The oncogenic transcription factor c-Jun plays an important role in cell proliferation, transformation and differentiation. All identified c-Jun-interacting proteins are localized to the nucleus or cytoplasm and function in their intact forms. Here we show that the pleckstrin homology domain-containing protein CKIP-1 (casein kinase 2-interacting protein-1) functions as a plasma membrane-bound A...

This study examined the role of exogenous heat shock protein 72 (Hsp72) in reversing sepsis-induced liver dysfunction. Sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture. Liver function was determined on the basis of the enzymatic activities of serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) and glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT). Apoptosis was determined using terminal deoxynucleotidyl trans...

Objective(s):The neuroprotective effect offruit aqueous extract of Ziziphus jujuba Lam on glucose-induced neurotoxicity in PC12 cells as an appropriate in vitro model of diabetic neuropathy was investigated. Materials and Methods: Cell viability was determined by the MTT assay. Cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation was measured by DCFH-DA analysis. Cleaved caspase-3, a biochemical p...

The infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (INCL), a rare (one in 100 000 births) but one of the most lethal inherited neurodegenerative storage disorders of childhood, is caused by inactivating mutations in the palmitoyl-protein thioesterase-1 (PPT1) gene. PPT1 cleaves thioester linkages in s-acylated (palmitoylated) proteins and facilitates their degradation and/or recycling. Thus, PPT1-def...

Exposure to cadmium (Cd) induces apoptosis in osteoblasts (OBs); however, little information is available regarding the specific mechanisms of Cd-induced primary rat OB apoptosis. In this study, Cd reduced cell viability, damaged cell membranes and induced apoptosis in OBs. We observed decreased mitochondrial transmembrane potentials, ultrastructure collapse, enhanced caspase-3 activity, and in...

PURPOSE Gliomas are common tumors of the central nervous system, and the majority of patients with gliomas have a poor prognosis. The prediction of prognosis is very important in selecting treatment. In the present study, we retrospectively examined the immunohistochemical staining of cleaved caspase-3 (CC3), an activated form of caspase-3 that acts as a lethal protease at the most distal stage...

The topoisomerase I inhibitor topotecan (TPT) is used in the therapy of different tumors including high-grade gliomas. We previously showed that TPT-induced apoptosis depends on p53 with p53 wild-type (wt) cells being more resistant because of p53-controlled degradation of topoisomerase I. Here, we show that p53-deficient (p53(-/-)) fibroblasts undergo excessive mitochondrial apoptosis featurin...

Mechanisms of neuronal loss in Alzheimer's disease (AD) are poorly understood. Here we show that apoptosis is a major form of neuronal cell death in PS/APP mice modeling AD-like neurodegeneration. Pyknotic neurons in adult PS/APP mice exhibited apoptotic changes, including DNA fragmentation, caspase-3 activation, and caspase-cleaved alpha-spectrin generation, identical to developmental neuronal...