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PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:dateCreated
2000-12-1
pubmed:abstractText
At weaning most of the alveolar epithelial cells in the mammary gland die by apoptosis and are removed by phagocytosis. Caspases are a family of aspartate specific cysteine proteases. Activation of caspases is generally thought to represent a major and irreversible event in the apoptotic process. We analyzed caspase expression and activation during mammary gland involution. A quantitative RT-PCR based approach revealed that levels of mRNA expression of several caspases are induced during involution. Using an antibody that specifically recognizes activated caspases we measured a transient induction of caspase activity in situ and found a maximal activation at days two and three of involution. These data were corroborated by monitoring caspase-3 like activity in mammary extracts with a synthetic DEVD-afc peptide as caspase-3 substrate. Using Fas-deficient mice we present evidence that the Fas signaling pathway is not essential for caspase activation and apoptosis during mammary gland involution. In summary, signaling pathways during involution seem to involve activation of caspases as intraepithelial triggers of mammary epithelial cell apoptosis.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:issn
0065-2598
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
480
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
195-201
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2000
pubmed:articleTitle
Caspases: decoders of apoptotic signals during mammary involution. Caspase activation during involution.
pubmed:affiliation
Department for Clinical Research, University of Bern, Switzerland.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't