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PubMed1994

Basic fibroblast growth factor protects endothelial cells against radiation-induced programmed cell death in vitro and in vivo.

Apoptosis (programmed cell death) serves as a common mechanism of interphase cell death after radiation exposure in thymic, lymphoid, and hematopoietic cells but has infrequently been documented in other adult mammalian cell types. The present study demonstrates that apoptotic interphase cell death occurs in endothelial cells after exposure to clinically relevant radiation doses and that basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) protects endothelial cells against this mode of the lethal effects of radiation. Radiation exposure produced heterologous double-stranded DNA breaks in endothelial cells, but the cells exhibited a similar competence for repair of this damage in the presence or absence of bFGF. However, subsequent to the completion of this repair process, a second process of DNA fragmentation became apparent, which was detected only in the absence of bFGF and was associated with a DNA ladder of oligonucleosomal fragments characteristic of apoptosis. The apoptotic DNA degradation occurred mainly in G0-G1 phase cells and was inhibited by bFGF stimulation. C3H/HeJ mice exposed to lethal doses of whole lung irradiation exhibited similar apoptotic changes in the endothelial cell lining of the pulmonary microvasculature within 6-8 h after radiation exposure. bFGF given i.v. immediately before and after irradiation inhibited the development of apoptosis in these cells and protected mice against the development of lethal radiation pneumonitis. These findings suggest that interphase apoptosis may represent a biologically relevant mechanism of radiation-induced cell kill in nonlymphoid mammalian cells both in vitro and in vivo and that natural protection mechanisms against this effect may be associated with the level of radiation resistance in normal and malignant tissues in vivo.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Diverse molecular provocation of programmed cell death.

The experimental study and manipulation of programmed cell death has been greatly assisted by the identification of genetic and pharmacological tools that can either induce or block cell lethality. This review discusses new insights into the molecular sensing of perturbations induced by such tools, as well as the possible consequences of this detection in determining cell survival.

Amyloid↗
PubMed1999

Imaging of apoptosis (programmed cell death) with 99mTc annexin V.

UNLABELLED: Apoptosis (programmed cell death) is a critical element in normal physiology and in many disease processes. Phosphatidylserine (PS), one component of cell membrane phospholipids, is normally confined to the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane. Early in the course of apoptosis, this phospholipid is rapidly exposed on the cell's outer surface. Annexin V, an endogenous human protein, has a high affinity for membrane-bound PS. This protein has been labeled with fluorescein and has been used to detect apoptosis in vitro. We describe the use of radiolabeled annexin V to detect apoptosis in vivo. The results are compared to histologic and flow cytometric methods to identify cells and tissues undergoing apoptosis. METHODS: Annexin V was coupled to hydrazinonicotinamide (HYNIC) and radiolabeled with 99mTc. Bioreactivity of 99mTc-HYNIC annexin V was compared with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled annexin V in cultures of Jurkat T-cell lymphoblasts and in ex vivo thymic cell suspensions undergoing apoptosis in response to different stimuli. In addition, the uptake of FITC annexin V and 99mTc-HYNIC annexin V was studied in heat-treated necrotic Jurkat T-cell cultures. In vivo localization of annexin V was studied in Balb/c mice injected with 99mTc-HYNIC annexin V before and after induction of Fas-mediated hepatocyte apoptosis with intravenously administered antiFas antibody. RESULTS: Membrane-bound radiolabeled annexin V activity linearly correlated to total fluorescence as observed by FITC annexin V flow cytometry in Jurkat T-cell cultures induced to undergo apoptosis in response to growth factor deprivation (N = 10, r2 = 0.987), antiFas antibody (N = 8, r2 = 0.836) and doxorubicin (N = 10, r2 = 0.804); and in ex vivo experiments on thymic cell suspensions with dexamethasone-induced apoptosis from Balb/c mice (N = 6, r2 = 0.989). Necrotic Jurkat T-cell cultures also demonstrated marked increases in radiopharmaceutical (4000-5000-fold) above control values. AntiFas antibody-treated Balb/c mice (N = 6) demonstrated a three-fold rise in hepatic uptake of annexin V (P < 0.0005) above control (N = 10), identified both by imaging and scintillation well counting. The increase in hepatic uptake in antiFas antibody-treated mice correlated to histologic evidence of fulminant hepatic apoptosis. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that 99mTc-HYNIC annexin V can be used to image apoptotic and necrotic cell death in vivo.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

The WNT antagonist cSFRP2 modulates programmed cell death in the developing hindbrain.

