid cell division, indicative of replication-associated cytotoxicity, at doses of > or = 0.1 mg/kg. Observation of litters from additional dams killed at term revealed that at dosages of > or = 0.3 mg/kg, cleft palate and hindlimb defects were significantly elevated. In addition, above 0.3 mg/kg, fetal weight was significantly decreased.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Polyamine depletion partially reduces the radiation-induced cell death via cell cycle delay mediated by thioredoxin.

In previous studies, polyamine depletion by DFMO (alpha-difluoromethylornithine)-treatment reduced H(2)O(2)-induced apoptotic cell death by reduction of ferric ion uptake. In the present study, we analyzed the reduction of radiation-induced cell death by polyamine depletion. Exposure of HT29 cells to radiation induced severe cell death, but when cells were pretreated with DFMO, a specific inhibitor of polyamine biosynthesis, radiation-induced cell death was reduced to 50-60% of control. Cell cycle analysis showed that, in these cells, the time to reach the G(2)/M phase arrest was delayed for 20-24 h compared to the control cells, at which stage the fate of cells exposed to ionizing radiation is determined. DFMO-treated cells also showed a low level of thioredoxin, which is a high-level determinant of the cellular fate. To investigate the relationship between the G(2)/M phase arrest and the reduction of thioredoxin caused by polyamine depletion, we also analyzed thioredoxin-antisensed (asTRX) HT29 cells as for DFMO-treated cells. In asTRX-transfected cells, the gamma-irradiation-induced G(2)/M phase arrest was also significantly delayed and radiation-induced cell death was profoundly reduced, as in the DFMO-treated cells. Both sets of cells showed a decrease of cyclin D1 and an increment of HSP25, which are involved in radiation-induced cell cycle progress. Overall, these results suggest that polyamines are essential for normal cell death of HT29 cells triggered by gamma-radiation and that this is partially mediated by the regulation of thioredoxin expression.

Cell Cycle↗

Serum bile acids, programmed cell death and cell proliferation in the mucosa of patients with colorectal adenomas.

BACKGROUND: Deoxycholic acid induced programmed cell death and an imbalance with cell proliferation may favour colorectal tumourigenesis according to 'in vitro' studies, but information is lacking on the relationships occurring 'in vivo' in humans. AIMS: To evaluate whether serum deoxycholic acid is associated with programmed cell death and cell proliferation in colonic mucosa. METHODS: In 10 patients with colorectal adenomas, we measured fasting serum levels of bile acids; and, in normal colonic mucosa, programmed cell death by the TUNEL technique and cell proliferation by immunohistochemical staining with anti-Ki67. Total and compartmental indices for both activities were calculated. RESULTS: Among serum bile acids, only total deoxycholic acid (median: 0.89 micromol/L +/- 0.54 95% CI), showed a significant positive correlation with the total and basal compartments PCD Index (r = 0.68, p < 0.05). Total proliferation index showed no correlation with either total PCD Index, or bile acids. Within the median compartment of the crypt, cell proliferation was negatively associated with all unconjugated bile acids. CONCLUSIONS: The positive association between deoxycholic acid and programmed cell death in the basal compartment of the crypt, and the negative association of cell proliferation and unconjugated bile acids in the median compartment, do not seem to support the co-carcinogenic effect of deoxycholic acid.

Adenoma↗

Resistance of mitochondrial DNA to degradation characterizes the apoptotic but not the necrotic mode of human leukemia cell death.

Cell death can occur by two basically different processes. The original term, necrosis, is now reserved for the generally destructive series of events which include the release of lysosomal enzymes and loss of cell membrane integrity. In contrast, mild treatment with cell damaging agents, or withdrawal of growth factors, may result in a characteristic form of degradation of cellular DNA which is associated with cell death that has morphology known as apoptosis. In this study human leukemia cells were exposed to agents or conditions previously reported to cause necrosis or apoptosis, monitored by detection of DNA "ladders," and the integrity of cellular DNA was determined on Southern blots. Nuclear DNA was distinguished from mitochondrial DNA by use of probes specific for nuclear genes or for mitochondrial DNA. When HL60, K562, MOLT4, or U937 cells were exposed to conditions which resulted in necrosis, mitochondrial DNA was damaged at approximately the same rate as nuclear DNA, but in apoptosis mtDNA was not degraded. Thus, the ratio of the relative (to untreated cells) abundance of mitochondrial DNA measured by a probe for 16S mitochondrial ribosomal RNA on Southern blots, to the relative abundance of DNA of any nuclear gene, was 1 or less in necrosis, but rose to values greater than 2 in apoptosis. It is concluded that the comparison of the degree of fragmentation of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA provides a quantitative way of distinguishing necrosis from apoptosis.

Apoptosis↗

Protein synthesis persists during necrotic cell death.

