Vicente A. Torres

Caspase-dependent initiation of apoptosis and necrosis by the Fas receptor in lymphoid cells: onset of necrosis is associated with delayed ceramide increase

Engagement of the Fas receptor promotes apoptosis by activation of caspases. In addition, alterations in plasma membrane lipid orientation and intracellular ceramide levels are often observed. In A20 B-lymphoma cells, FasL-induced cell death and phosphatidylserine (PS) externalization were completely prevented by the generic caspase inhibitor z-VAD-fmk. By contrast, the caspase-3 inhibitor Ac-DEVD-cho only partially restored cell viability and had no effect on surface exposure of PS. Flow cytometric analysis after FasL treatment identified two populations of dead cells. In one, death was dependent on caspase-3 and paralleled by DNA fragmentation and cell shrinkage. In the second, death occurred in the absence of caspase-3 activity and apoptotic features but was also blocked by zVAD-fmk. By morphological criteria these were identified as apoptotic and necrotic cells, respectively. Using fluorescent substrates, caspase-3 activity was detected only in the apoptotic cell population, whereas caspase-8 activity was detected in both. Both forms of caspase-8-dependent cell death were also detected downstream of Fas in Jurkat T-cells, where Fas-dependent PS externalization and delayed ceramide production, which is similar to results shown here in A20 cells, have been reported. However, for Raji B-cells, lacking lipid scrambling and ceramide production in response to Fas activation, only apoptosis was detected. Short-chain C2- or C6-ceramides, but not the respective inactive dihydro compounds or treatment with bacterial sphingomyelinase, induced predominantly necrotic rather than apoptotic cell death in A20 B-, Raji B- and Jurkat T-cells. Thus, delayed elevation of ceramide is proposed to promote necrosis in those Fas-stimulated cells where caspase-8 activation was insufficient to trigger caspase-3-dependent apoptosis.

Caveolin-1: an ambiguous partner in cell signalling and cancer.

•  Introduction •  The caveolins •  Caveolin‐1 in cell physiology ‐  Caveolin‐1 distribution ‐  Caveolin‐1 and internalization ‐  Caveolin‐1 and cholesterol ‐  Regulation of caveolin‐1 expression ‐  Caveolin‐1 in signal transduction ‐  Alternative mechanisms of caveolin‐1‐mediated control in signalling ‐  Control of transcription ‐  Other modes of control ‐  Cell proliferation ‐  Cell death and apoptosis •  Caveolin‐1 in cancer ‐  The tumour suppressor hypothesis ‐  Caveolin‐1 in multi‐drug resistance and metastasis •  Concluding remarks

Casein kinase 2 (CK2) increases survivin expression via enhanced β-catenin–T cell factor/lymphoid enhancer binding factor-dependent transcription

Increased expression of casein kinase 2 (CK2) is associated with hyperproliferation and suppression of apoptosis in cancer. Mutations in the tumor suppressor APC (adenomatous polyposis coli) are frequent in colon cancer and often augment β-catenin–T cell factor (Tcf)/lymphoid enhancer binding factor (Lef)-dependent transcription of genes such as c-myc and cyclin-D1. CK2 has also been implicated recently in the regulation of β-catenin stability. To identify mechanisms by which CK2 promotes survival, effects of the specific CK2 inhibitors 4,5,6,7-tetrabromobenzotriazole (TBB) and 2-dimethylamino-4,5,6,7-tetrabromo-1H-benzimidazole were assessed. TBB and 2-dimethylamino-4,5,6,7-tetrabromo-1H-benzimidazole significantly decreased proliferation and increased apoptosis of HT29(US) colon cancer cells. RT-PCR and immunoblot analysis revealed that both inhibitors decreased survivin mRNA and protein levels in HT29(US) cells. Similar effects were observed with TBB in human DLD-1 and SW-480 colorectal cells as well as ZR-75 breast cancer cells and HEK-293T embryonic kidney cells. Expression of GFP–CK2α in HEK-293T cells resulted in β-catenin–Tcf/Lef-dependent up-regulation of survivin and increased resistance to anticancer drugs. Augmented β-catenin–Tcf/Lef-dependent transcription and resistance to apoptosis observed upon GFP–CK2α expression were abolished by TBB. Alternatively, HEK-293T cells expressing GFP–survivin were resistant to TBB-induced apoptosis. Finally, siRNA-mediated down-regulation of CK2α in HEK-293T cells coincided with reduced β-catenin and survivin levels. Taken together, these results suggest that CK2 kinase activity promotes survival by increasing survivin expression via β-catenin–Tcf/Lef-mediated transcription. Hence, selective CK2 inhibition or down-regulation in tumors may provide an attractive opportunity for the development of novel cancer therapies.