In the avian hindbrain, the loss of premigratory neural crest cells from rhombomeres 3 and 5 (r3, r5) through programmed cell death contributes to the patterning of emigrant crest cells into three discrete streams. Programmed cell death is induced by the upregulation of Bmp4 and Msx2 in r3 and r5. We show that cSFRP2, a WNT antagonist, is expressed in the even-numbered rhombomeres and that over-expression of cSfrp2 inhibits Bmp4 expression in r3 and r5, preventing programmed cell death. By contrast, depleting cSFRP2 function in r4 results in elevated levels of Msx2 expression and ectopic programmed cell death, as does overexpression of Wnt1. We propose that programmed cell death in the rhombencephalic neural crest is modulated by pre-patterned cSfrp2 expression and a WNT-BMP signalling loop.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Regulation of programmed cell death in maize endosperm by abscisic acid.

Cereal endosperm undergoes programmed cell death (PCD) during its development, a process that is controlled, in part, by ethylene. Whether other hormones influence endosperm PCD has not been investigated. Abscisic acid (ABA) plays an essential role during late seed development that enables an embryo to survive desiccation. To examine whether ABA is also involved in regulating the onset of PCD during endosperm development, we have used genetic and biochemical means to disrupt ABA biosynthesis or perception during maize kernel development. The onset and progression of cell death, as determined by viability staining and the appearance of internucleosomal DNA fragmentation, was accelerated in developing endosperm of ABA-insensitive vp1 and ABA-deficient vp9 mutants. Ethylene was synthesized in vp1 and vp9 mutant kernels at levels that were 2-4-fold higher than in wild-type kernels. Moreover, the increase and timing of ethylene production correlated with the premature onset and accelerated progression of internucleosomal fragmentation in these mutants. Treatment of developing wild-type endosperm with fluridone, an inhibitor of ABA biosynthesis, recapitulated the increase in ethylene production and accelerated execution of the PCD program that was observed in the ABA mutant kernels. These data suggest that a balance between ABA and ethylene establishes the appropriate onset and progression of programmed cell death during maize endosperm development.

Abscisic Acid↗
PubMed2003

Morphological evidence that salivary gland degeneration in the American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis (Say), involves programmed cell death.

During the preoviposition and oviposition periods of ixodid ticks, the salivary glands degenerate. It is unclear whether this is a necrotic or a programmed cell death event. We used an in situ TUNEL technique to determine if salivary gland degeneration involves apoptosis. Salivary glands were dissected from replete females at days 3, 5, 8, 11, 13, and 33 post-detachment. There were no differences in tick weight at detachment, suggesting that changes were not due to engorgement abnormalities. The onset of apoptosis began at day 5 and continued through oviposition at day 33. The greatest amount of nuclei containing fragmented DNA was observed on day 8 post-detachment, suggesting this was the peak occurrence of programmed cell death. Further, the temporal organization of programmed cell death suggests that the granule-secreting acini undergo apoptosis first, and that during the first week of oviposition the type I acini do not exhibit programmed cell death. These data suggest that the type I acini may still function in maintaining off-host hydration state of ovipositing females. These data provide morphological evidence that salivary gland degeneration involves a temporal programmed cell death event.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Genetics of programmed cell death in C. elegans: past, present and future.

