DNA degradation and proteolysis in thymocyte apoptosis

Toxicology Letters
H O FearnheadG M Cohen

Abstract

Data from a number of model systems support a role for proteolysis in apoptotic cell death. Using immature rat thymocytes, we demonstrate that the protease inhibitors N-alpha-tosyl-L-lysinyl-chloromethylketone (TLCK) and benzyloxycarbonyl-valinyl-alaninyl-aspartyl fluoromethylketone (Z-VAD.FMK) inhibit apoptosis. N-tosyl-L-phenylalaninyl-chloromethylketone (TPCK) has a very different effect, inducing the early morphological and biochemical changes associated with apoptosis. TLCK inhibits trypsin-like proteases whilst Z-VAD.FMK inhibits interleukin-1 beta-converting enzyme (ICE)-like proteases; this and the contrasting effects of TPCK support the hypothesis that thymocyte apoptosis involves a hierarchy of proteases which act at different stages of the process.

References

Jan 1, 1992·Annual Review of Immunology·J J CohenK S Sellins
Jan 1, 1991·International Review of Experimental Pathology·M J Arends, A H Wyllie
Oct 15, 1986·Clinica Chimica Acta; International Journal of Clinical Chemistry·P HallR C Roberts
Dec 1, 1987·The Journal of Pathology·A H Wyllie
May 1, 1995·Trends in Biochemical Sciences·S Kumar
Apr 21, 1995·Cell·C A Beelman, R Parker
May 1, 1994·Journal of Cellular Physiology·M K SquìerJ J Cohen
Sep 1, 1993·Biochemistry and Cell Biology = Biochimie Et Biologie Cellulaire·V M WeaverM Sikorska

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Oct 14, 2003·Biochemical Pharmacology·Catherine Stenson-CoxAfshin Samali
Mar 10, 2000·European Journal of Pharmacology·M H LeBlancJ D Fratkin
Jul 1, 1997·The EMBO Journal·V L Longthorne, G T Williams
Nov 27, 2008·European Journal of Pharmacology·Teja CelharIrena Mlinaric-Rascan
Oct 28, 2004·Genes to Cells : Devoted to Molecular & Cellular Mechanisms·Jernej MurnIrena Mlinaric-Rascan
Oct 10, 2006·European Journal of Pharmacology·Yangzheng Feng, Michael H LeBlanc
Feb 14, 2009·PLoS Genetics·Suganthi ChittaranjanSharon M Gorski
Jun 11, 2002·Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics·George W SmallRobert Z Orlowski

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Apoptosis

Apoptosis is a specific process that leads to programmed cell death through the activation of an evolutionary conserved intracellular pathway leading to pathognomic cellular changes distinct from cellular necrosis