Cell death is an intrinsic part of metazoan development and mammalian immune regulation. Whereas the molecular events orchestrating apoptosis have been characterized extensively, little is known about the biochemistry of necrotic cell death. Here, we show that, in contrast to apoptosis, the induction of necrosis does not lead to the shut down of protein synthesis. The rapid drop in protein synthesis observed in apoptosis correlates with caspase-dependent breakdown of eukaryotic translation initiation factor (eIF) 4G, activation of the double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase PKR, and phosphorylation of its substrate eIF2-alpha. In necrosis induced by tumor necrosis factor, double-stranded RNA, or viral infection, de novo protein synthesis persists and 28S ribosomal RNA fragmentation, eIF2-alpha phosphorylation, and proteolytic activation of PKR are absent. Collectively, these results show that, in contrast to apoptotic cells, necrotic dying cells retain the opportunity to synthesize proteins.

Apoptosis↗

Peripheral deletion after bone marrow transplantation with costimulatory blockade has features of both activation-induced cell death and passive cell death.

Two major pathways of death of previously activated T cells have been described: activation-induced cell death can be triggered by restimulating activated T cells with high concentrations of Ag, is Fas-dependent, is not influenced by proteins of the Bcl family, and is blocked by cyclosporin A; in contrast, passive cell death is induced by the withdrawal of growth factors and activation stimuli, is Fas-independent, and is blocked by Bcl family proteins. We examined the role of these two forms of cell death in the peripheral deletion of donor-reactive host T cells after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation and costimulatory blockade with anti-CD154 plus CTLA4Ig in two murine models. The substantial decline in donor-reactive CD4 cells seen in wild-type recipients 1 wk after bone marrow transplantation with costimulatory blockade was largely inhibited in Fas-deficient recipients and in Bcl-x(L)-transgenic recipients. We observed these effects both in a model involving low-dose total body irradiation and a conventional dose of bone marrow, and in a radiation-free regimen using high-dose bone marrow transplantation. Furthermore, cyclosporin A did not completely block the deletion of donor-reactive CD4(+) T cells in recipients of bone marrow transplantation with costimulatory blockade. Thus, the deletion of donor-reactive T cells occurring early after bone marrow transplantation with costimulatory blockade has features of both activation-induced cell death and passive cell death. Furthermore, these in vivo data demonstrate for the first time the significance of in vitro results indicating that proteins of the Bcl family can prevent Fas-mediated apoptosis under certain circumstances.

Abatacept↗

Evidence for soluble factors regulating cell death and cell proliferation in primary cultures of rabbit endometrial cells grown on collagen.

Primary cultures of rabbit endometrial cells grown on collagen substrates exhibit cyclic changes in DNA content throughout extended periods of culture. These cycles are characterized by periods of significant increases and decreases in the DNA content of the cultures or number of cells present, yet through the entire duration of culture there is no net change in the total DNA. The rates of cell proliferation and cell death change through time in culture with the same periodicity as the changes in DNA. Neither changes in the rate of cell proliferation nor the rate of cell death alone are sufficient to account for the changes in DNA. Rather, there appears to be a feedback mechanism operating between cell proliferation and cell death such that when one increases, the other increases concomitantly in order to maintain a homeostasis in total culture mass. This homeostasis appears to be mediated by a soluble cell proliferation factor (CPF) and a cell death factor (CDF) produced by the cells. CPF and CDF may be obtained from either conditioned media or cultured cell extracts. These biological activities are heat and trypsin sensitive. The major mode of cell death in these cultures appears to be apoptosis or programmed cell death, characteristic of renewing epithelia. The data suggest that this tissue culture model system represents a renewing cell population containing stem cells and their progeny, whose total growth is strictly regulated by CPF and CDF. As such, it provides a model system in which to study homeostasis and how it may be altered in hyperplasia and neoplasia, as well as its regulation by hormones.

Animals↗

The shape of cell death.

Cell death, a scheduled event during development and tissue turnover, or the ultimate consequence of toxic or pathologic insults seems to involve a relatively limited number of execution pathways. This reflects the evolution of an organized sequence of events perhaps converging onto final common pathways that are used to dispose of unwanted or injured cells. In many cases, the ordered execution of this internal death program leads to typical morphological and biochemical changes that have been termed apoptosis. Apoptosis, often equated with developmental or programmed cell death, has been opposed to unscheduled or accidental cell lysis/necrosis. However, increasing evidence suggests that the two forms of cell demise share similar characteristics, at least in the signaling and early progression phase. Recent studies have shown that, when the intensity of the insult is very high and/or when ATP generation is deficient, cells fail to execute the ordered changes ensuing in apoptosis. Then cell lysis/necrosis supervenes before the processes leading to nuclear condensation and exposure of surface molecules can be completed. Thus, apoptosis and necrosis seem to represent only different shapes of cell demise, resulting from a more or less complete execution of the internal death program.

