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Identification of Intracellular Signaling Events Induced in Viable Cells by Interaction with Neighboring Cells Undergoing Apoptotic Cell Death
09:18

Identification of Intracellular Signaling Events Induced in Viable Cells by Interaction with Neighboring Cells Undergoing Apoptotic Cell Death

Published on: December 27, 2016

Protein kinase WNK3 increases cell survival in a caspase-3-dependent pathway

F Veríssimo1, E Silva, J D Morris

  • 1Centro de Genética Humana, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Dr Ricardo Jorge, Lisboa, Portugal.

Oncogene
|February 28, 2006
PubMed

Insights

The WNK3 protein kinase promotes cell survival by delaying apoptosis. WNK3 interacts with procaspase-3, inhibiting its activation and preventing programmed cell death.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • The WNK (with no K= lysine) protein kinase subfamily has four human members.
  • Germline mutations in WNK1 and WNK4 genes are linked to pseudohypoaldosteronism type II, a familial hypertension disease.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To clone and functionally analyze the human WNK3 protein kinase.
  • To investigate the role of WNK3 in cell survival and apoptosis.

Main Methods:

  • Cloning and overexpression of human WNK3.
  • Immunoprecipitation and kinase assays of endogenous WNK3.
  • RNA interference to suppress WNK3 expression.
  • Analysis of apoptosis and caspase-3 activation.
  • Investigation of protein interactions with procaspase-3 and HSP70.

Main Results:

  • Endogenous WNK3 is an active protein kinase.
  • WNK3 overexpression enhances HeLa cell survival by delaying apoptosis.
  • WNK3 suppression accelerates apoptosis and promotes caspase-3 activation.
  • WNK3 interacts with procaspase-3 and heat-shock protein 70.

Conclusions:

  • WNK3 plays a role in promoting cell survival.
  • WNK3 may regulate apoptosis through interaction with procaspase-3, influencing its activation.

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