Activation of caspase-3 alone is insufficient for apoptotic morphological changes in human neuroblastoma cells.

摘要: Activated caspase-3 is considered an important enzyme in the cell death pathway. To study specific role of activation neuronal cells, we generated a stable tetracycline-regulated SK-N-MC neuroblastoma line, which expressed highly efficient self-activating chimeric caspase-3, consisting caspase-1 prodomain fused to catalytic domain. Under expression-inducing conditions, observed time-dependent increase processed by immunostaining for active form enzyme, intracellular activity, as well poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage. Induced expression caspase fusion protein showed predominantly activity without any apoptotic morphological changes. In contrast, staurosporine treatment same cells resulted multiple caspases and profound morphology. Our work provides evidence that auto-activation can be efficiently achieved with longer apoptosis may require another or enzymes.