%0 Journal Article
%T Blockade of Caspase-2 Activity Inhibits Ischemia/ Reperfusion-Induced Mitochondrial Reactive Oxygen Burst and Cell Death in Cardiomyocytes
%A Zuo-Hui Shao
%A Kimberly R. Wojcik
%A Yimin Qin
%A Chang-Qing Li
%A Terry L. Vanden Hoek and Kimm J. Hamann
%J Journal of Cell Death
%D 2012
%I 
%R 10.4137/JCD.S6723
%X We previously showed that initiator caspases-2 and -8 are prominently activated in ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced injury in cardiomyocytes, but while blockade of caspase-2 activity enhanced cell survival, blockade of caspase-8 activity did not protect cardiomyocytes. Because apoptotic death in these cells is characterized by a burst of reactive oxygen species (ROS) at reperfusion and their survival by inhibition of this burst, we examined the effects of blocking caspase-2 and caspase-8 activities on ROS production. Caspase-2 inhibition blocked the reperfusion-induced ROS burst, while inhibition of caspase-8 did not. We also examined effects of caspase inhibition on mitochondrial membrane potential ( ¦× m) and mitochondrial function and found that blocking caspase-2, but not caspase-8, allowed recovery of  ¦× m and mitochondrial functionality. Furthermore, knockdown of caspase-2 by small-interfering (si)RNA confirmed caspase-2 participation in cytochrome c release, which correlates with loss of  ¦×m and cell death in these cardiomyocytes.
%U http://www.la-press.com/blockade-of-caspase-2-activity-inhibits-ischemia-reperfusion-induced-m-article-a2613