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Measuring Caspase Activity Using a Fluorometric Assay or Flow Cytometry
Published on: March 24, 2023
Nitric oxide and thioredoxin type 1 modulate the activity of caspase 8 in HepG2 cells
Rajib Sengupta1, Timothy R Billiar, Valerian E Kagan
1Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
Abstract:
Herein, we report that nitric oxide (NO) and the thioredoxin/thioredoxin reductase system affect the activity of caspase 8 in HepG2 cells. Exposure of cells to NO resulted in inhibition of caspase 8, while a subsequent incubation of the cells in NO-free medium resulted in spontaneous reactivation of the protease. The latter process was inhibited in thioredoxin reductase-deficient HepG2 cells, in which, however, lipoic acid markedly reactivated caspase 8. The data obtained suggest that extrinsic apoptosis can be subjected to redox regulation before induction of proteolytic damage by caspase 3.
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