Caveolin-1 controls cell proliferation and cell death by suppressing expression of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein survivin

Caveolin-1 is suggested to act as a tumor suppressor. We tested the hypothesis that caveolin-1 does so by repression of survivin, an Inhibitor of apoptosis protein that regulates cell-cycle progression as well as apoptosis and is commonly overexpressed in human cancers. Ectopic expression of caveolin-1 in HEK293T and ZR75 cells or siRNA-mediated silencing of caveolin-1 in NIH3T3 cells caused downregulation or upregulation of survivin mRNA and protein, respectively. Survivin downregulation in HEK293T cells was paralleled by reduced cell proliferation, increases in G0-G1 and decreases in G2-M phase of the cell cycle. In addition, apoptosis was evident, as judged by several criteria. Importantly, expression of green fluorescent protein-survivin in caveolin-1-transfected HEK293T cells restored cell proliferation and viability. In addition, expression of caveolin-1 inhibited transcriptional activity of a survivin promoter construct in a β-catenin-Tcf/Lef-dependent manner. Furthermore, in HEK293T cells caveolin-1 associated with β-catenin and inhibited Tcf/Lef-dependent transcription. Similar results were obtained upon caveolin-1 expression in DLD1 cells, where APC mutation leads to constitutive activation of β-catenin-Tcf/Lef-mediated transcription of survivin. Taken together, these results suggest that anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic properties of caveolin-1 may be attributed to reduced survivin expression via a mechanism involving diminished β-catenin-Tcf/Lef-dependent transcription.

Caspase-8 association with the focal adhesion complex promotes tumor cell migration and metastasis.

Caspase-8 is a proapoptotic protease that suppresses neuroblastoma metastasis by inducing programmed cell death. Paradoxically, caspase-8 can also promote cell migration among nonapoptotic cells; here, we show that caspase-8 can promote metastasis when apoptosis is compromised. Migration is enhanced by caspase-8 recruitment to the cellular migration machinery following integrin ligation. Caspase-8 catalytic activity is not required for caspase-8-enhanced cell migration; rather, caspase-8 interacts with a multiprotein complex that can include focal adhesion kinase and calpain 2 (CPN2), enhancing cleavage of focal adhesion substrates and cell migration. Caspase-8 association with CPN2/calpastatin disrupts calpastatin-mediated inhibition of CPN2. In vivo, knockdown of either caspase-8 or CPN2 disrupts metastasis among apoptosis-resistant tumors. This unexpected molecular collaboration provides an explanation for the continued or elevated expression of caspase-8 observed in many tumors.

E-Cadherin Is Required for Caveolin-1-Mediated Down-Regulation of the Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein Survivin via Reduced β-Catenin-Tcf/Lef-Dependent Transcription

ABSTRACT Caveolin-1 reportedly acts as a tumor suppressor and promotes events associated with tumor progression, including metastasis. The molecular mechanisms underlying such radical differences in function are not understood. Recently, we showed that caveolin-1 inhibits expression of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein survivin via a transcriptional mechanism involving the β-catenin-Tcf/Lef pathway. Surprisingly, while caveolin-1 expression decreased survivin mRNA and protein levels in HT29(ATCC) human colon cancer cells, this was not the case in metastatic HT29(US) cells. Survivin down-regulation was paralleled by coimmunoprecipitation and colocalization of caveolin-1 with β-catenin in HT29(ATCC) but not HT29(US) cells. Unlike HT29(ATCC) cells, HT29(US) cells expressed small amounts of E-cadherin that accumulated in intracellular patches rather than at the cell surface. Re-expression of E-cadherin in HT29(US) cells restored the ability of caveolin-1 to down-regulate β-catenin-Tcf/Lef-dependent transcription and survivin expression, as seen in HT29(ATCC) cells. In addition, coimmunoprecipitation and colocalization between caveolin-1 and β-catenin increased upon E-cadherin expression in HT29(US) cells. In human embryonic kidney HEK293T and HT29(US) cells, caveolin-1 and E-cadherin cooperated in suppressing β-catenin-Tcf/Lef-dependent transcription as well as survivin expression. Finally, mouse melanoma B16-F10 cells, another metastatic cell model with low endogenous caveolin-1 and E-cadherin levels, were characterized. In these cells, caveolin-1-mediated down-regulation of survivin in the presence of E-cadherin coincided with increased apoptosis. Thus, the absence of E-cadherin severely compromises the ability of caveolin-1 to develop activities potentially relevant to its role as a tumor suppressor.

