The caspase‐activated DNase: apoptosis and beyond

Abstract

Organismal development and function requires multiple and accurate signal transduction pathways to ensure that proper balance between cell proliferation, differentiation, inactivation, and death is achieved. Cell death via apoptotic caspase signal transduction is extensively characterized and integral to this balance. Importantly, the view of apoptotic signal transduction has expanded over the previous decades. Subapoptotic caspase signaling has surfaced as mechanism that can promote the adoption of a range of cellular fates. An emerging mechanism of subapoptotic caspase signaling is the activation of the caspase‐activated DNase (CAD) through controlled cleavage of the inhibitor of CAD (ICAD). CAD‐induced DNA breaks incite a DNA damage response, frequently invoking p53 signaling, that transduces a change in cell fate. Cell differentiation and senescence are fates demonstrated to arise from CAD‐induced DNA breaks. Furthermore, an apparent consequence of CAD activity is also emerging, as a potential source of oncogenic mutations. This review will discuss the mechanisms underlying CAD‐induced DNA breaks and highlight how CAD activity promotes diverse cell fates.

Autophagy and its link to type II diabetes mellitus

“…Apoptosis (Type I PCD) is characterized by chromatin condensation, DNA fragmentation and laddering, blebbing of nuclear or cytoplasmic and apoptotic bodies [21]. Apoptotic pathways include death-receptor pathway (extrinsic pathway), mitochondrial pathway (intrinsic pathway), endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, caspase-dependent pathway and caspase-independent pathway [22–27].…”

Sepia Ink Oligopeptide Induces Apoptosis of Lung Cancer Cells via Mitochondrial Pathway

“…In view of its intrinsic instability as peptide, we synthesized and structurally modified SIO (CSIO) with the basic chemical characteristics preserved. The apoptotic inducing effect of CSIO on lung cancer cells was first consolidated, and then our focus concentrated on the complex and fine-tuned apoptosis regulatory network, which roughly consists of three relative independent while inter-connected pathway: mitochondrial pathway, death receptor pathway and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress induced apoptosis [11]. We attempted to determine which pathway is critical for CSIO induced tumor cell apoptosis.…”

Ophiocordyceps pulvinata Induces Caspase-Dependent Apoptosis through Mitochondrial Impairment in Human Leukemia Cells

“…A major feature of apoptosis is the cleavage of chromosomal DNA into nucleosome units. A caspase-activated DNAdegrading enzyme has been reported to be involved in this DNA cleavage process (Hamacher-Brady et al, 2015;Larsen et al, 2016). Dead cells are processed by phagocytes such as macrophages (Mitra et al 2015).…”