RESUMO
Cysteine proteases related to mammalian interleukin-1 beta-converting enzyme (ICE) and the nematode cell death abnormal ced-3 gene product have been implicated in the effector mechanism of apoptotic cell death. Two novel members of this new family of ICE/CED-3-related proteases, designated ICErel-II and ICErel-III, were cloned from human monocytic cells. Both were highly homologous to human ICE (52% identical) and CED-3 (25% identical) and both contained the absolutely conserved pentapeptide sequence Gln-Ala-Cys-Arg-Asp containing the catalytic cysteine residue. Other structural motifs that were comparable with ICE suggest that ICErel-II and ICErel-III are also synthesized as larger proenzymes which are proteolytically processed to form heterodimeric active enzymes. Pro-interleukin-1 beta processing activity could not be detected in cells transfected with ICErel-II or ICErel-III, but pro-domain-less truncated forms of ICErel-II and ICErel-III were capable of effectively inducing fibroblast apoptosis. ICErel-II and ICErel-III may, therefore, participate in proteolytic events culminating in the apoptotic death of human cells.
Assuntos
Apoptose/efeitos dos fármacos , Cisteína Endopeptidases/genética , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Sequência de Bases , Caspase 1 , Clonagem Molecular , Cisteína Endopeptidases/química , Cisteína Endopeptidases/fisiologia , Células HeLa , Humanos , Dados de Sequência MolecularRESUMO
Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) converting enzyme (ICE) processes the precursor of the cytokine IL-1 beta to a mature, biologically active form in monocytes and macrophages. To further understand the role of ICE in regulating IL-1 beta-mediated biological functions, we have isolated several genomic clones encoding the full-length murine ICE gene. Southern blot comparison of murine genomic DNA and the clones indicates that ICE is a compact, single-copy gene 8616 bp in size. We sequenced the entire gene as well as 1.0-kb segment upstream of the coding region and determined that the gene consists of 10 exons whose organization parallels the functional organization of the ICE proenzyme in that the prodomain and p20 and p10 subunits of ICE are encoded by three clusters of exons. Two initiation sites, 37 and 32 nucleotides upstream of the initiator methionine, were identified by primer extension analysis. The 5' region of the ICE gene lacks a TATA box, a CAAT box, and SP1 sites. However, the presence of a completely conserved 14-bp sequence spanning the transcription initiation site of both the murine and the human ICE genes suggests that this sequence plays a role in transcription.
Assuntos
Mapeamento Cromossômico , Precursores Enzimáticos/genética , Metaloendopeptidases/genética , Camundongos/genética , Células 3T3 , Animais , Sequência de Bases , Southern Blotting , Caspase 1 , Linhagem Celular , Clonagem Molecular , Cosmídeos , DNA/análise , DNA/genética , Éxons , Íntrons , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Regiões Promotoras Genéticas , RNA Mensageiro/análise , RNA Mensageiro/metabolismo , Mapeamento por Restrição , TATA BoxRESUMO
Murine interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 beta) convertase (mICE) was identified in cytosolic extracts of peritoneal exudate cells (PECs) and macrophage cell lines. mICE cleaves both the human and mouse IL-1 beta precursors (pIL-1 beta) at sites 1 and 2 but fails to cleave a human pIL-1 beta (Asp116 to Ala) mutant at site 2, indicating that Asp is required to the left of the scissile bond. Ac-Tyr-Val-Ala-Asp-amino-4-methyl coumarin, patterned after site 2 of human pIL-1 beta, is a fluorogenic substrate for mICE, while the tetrapeptide aldehyde Ac-Tyr-Val-Ala-Asp-CHO is a potent inhibitor (Ki = 3 nM) that prevents generation and release of mature IL-1 beta by PECs (IC50 = 7 microM). Cloning of a full-length 1.4-kb cDNA shows that mICE is encoded as a 402-aa proenzyme (p45) that can be divided into a prodomain (Met1-Asp122), followed by a p20 subunit (Gly123-Asp296), a connecting peptide (Ser297-Asp314), and a p10 subunit (Gly315-His402). At the amino acid level, p45, p20, and p10 are 62%, 60%, and 81% identical with human IL-1 beta convertase (hICE). The active site Cys284 lies within a completely conserved stretch of 18 residues; however, Ser289 in hICE, which aligns with the catalytic region of serine and viral cysteinyl proteases, is absent from mICE. Expression in Escherichia coli of a truncated cDNA encoding Asn119-His402 generated active enzyme, which was autocatalytically processed at three internal Asp-Xaa bonds to generate a p20 subunit (Asn119-Asp296) complexed with either p11 (Ala309-His402) or p10. Recombinant mICE cleaves murine pIL-1 beta accurately at the Asp117-Val118 bond. The striking similarities of the human and murine enzymes will make it possible to assess the therapeutic potential of hICE inhibitors in murine models of disease.