The marine lipopeptide somocystinamide A triggers apoptosis via caspase 8

Screening for novel anticancer drugs in chemical libraries isolated from marine organisms, we identified the lipopeptide somocystinamide A (ScA) as a pluripotent inhibitor of angiogenesis and tumor cell proliferation. The antiproliferative activity was largely attributable to induction of programmed cell death. Sensitivity to ScA was significantly increased among cells expressing caspase 8, whereas siRNA knockdown of caspase 8 increased survival after exposure to ScA. ScA rapidly and efficiently partitioned into liposomes while retaining full antiproliferative activity. Consistent with the induction of apoptosis via the lipid compartment, we noted accumulation and aggregation of ceramide in treated cells and subsequent colocalization with caspase 8. Angiogenic endothelial cells were extremely sensitive to ScA. Picomolar concentrations of ScA disrupted proliferation and endothelial tubule formation in vitro. Systemic treatment of zebrafish or local treatment of the chick chorioallantoic membrane with ScA resulted in dose-dependent inhibition of angiogenesis, whereas topical treatment blocked tumor growth among caspase-8-expressing tumors. Together, the results reveal an unexpected mechanism of action for this unique lipopeptide and suggest future development of this and similar agents as antiangiogenesis and anticancer drugs.

Caveolin-1–mediated Suppression of Cyclooxygenase-2 via a β-catenin-Tcf/Lef–dependent Transcriptional Mechanism Reduced Prostaglandin E2 Production and Survivin Expression

Augmented expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and enhanced production of prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) are associated with increased tumor cell survival and malignancy. Caveolin-1 is a scaffold protein that has been proposed to function as a tumor suppressor in human cancer cells, although mechanisms underlying this ability remain controversial. Intriguingly, the possibility that caveolin-1 regulates the expression of COX-2 has not been explored. Here we show that augmented caveolin-1 expression in cells with low basal levels of this protein, such as human colon cancer (HT29, DLD-1), breast cancer (ZR75), and embryonic kidney (HEK293T) cells reduced COX-2 mRNA and protein levels and beta-catenin-Tcf/Lef and COX-2 gene reporter activity, as well as the production of PGE(2) and cell proliferation. Moreover, COX-2 overexpression or PGE(2) supplementation increased levels of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein survivin by a transcriptional mechanism, as determined by PCR analysis, survivin gene reporter assays and Western blotting. Furthermore, addition of PGE(2) to the medium prevented effects attributed to caveolin-1-mediated inhibition of beta-catenin-Tcf/Lef-dependent transcription. Finally, PGE(2) reduced the coimmunoprecipitation of caveolin-1 with beta-catenin and their colocalization at the plasma membrane. Thus, by reducing COX-2 expression, caveolin-1 interrupts a feedback amplification loop involving PGE(2)-induced signaling events linked to beta-catenin/Tcf/Lef-dependent transcription of tumor survival genes including cox-2 itself and survivin.

Rab5 Mediates Caspase-8 Promoted Cell Motility and Metastasis

Integrins signaling promotes nonapoptotic functions of caspase-8 via activation of small GTPases from the Rab and Rac families. Integrin ligation promotes Rab5 activity, which mediates subsequent activation of Rac1, cytoskeletal remodeling, and enhanced cell motility.

Ceramide-induced formation of ROS and ATP depletion trigger necrosis in lymphoid cells

In lymphocytes, Fas activation leads to both apoptosis and necrosis, whereby the latter form of cell death is linked to delayed production of endogenous ceramide and is mimicked by exogenous administration of long- and short-chain ceramides. Here molecular events associated with noncanonical necrotic cell death downstream of ceramide were investigated in A20 B lymphoma and Jurkat T cells. Cell-permeable, C6-ceramide (C6), but not dihydro-C6-ceramide (DH-C6), induced necrosis in a time- and dose-dependent fashion. Rapid formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) within 30 min of C6 addition detected by a dihydrorhodamine fluorescence assay, as well as by electron spin resonance, was accompanied by loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. The presence of N-acetylcysteine or ROS scavengers like Tiron, but not Trolox, attenuated ceramide-induced necrosis. Alternatively, adenovirus-mediated expression of catalase in A20 cells also attenuated cell necrosis but not apoptosis. Necrotic cell death observed following C6 exposure was associated with a pronounced decrease in ATP levels and Tiron significantly delayed ATP depletion in both A20 and Jurkat cells. Thus, apoptotic and necrotic death induced by ceramide in lymphocytes occurs via distinct mechanisms. Furthermore, ceramide-induced necrotic cell death is linked here to loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, production of ROS, and intracellular ATP depletion.