Cleaving the oxidative repair protein Ape1 enhances cell death mediated by granzyme A

Nat Immunol. 2003 Feb;4(2):145-53. doi: 10.1038/ni885. Epub 2003 Jan 13.

Abstract

The cytolytic T lymphocyte protease granzyme A (GzmA) initiates a caspase-independent cell death pathway. Here we report that the rate-limiting enzyme of DNA base excision repair, apurinic endonuclease-1 (Ape1), which is also known as redox factor-1 (Ref-1), binds to GzmA and is contained in the SET complex, a macromolecular complex of 270-420 kDa that is associated with the endoplasmic reticulum and is targeted by GzmA during cell-mediated death. GzmA cleaves Ape1 after Lys31 and destroys its known oxidative repair functions. In so doing, GzmA may block cellular repair and force apoptosis. In support of this, cells with silenced Ape1 expression are more sensitive, whereas cells overexpressing noncleavable Ape1 are more resistant, to GzmA-mediated death.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / physiology*
  • Base Sequence
  • Carbon-Oxygen Lyases / chemistry
  • Carbon-Oxygen Lyases / genetics
  • Carbon-Oxygen Lyases / metabolism*
  • DNA / genetics
  • DNA / metabolism
  • DNA Repair*
  • DNA-(Apurinic or Apyrimidinic Site) Lyase*
  • Gene Silencing
  • Granzymes
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • K562 Cells
  • Macromolecular Substances
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / metabolism
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Perforin
  • Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins
  • RNA Interference
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
  • Serine Endopeptidases / metabolism*
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / cytology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / metabolism

Substances

  • Macromolecular Substances
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Perforin
  • DNA
  • Granzymes
  • Serine Endopeptidases
  • GZMA protein, human
  • Carbon-Oxygen Lyases
  • APEX1 protein, human
  • DNA-(Apurinic or Apyrimidinic Site) Lyase