Genetic studies of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans have defined a variety of single-gene mutations that have specific effects on programmed cell death. Analyses of the genes defined by these mutations have revealed that cell death is an active process that requires gene function in cells that die. Specific genes are required not only to cause cell death but also to protect cells from dying. Gene interaction studies have defined a genetic pathway for the execution phase of programmed cell death in C. elegans. Molecular and biochemical findings are consistent with the pathway proposed from these genetic studies and have also revealed that the protein products of certain cell-death genes interact directly. This pathway appears to be conserved among organisms as diverse as nematodes and humans. Important questions remain to be answered about programmed cell death in C. elegans. For example, how does a cell decide to die? How is cell death initiated? What are the mechanisms of action of the cell-death protector and killer genes? What genes lie downstream of the cell-death execution pathway? The conservation of the central cell-death pathway suggests that additional genetic analyses of programmed cell death in C. elegans will help answer these questions, not only for this nematode but also for other organisms, including ourselves.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

A Bacillus thuringiensis delta-endotoxin induces programmed cell death in mosquito larvae.

We present evidence that a delta-endotoxin isolated from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp.israelensis induces programmed cell death in polytene midgut cells of Culex pipiens larvae. After exposure to toxin, polytene nuclei in the anterior region of the larval midgut undergo many of the morphological and physiological changes which are characteristic of apoptosis, including the ability to stain with the vital dye, acridine orange, and fragmentation of nuclear DNA as demonstrated by agarose gel electrophoresis and in situ TUNEL labeling. The temporal sequence of toxin ingestion, acridine orange staining and larval death suggests a cause and effect relationship between programmed cell death and larval death. Amino sugars that interfere with toxicity also interfere with the time course of acridine orange staining of larval polytene nuclei. The toxin first causes programmed cell death of anterior midgut and gastric caeca cells and, subsequently, posterior midgut cells. This pattern is similar to the temporal sequence of larval polytene cell death that occurs during metamorphosis. From the size and distribution of the nuclei that are stained with acridine orange, it appears that only polytene midgut cells are affected by toxin and that the diploid regenerative cell are not affected.

Journal Article↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Programmed cell death in normal fetal rat lung development.

Lung development is a coordinated process regulated by the interactions of extracellular and intracellular factors, yet little is known about the process of programmed cell death during lung development. To study this question, we examined fetal rat lung from the pseudoglandular period (gestational day 15) to the day of birth (gestational day 21) using BrdU incorporation into DNA as a proliferative marker, while in parallel examining several markers of programmed cell death including terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL), DNA "laddering, " and expression of programmed cell death pathway proteins. Cell proliferation was ongoing throughout fetal days 15 to 21 with a decrease in proliferation over days 20 and 21. Programmed cell death in fetal lung also appeared to be present at all ages examined, but demonstrated 2 peaks of activity at fetal days 15 and 18 to 20. Bcl-XL expression was detected on fetal days 15 to 21, with diminished expression on days E15 to E18. Cleaved poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP), activated caspase-3, Bax, and Bad were increased on days 18 to 20. We conclude that proliferation is the primary process driving fetal lung development with programmed cell death occurring throughout the lung developmental process to refine structural remodeling.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

CHOP is implicated in programmed cell death in response to impaired function of the endoplasmic reticulum.

Cellular stress, particularly in response to toxic and metabolic insults that perturb function of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER stress), is a powerful inducer of the transcription factor CHOP. The role of CHOP in the response of cells to injury associated with ER stress was examined in a murine deficiency model obtained by homologous recombination at the chop gene. Compared with the wild type, mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) derived from chop -/- animals exhibited significantly less programmed cell death when challenged with agents that perturb ER function. A similar deficit in programmed cells death in response to ER stress was also observed in MEFs that lack CHOP's major dimerization partner, C/EBPbeta, implicating the CHOP-C/EBP pathway in programmed cell death. An animal model for studying the effects of chop on the response to ER stress was developed. It entailed exposing mice with defined chop genotypes to a single sublethal intraperitoneal injection of tunicamycin and resulted in a severe illness characterized by transient renal insufficiency. In chop +/+ and chop +/- mice this was associated with the early expression of CHOP in the proximal tubules followed by the development of a histological picture similar to the human condition known as acute tubular necrosis, a process that resolved by cellular regeneration. In the chop -/- animals, in spite of the severe impairment in renal function, evidence of cellular death in the kidney was reduced compared with the wild type. The proximal tubule epithelium of chop -/- animals exhibited fourfold lower levels of TUNEL-positive cells (a marker for programmed cell death), and significantly less evidence for subsequent regeneration. CHOP therefore has a role in the induction of cell death under conditions associated with malfunction of the ER and may also have a role in cellular regeneration under such circumstances.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Long-term treatment of anterior pituitary cells with nitric oxide induces programmed cell death.

Nitric oxide (NO) plays a complex role in modulating programmed cell death. It can either protect the cell from apoptotic death or mediate apoptosis, depending on its concentration and the cell type and/or status. In this study, we demonstrate that long-term exposition to NO induces cell death of anterior pituitary cells from Wistar female rats. DETA NONOate (Z)-1-[2-(2-aminoethyl)-N-(2-ammonioethyl)amino]diazen-1-ium-1,2-diolate, 1 mm], a NO donor that releases NO for an extended period of time, decreased cellular viability and prolactin release from primary cultures of anterior pituitary cells. Morphological studies showed an increase in the number of cells with chromatin condensation and nuclear fragmentation at 24 and 48 h after DETA/NO exposure. DNA internucleosomal fragmentation was also observed at the same time. Reversibility of the NO effect on cellular viability and prolactin release was observed only when the cells were incubated with DETA/NO for less than 6 h. Most apoptotic cells were immunopositive for prolactin, suggesting a high susceptibility of lactotrophs to the effect of NO. The cytotoxic effect of NO is dependent of caspase-9 and caspase-3, but seems to be independent of oxidative stress or nitrosative stress. Our results show that the exposition of anterior pituitary cells to NO for long periods induces programmed cell death of anterior pituitary cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Role of programmed cell death in the aging process: an unexplored possibility.

The possibility of cell death being a programmed event under neuroendocrine control during aging is discussed. Physiological cell death is currently regarded as a built-in cellular mechanism which can be triggered by extracellular signals. The term 'programmed cell death' is employed when these signals are involved in developmental or adaptive processes. Programmed cell death has a wide incidence throughout the animal kingdom, both during development and reproduction. Consequently, the involvement of such a basic cellular process in aging appears as a plausible possibility. The neuroendocrine system best qualifies as the potential regulator of cell death during aging. First, it is the major regulator of homeostasis and developmental processes in higher organisms. Second, in many instances physiological cell death has been shown to be under control of the neuroendocrine system during development and reproduction. Finally, this system is implied in the decline of several physiological functions during aging. The above considerations point to this unexplored topic as a promising avenue of gerontological research.

Aging↗
PubMed1996

Cathepsin D protease mediates programmed cell death induced by interferon-gamma, Fas/APO-1 and TNF-alpha.

A functional approach of gene cloning was applied to HeLa cells in an attempt to isolate positive mediators of programmed cell death. The approach was based on random inactivation of genes by transfections with antisense cDNA expression libraries, followed by the selection of cells that survived in the presence of the external apoptotic stimulus. An antisense cDNA fragment identical to human cathepsin D aspartic protease was rescued by this positive selection. The high cathepsin D antisense RNA levels protected the HeLa cells from interferon-gamma- and Fas/APO-1-induced death. Pepstatin A, an inhibitor of cathepsin D, suppressed cell death in these systems and interfered with the TNF-alpha-induced programmed cell death of U937 cells as well. During cell death, expression of cathepsin D was elevated and processing of the protein was affected, which resulted in high steady-state levels of an intermediate, proteolytically active, single chain form of this protease. Overexpression of cathepsin D by ectopic expression induced cell death in the absence of any external stimulus. Altogether, these results suggest that this well-known endoprotease plays an active role in cytokine-induced programmed cell death, thus adding cathepsin D to the growing list of proteases that function as positive mediators of apoptosis.

