The large subunit of replication factor C is a substrate for caspase-3 in vitro and is cleaved by a caspase-3-like protease during Fas-mediated apoptosis

Mechanisms of CD95 (APO-1/Fas)-mediated apoptosis

This review covers recent advances of CD95 signaling. It focuses on CD95-interacting molecules, formation of the death inducing signaling complex and the role of caspases, particularly caspase-8, and their death substrates. We also discuss the relevance of mitochondria in the CD95-mediated apoptotic process and how viral proteins interfere with crucial steps of this signaling pathway.

Caspases: enemies within

Apoptosis, an evolutionarily conserved form of cell suicide, requires specialized machinery. The central component of this machinery is a proteolytic system involving a family of proteases called caspases. These enzymes participate in a cascade that is triggered in response to proapoptotic signals and culminates in cleavage of a set of proteins, resulting in disassembly of the cell. Understanding caspase regulation is intimately linked to the ability to rationally manipulate apoptosis for therapeutic gain.

DNA ligase I is recruited to sites of DNA replication by an interaction with proliferating cell nuclear antigen: identification of a common targeting mechanism for the assembly of replication factories

In mammalian cells, DNA replication occurs at discrete nuclear sites termed replication factories. Here we demonstrate that DNA ligase I and the large subunit of replication factor C (RF-C p140) have a homologous sequence of approximately 20 amino acids at their N-termini that functions as a replication factory targeting sequence (RFTS). This motif consists of two boxes: box 1 contains the sequence IxxFF whereas box 2 is rich in positively charged residues. N-terminal fragments of DNA ligase I and the RF-C large subunit that contain the RFTS both interact with proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in vitro. Moreover, the RFTS of DNA ligase I and of the RF-C large subunit is necessary and sufficient for the interaction with PCNA. Both subnuclear targeting and PCNA binding by the DNA ligase I RFTS are abolished by replacement of the adjacent phenylalanine residues within box 1. Since sequences similar to the RFTS/PCNA-binding motif have been identified in other DNA replication enzymes and in p21(CIP1/WAF1), we propose that, in addition to functioning as a DNA polymerase processivity factor, PCNA plays a central role in the recruitment and stable association of DNA replication proteins at replication factories.

Phosphorylation of PITSLRE p110 isoforms accompanies their processing by caspases during Fas-mediated cell death

A number of cellular proteins have been identified as caspase targets during cell death, including the PITSLRE protein kinases. These targets generally fall into one of three possible categories: 1) other caspases, 2) proteins that are inactivated during apoptosis, and 3) proteins that are required for execution of the cell death program. However, not all proteins are cleaved by caspases during apoptosis. Why only specific proteins are destined to be processed by caspases during cell death is currently not clear. Here we show that multiple caspase-like activities are involved in the processing of the PITSLRE p110 isoforms during Fas-induced apoptosis in Jurkat T-cells. Three p110 caspase cleavage sites have been mapped to the amino-terminal domain of p110 and verified by site-directed mutagenesis. Curiously, the mutagenesis studies revealed that cleavage of two juxtaposed caspase sites is necessary for the complete processing of this protein during cell death in vivo. Finally, we demonstrate that the PITSLRE p110 protein is rapidly phosphorylated during Fas-induced apoptosis in Jurkat cells and that phosphorylation of an amino-terminal portion of the protein may enhance caspase cleavage in this region.

Dismantling in cell death: molecular mechanisms and relationship to caspase activation

The notion of a cell death programme was introduced in view of the reproducibility of its occurrence in time and space (e.g. in the developing embryo) and of its genetic determination. Programmed cell death can be schematically subdivided into three steps: a signalling phase, an execution phase and a dismantling phase. This review focuses on the latter. Apoptosis is the most studied form of dismantling of animal cells. The molecular pathways leading to certain apoptotic lesions appear to be dependent on the proteolytic activity of caspases. Death itself can, however, be caspase-independent. Also, non-apoptotic forms of cell death exist, even in animal cells; their molecular bases are still unknown. The relationship between cell death, apoptosis and caspases is discussed.

Specific activation of the cysteine protease CPP32 during the negative selection of T cells in the thymus

Cysteine proteases of the CED-3 and ICE family have been recently proposed as the ultimate executioners in several mammalian cell death pathways. Among them, the cysteine protease CPP32 has been shown to participate in programmed cell death (PCD), or apoptosis, affecting lymphoid cells in vitro. In the thymus, negative selection is a mechanism through which developing thymocytes expressing a TcR with high affinity for self peptide-MHC complexes are eliminated by PCD. In order to investigate the role of CPP32 in thymic apoptosis, isolated thymocytes were submitted to cell surface CD3 crosslinking by immobilized anti-CD3 mAb or to dexamethasone treatment. Although apoptosis occurred in the absence or after crosslinking with anti-CD3 mAb, specific activation of CPP32, as assessed by the extent of proteolytic cleavage of the p32 zymogen, was only detected in thymocytes cultured in the presence of the immobilized antibody or dexamethasone. This activation was a very early event during apoptosis as it occurred before the exposure of phosphatidyl serine to the upper side of the cell membrane. This was observed both in anti-CD3- and dexamethasone-induced apoptosis. Moreover, using mice transgenic for pigeon cytochrome C (PCC)-specific TcR, we were able to show that, after injection of PCC, the activation of CPP32 and cleavage of its substrate occurred in thymocytes obtained from mice expressing a permissive MHC haplotype for PCC presentation (H-2k). Moreover, PCC induced apoptosis was blocked by the caspase inhibitor zVAD. While spontaneous apoptosis was not accompanied by detectable levels of CPP32 processing, it was characterized by the proteolysis of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and was blocked by the cysteine protease inhibitor, zVAD-CH2F. Taken together, these results support the concept that CPP32 is among the earliest effectors of the pathway leading to negative selection of autoreactive thymocytes. Our results also suggest the involvement of a distinct CPP32-like cysteine protease in spontaneous apoptosis of thymocytes.