Animals↗

Regulation of cell death and cell survival gene expression during ovarian follicular development and atresia.

Mammalian ovarian follicular development and atresia is closely regulated by the cross talk of cell death and cell survival signals, which include endocrine hormones (gonadotropins) and intra-ovarian regulators (gonadal steroids, cytokines and growth factors). The fate of the follicle is dependent on a delicate balance in the expression and actions of factors promoting follicular cell proliferation, growth and differentiation and of those inducing programmed cell death (apoptosis). As an important endocrine hormone, FSH binds to its granulosa cell receptors and promotes ovarian follicle survival and growth not only by stimulating proliferation and estradiol secretion of these cells, but also inhibiting the apoptosis by up-regulating the expression of intracellular anti-apoptotic proteins, such as XIAP and FLIP. In addition, intra-ovarian regulators, such as TGF-alpha and TNF-alpha, also play an important role in the control of follicular development and atresia. In response to FSH, Estradiol-17 beta synthesized from the granulosa cells stimulates thecal expression of TGF-alpha, which in turn increases granulosa cell XIAP expression and proliferation. The death receptor and ligand, Fas and Fas ligand, are expressed in granulosa cells following gonadotropin withdrawal, culminating in caspase-mediated apoptosis and follicular atresia. In contrast, TNF-alpha has both survival and pro-apoptotic function in the follicle, depending on the receptor subtype activated, but has been shown to promote granulosa cell survival by increasing XIAP and FLIP expression via the IkappaB-NFkappaB pathway. The pro-apoptotic action of TNF-alpha is mediated through the activation of caspases, via its receptor- (i.e. Caspases-8 and -3) and mitochrondria- (i.e. Caspase-9 and -3) death pathways. In the present manuscript, we have reviewed the actions and interactions of gonadotropins and intra-ovarian regulators in the control of granulosa cell fate and ultimately follicular destiny. We have highlighted the role and regulation of granulosa cell XIAP and FLIP expression, as well as their interactions with the death signaling pathways in the maintenance of granulosa cell survival during follicular development. We have provided strong evidence for these intracellular survival factors as key determinants for ovarian follicular destiny (growth versus atresia), the expression of which is regulated by a highly integrated endocrine, paracrine and autocrine mechanism. Further studies in these aspects will lead to a better understanding of the molecular and cellular regulation of follicular development and atresia, and provide invaluable insight into novel strategies in assisted reproduction in human infertility as well as in increasing reproductive efficiency in livestock industries.

Animals↗

Cell death and cell protection genes determine the fate of pistils in maize.

The formation of unisexual flowers in maize requires the selective elimination and sexual maturation of floral organs in an initially bisexual floral meristem. Elimination of pistil primordia occurs in the primary and secondary florets of the tassel spikelets, and in the secondary florets of ear spikelets. Ill-fated pistil cells undergo a cell death process associated with nuclear degeneration in a specific spatial-temporal pattern that begins in the subepidermis, eventually aborting the entire organ. The sex determination genes tasselseed1 and tasselseed2 are required for death of pistil cells. tasselseed1 is required for the accumulation of TASSELSEED2 mRNA in pistil cells. All pistil primordia express TASSELSEED2 RNA but functional pistils found in ear spikelets are protected from cell death by the action of the silkless1 gene. silkless1 blocks tasselseed-induced cell death in the pistil primordia of primary ear florets. A model is proposed for the control of pistil fate by the action of the ts1-ts2-sk1 pathway.

Cell Death↗

Activation of K+ channels: an essential pathway in programmed cell death.

Cell apoptosis and proliferation are two counterparts in sharing the responsibility for maintaining normal tissue homeostasis. In recent years, the process of the programmed cell death has gained much interest because of its influence on malignant cell growth and other pathological states. Apoptosis is characterized by a distinct series of morphological and biochemical changes that result in cell shrinkage, DNA breakdown, and, ultimately, phagocytic death. Diverse external and internal stimuli trigger apoptosis, and enhanced K+ efflux has been shown to be an essential mediator of not only early apoptotic cell shrinkage, but also of downstream caspase activation and DNA fragmentation. The goal of this review is to discuss the role(s) played by K+ transport or flux across the plasma membrane in the regulation of the apoptotic volume decrease and apoptosis. Attention has also been paid to the role of inner mitochondrial membrane ion transport in the regulation of mitochondrial permeability and apoptosis. We provide specific examples of how deregulation of the apoptotic process contributes to pulmonary arterial medial hypertrophy, a major pathological feature in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension. Finally, we discuss the targeting of K+ channels as a potential therapeutic tool in modulating apoptosis to maintain the balance between cell proliferation and cell death that is essential to the normal development and function of an organism.

Animals↗