Apoptosis↗
PubMed1993

Evidence for programmed cell death of self-reactive gamma delta T cell receptor-positive thymocytes.

The negative selection of T cells expressing the gamma delta T cell antigen receptor (gamma delta T cells) was studied using transgenic mice expressing a gamma delta receptor with specificity for an H-2T-linked class I major histocompatibility complex molecule from H-2b mice. The potentially self-reactive gamma delta thymocytes in H-2b/d transgenic mice are larger and have lower levels of gamma delta T cell receptor expression than gamma delta thymocytes from H-2d mice. H-2b/d gamma delta thymocytes do not respond to H-2b antigen-presenting cells, and thus are inactive compared to H-2d gamma delta thymocytes. However, the H-2b/d gamma delta thymocyte population, but not the H-2d gamma delta thymocyte population, undergoes a high rate of programmed cell death when placed in overnight culture. These observations constitute the first direct evidence that self-reactive gamma delta thymocytes undergo programmed cell death. This in vitro programmed cell death of self-reactive gamma delta thymocytes may reflect the clonal deletion process that results in a depletion of gamma delta T cells in the peripheral lymphoid organs of adult H-2b/d mice. We also present evidence that self-reactive gamma delta T cells, similarly to alpha beta T cells, undergo a lesser degree of clonal deletion in neonatal mice compared to adult mice.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Distribution of TNF alpha-like proteins correlates with some regions of programmed cell death in the chick embryo.

Early chick embryos have previously been shown to express tumor necrosis factor-alpha-cross-reactive proteins (TNF alpha-CRPs) in a developmentally regulated manner, thus implicating these proteins in programmed cell death and in tissue remodeling. In this study, cells undergoing DNA fragmentation have been identified, using terminal deoxynucleotide transferase (TdT) mediated dUTP-biotin nick-end-labeling (TUNEL), during the embryonic development of the chick, between stages 18 and 29. DNA fragmentation is indicative of cells undergoing programmed cell death. TUNEL-positive cells were identified in several well documented areas of programmed cell death, including the limb buds, the heart, spinal motoneurons, dorsal root ganglia, and the ventral horn of the neural tube. In addition, other areas of cell death were identified including the floor plate and the mesonephros. In several locations, a close correlation was noted between the presence of TUNEL-positive cells and regions of TNF alpha-immunoreactivity. These regions included the ventral horn and marginal zone of the neural tube, spinal motoneurons, paravertebral ganglia, parts of the myotome, mesenchyme of the body wall, and the mesonephros. In addition, using the TNF alpha-sensitive L929-8 bioassay it was shown that homogenate of stage 18 chick embryos is cytotoxic to L929-8 cells and that this toxicity can be reduced using neutralizing antibodies to mouse TNF alpha. This bioassay allowed us to estimate the mean concentration of TNF alpha-like activity in embryo homogenate, which is within the range of physiological (pg/ml) levels of TNF alpha found in other systems. These results suggest that proteins with TNF alpha-like activity may have a role in programmed cell death in some tissues during early chick embryo development.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Metabolite changes in BT4C rat gliomas undergoing ganciclovir-thymidine kinase gene therapy-induced programmed cell death as studied by 1H NMR spectroscopy in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro.

