Caspase-3 is not essential for DNA fragmentation in MCF-7 cells during apoptosis induced by the pyrrolo-1,5-benzoxazepine, PBOX-6

Margaret M. Mc Gee, Edel Hyland, Giuseppe Campiani, Anna Ramunno, Vito Nacci, Daniela M. Zisterer*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

96 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Effector caspases-3, -6 and -7 are responsible for producing the morphological features associated with apoptosis, such as DNA fragmentation. The present study demonstrates that a member of a novel series of pyrrolo-1,5-benzoxazepines, PBOX-6, induces apoptosis in MCF-7 cells, which lack caspase-3. Apoptosis was accompanied by DNA fragmentation and the activation of caspase-7, but not caspases-3 and -6. Inhibition of caspase-7 activity reduced the extent of apoptosis induced, indicating that activation of caspase-7 is involved in the mechanism by which PBOX-6 induces apoptosis in MCF-7 cells. This study suggests that caspase-3 is not necessarily essential for DNA fragmentation and the morphological changes associated with apoptosis.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)66-70
Number of pages5
JournalFEBS Letters
Volume515
Issue number1-3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 27 Mar 2002
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Apoptosis
  • Caspase
  • DNA fragmentation
  • MCF-7
  • Pyrrolo-1,5-benzoxazepine

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biophysics
  • Structural Biology
  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics
  • Cell Biology

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