Down-regulation of actin genes precedes microfilament network disruption and actin cleavage during p53 mediated-apoptosis

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TNF-a activates at least two apoptotic signaling cascades

International audienceApoptosis, the process whereby cells activate an intrinsic death program, can be induced in HeLa cells by TNF-a treatment. The aims of the present study were (i) to examine the precise role and the origin of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in the TNF-a-induced programmed cell death, (ii) to characterize and order the morphological and mitochondrial changes associated with this process and (iii) to link these events with the activation of caspases. Analyses were performed on TNF-a-treated cells in the presence of an anti-oxidant, or of a general caspase inhibitor. To assess the role of mitochondria in the cell death signal transduction, these studies were also realized on HeLa-variant cell lines lacking functional mitochondrial respiratory chain. We show that at least two separate signaling cascades, both mediated by Z-VAD-sensitive caspase(s), contribute to the TNF-a-induced apoptosis of HeLa cells. One signaling pathway involves an early mitochondriadependent ROS production, the other being ROSindependent

Screening of suppressors of bax-induced cell death identifies glycerophosphate oxidase-1 as a mediator of debcl-induced apoptosis in Drosophila

International audienceMembers of the Bcl-2 family are key elements of the apoptotic machinery. In mammals, this multigenic family contains about twenty members, which either promote or inhibit apoptosis. We have previously shown that the mammalian pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family member Bax is very efficient in inducing apoptosis in Drosophila, allowing the study of bax-induced cell death in a genetic animal model. We report here the results of the screening of a P[UAS]-element insertion library performed to identify gene products that modify the phenotypes induced by the expression of bax in Drosophila melanogaster. We isolated 17 putative modifiers involved in various function or process: the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway; cell growth, proliferation and death; pathfinding and cell adhesion; secretion and extracellular signaling; metabolism and oxidative stress. Most of these suppressors also inhibit debcl-induced phenotypes, suggesting that the activities of both proteins can be modulated in part by common signaling or metabolic pathways. Among these suppressors, Glycerophosphate oxidase-1 is found to participate in debcl-induced apoptosis by increasing mitochondrial reactive oxygen species accumulation