Publications by authors named "Alina Felicia Nica"
Ceramide is a sphingolipid that activates stress kinases such as p38 and c-JUN N-Terminal Kinase (JNK). Though Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) derived K562 cells resist killing by short chain C2-ceramide, we report here that longer chain C6-ceramide promotes apoptosis in these cells. C6-ceramide induces cleavage of Caspase-8 and Caspase-9, but only Caspase-8 is required for apoptosis.
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- Acute renal failure can result from ischemic injury, leading to high mortality rates, and the pathways involved in this process are still not fully understood.
- In an in vitro study using NRK-52E rat kidney cells, it was found that simulated ischemia causes cell death through both necrosis and apoptosis, activating the PP2A enzyme and increasing the expression of the B56 alpha regulatory subunit.
- The study highlights that inhibiting PP2A can protect the kidney cells from simulated ischemia, while boosting B56 alpha enhances the cell death process, indicating that B56 alpha is crucial for ischemia-induced cell death in kidney cells.
Article Synopsis
- Ceramide plays a significant role in various cellular processes, including cell death (apoptosis), by activating enzymes like c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK).
- In A549 human lung cancer cells, ceramide induces apoptosis mainly through JNK, as demonstrated by the protective effect of the JNK inhibitor SP600125.
- The study found that while ceramide inhibits the phosphorylation of c-Jun, it promotes the phosphorylation and mitochondrial relocation of Bim, suggesting that Bim's action is crucial for JNK-mediated apoptosis in response to ceramide.