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Published on: March 24, 2023
Type 1 inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor is a late substrate of caspases during apoptosis
Ghadi Elkoreh1, Véronique Blais, Eric Béliveau
1Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Pharmacology, Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke QC J1H 5N4, Canada.
Abstract:
Apoptosis is characterized by the proteolytic cleavage of hundreds of proteins. One of them, the type 1 inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP(3) R-1), a multimeric receptor located on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane that is critical to calcium homeostasis, was reported to be cleaved during staurosporine (STS) induced-apoptosis in Jurkat cells. Because the reported cleavage site separates the IP(3) binding site from the channel moiety, its cleavage would shut down a critical signaling pathway that is common to several cellular processes. Here we show that IP(3) R-1 is not cleaved in 293 cells treated with STS, TNFα, Trail, or ultra-violet (UV) irradiation. Further, it is not cleaved in Hela or Jurkat cells induced to undergo apoptosis with Trail, TNFα, or UV. In accordance with previous reports, we demonstrate that it is cleaved in a Jurkat cell line treated with STS. However its cleavage occurs only after poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), which cleavage is a hallmark of apoptosis, and p23, a poor caspase-7 substrate, are completely cleaved, suggesting that IP(3) R-1 is a relatively late substrate of caspases. Nevertheless, the receptor is fully accessible to proteolysis in cellulo by ectopically overexpressed caspase-7 or by the tobacco etch virus (TEV) protease. Finally, using recombinant caspase-3 and microsomal fractions enriched in IP(3) R-1, we show that the receptor is a poor caspase-3 substrate. Consequently, we conclude that IP(3) R-1 is not a key death substrate.
Insights
Type 1 inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP(3) R-1) is not a key substrate during apoptosis. While cleaved in some cells, it occurs late and is a poor substrate for key caspases.
Area of Science:
- Cellular Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Apoptosis involves protein cleavage, including the IP(3) R-1 receptor crucial for calcium homeostasis.
- Previous studies suggested IP(3) R-1 cleavage during staurosporine-induced apoptosis in Jurkat cells.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the cleavage of IP(3) R-1 during apoptosis across different cell types and stimuli.
- To determine the timing and caspase dependency of IP(3) R-1 cleavage.
Main Methods:
- Inducing apoptosis in various cell lines (293, Hela, Jurkat) using staurosporine, TNFα, Trail, and UV irradiation.
- Western blot analysis to detect cleavage of IP(3) R-1, PARP, and p23.
- In vitro assays using recombinant caspase-3 and microsomal fractions.
Main Results:
- IP(3) R-1 was not cleaved in 293, Hela, or Jurkat cells treated with TNFα, Trail, or UV.
- Cleavage of IP(3) R-1 was observed in Jurkat cells treated with staurosporine, but only after PARP and p23 cleavage.
- Recombinant caspase-3 showed poor cleavage of IP(3) R-1 in vitro.
Conclusions:
- IP(3) R-1 is not a universal or early substrate during apoptosis.
- Its late cleavage and poor substrate efficiency for caspase-3 suggest it is not a key death substrate.
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