Programmed cell death was induced by HSV-tk gene therapy in rat BT4C glioma cells, and metabolite changes associated with cell damage were monitored in vivo by 1H NMR spectroscopy and ex vivo by high resolution magic angle spinning (HRMAS) 1H NMR, and in vitro in perchloric acid extracts of tumors. Metabolite concentrations, as quantified in vivo using water as an internal reference and in vitro in extracts, were correlated with cell density. The results showed that both in vivo and in vitro glycine and creatine concentrations followed volume-averaged cell density, whereas that of total choline-containing compounds was unaffected by a cell loss approaching 60%. Meanwhile, both saturated and unsaturated 1H NMR visible lipids increased. HRMAS 1H NMR spectroscopy of the tumor samples at 14.1 tesla demonstrated the presence of nucleotide peaks from adenosine and uridine nucleotides in glioma samples ex vivo. The assignment of a doublet at 7.95 ppm to UDP was confirmed by spiking experiments of tumor extracts in conjunction with 1H and 31P NMR spectroscopy. HRMAS also resolved the choline-containing peak at 3.2 ppm in vivo into resonances from choline (3.20 ppm), phosphocholine (3.22 ppm), glycerophosphocholine (3.24 ppm), and taurine (3.26 ppm). These resonances were uncorrelated with temporal progression through programmed cell death. Our results show that 1H NMR-detected lipids and some of the small molecular weight metabolites respond to gene therapy. However, the choline-containing compounds are unaffected by severe decline in cell density. The latter observation supports the idea that triacylglycerols, rather than membrane phospholipids, are the key components of 1H NMR visible lipids, and it also casts doubt on the validity of resonance of choline-containing compounds as a diagnostic marker of programmed cell death in vivo.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

NO way back: nitric oxide and programmed cell death in Arabidopsis thaliana suspension cultures.

Recent research has implicated nitric oxide (NO) in the induction of the hypersensitive response (HR) during plant-pathogen interactions. Here we demonstrate that Arabidopsis suspension cultures generate elevated levels of NO in response to challenge by avirulent bacteria, and, using NO donors, show that these elevated levels of NO are sufficient to induce cell death in Arabidopsis cells independently of reactive oxygen species (ROS). We also provide evidence that NO-induced cell death is a form of programmed cell death (PCD), requiring gene expression, and has a number of characteristics of PCD of mammalian cells: NO induced chromatin condensation and caspase-like activity in Arabidopsis cells, while the caspase-1 inhibitor, Ac-YVAD-CMK, blocked NO-induced cell death. A well-established second messenger mediating NO responses in mammalian cells is cGMP, produced by the enzyme guanylate cyclase. A specific inhibitor of guanylate cyclase blocked NO-induced cell death in Arabidopsis cells, and this inhibition was reversed by the cell-permeable cGMP analogue, 8Br-cGMP, although 8Br-cGMP alone did not induce cell death or potentiate NO-induced cell death. This suggests that cGMP synthesis is required but not sufficient for NO-induced cell death in Arabidopsis. In-gel protein kinase assays showed that NO activates a potential mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), although a specific inhibitor of mammalian MAPK activation, PD98059, which blocked H2O2-induced cell death, did not inhibit the effects of NO.

Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones↗
PubMed2003

[Histological observation on programmed cell death in wheat--leaf rust fungus intreactioin].

The ultrastructural features of mesophyll cell surrounding the fungus in different interaction between wheat and Puccinia recondita f. sp tritici were observed with transmission electron microscopy. In incompatible combination(cv. lorvin 10 x race 162), the nuclei gradually became irregular with highly condensed chromatin towards the nuclear envelope, while the chloroplast became swelling since 12 h to 24 h after inoculation(a.i.). At 48 h a.i., the condensation of the chromatin became more prominent and the chloroplast began to disintegrate. Finally, when some mitochondria started to degrade at 72 h a.i., the nuclei and the chloroplast became disruption completely. During the process, endoplasmic reticulum and vesicles did play a vital role in the further degeneration of other organelles and protoplasmic components just similar to the lysosome acting in the animal cells. These results suggest that the ultrastructural feature of cell death is a form of programmed cell death (PCD). In compatible combination (cv. lorvin 10 x race 165), ultrastructural of mesophyll cell exhibited different features from incompatible combination. At 24 h a.i., the plasmic membrane showed sunken and the chloroplast slightly exhibited swelling. Since 48 h to 72 h a.i., most of the swelling chloroplasts were observed while the other organelles still remained unaltered. At the same time, the hypha and haustorium mother cell in the intracellular space also could be observed.

Apoptosis↗