Membrane bound monomer of Staphylococcal alpha-hemolysin induces caspase activation and apoptotic cell death despite initiation of membrane repair pathway.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Wild type Staphylococcal alpha-hemolysin (alpha-HL) assembly on target mammalian cells usually results in necrotic form of cell death; however, caspase activation also occurs. The pathways of caspase activation due to binding/partial assembly by alpha-HL are unknown till date.

Results

Cells treated with H35N (a mutant of alpha-HL that remains as membrane bound monomer), have been shown to accumulate hypodiploid nuclei, activate caspases and induce intrinsic mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. We have earlier shown that the binding and assembly of alpha-HL requires functional form of Caveolin-1 which is an integral part of caveolae. In this report, we show that the caveolae of mammalian cells, which undergo a continuous cycle of 'kiss and run' dynamics with the plasma

SUBMITTER: Srivastava SS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2708924 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature