Delaying Caspase Activation by Bcl-2: A Clue to Disease Retardation in a Transgenic Mouse Model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

• Published in: The Journal of neuroscience 2000-12, Vol.20 (24), p.9119-9125
• Main Authors: Vukosavic, Slobodanka, Stefanis, Leonidas, Jackson-Lewis, Vernice, Guegan, Christelle, Romero, Norma, Chen, Caiping, Dubois-Dauphin, Michel, Przedborski, Serge
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Actins - metabolism; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis - enzymology; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis - genetics; Animals; Anterior Horn Cells - enzymology; Anterior Horn Cells - pathology; Apoptosis; Caspase 1 - genetics; Caspase 1 - metabolism; Caspase 3; Caspases - genetics; Caspases - metabolism; Cerebellum - enzymology; Cerebellum - pathology; Disease Models, Animal; Disease Progression; Enzyme Activation - genetics; Gene Dosage; Gene Expression; Mice; Mice, Transgenic; Motor Neurons - enzymology; Motor Neurons - pathology; Mutation; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 - genetics; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 - metabolism; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Spinal Cord - enzymology; Spinal Cord - pathology; Superoxide Dismutase - genetics; Superoxide Dismutase-1; Transfection
• ISSN: 0270-6474; 1529-2401
• DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.20-24-09119.2000

Molecular mechanisms of apoptosis may participate in motor neuron degeneration produced by mutant copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (mSOD1), the only proven cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Consistent with this, herein we show that the spinal cord of transgenic mSOD1 mice is the site of the sequential activation of caspase-1 and caspase-3. Activated caspase-3 and its produced beta-actin cleavage fragments are found in apoptotic neurons in the anterior horn of the spinal cord of affected transgenic mSOD1 mice; although such neurons are few, their scarcity should not undermine the potential importance of apoptosis in the overall mSOD1-related neurodegeneration. Overexpression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 attenuates neurodegeneration and delays activation of the caspases and fragmentation of beta-actin. These data demonstrate that caspase activation occurs in this mouse model of ALS during neurodegeneration. Our study also suggests that modulation of caspase activity may provide protective benefit in the treatment of ALS, a view that is consistent with our recent demonstration of caspase inhibition extending the survival of transgenic mSOD1 mice.