Author
Kristof Kersse
Other affiliations: Flanders Institute for Biotechnology
Bio: Kristof Kersse is an academic researcher from Ghent University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Caspase & Apoptosis. The author has an hindex of 8, co-authored 10 publications receiving 1629 citations. Previous affiliations of Kristof Kersse include Flanders Institute for Biotechnology.
Topics: Caspase, Apoptosis, Inflammasome, Programmed cell death, Caspase 7
Papers
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TL;DR: It is shown that IL-33 was processed by caspases activated during apoptosis but was not a physiological substrate for caspasing associated with inflammation, and caspase-mediated proteolysis acts as a switch to dampen the proinflammatory properties of IL- 33.
635 citations
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TL;DR: Findings point to a mechanism by which casp-dependent generation of Beclin-1-C creates an amplifying loop enhancing apoptosis upon growth factor withdrawal.
Abstract: Autophagy and apoptosis are two important and interconnected stress-response mechanisms. However, the molecular interplay between these two pathways is not fully understood. To study the fate and function of autophagic proteins at the onset of apoptosis, we used a cellular model system in which autophagy precedes apoptosis. IL-3 depletion of Ba/F3 cells caused caspase (casp)-mediated cleavage of Beclin-1 and PI3KC3, two crucial components of the autophagy-inducing complex. We identified two casp cleavage sites in Beclin-1, TDVD133 and DQLD149, cleavage at which yields fragments lacking the autophagy-inducing capacity. Noteworthy, the C-terminal fragment, Beclin-1-C, localized predominantly at the mitochondria and sensitized the cells to apoptosis. Moreover, on isolated mitochondria, recombinant Beclin-1-C was able to induce the release of proapoptotic factors. These findings point to a mechanism by which casp-dependent generation of Beclin-1-C creates an amplifying loop enhancing apoptosis upon growth factor withdrawal.
609 citations
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TL;DR: The roles of NLR family members in health and disease are reviewed, with emphasis on the signaling mechanisms in cell death and inflammation.
186 citations
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TL;DR: The molecular basis of these homotypic domain-domain interactions is reviewed and three distinct types of asymmetric interactions that were recently identified from the crystal structures of three multimeric, death-fold complexes are elaborate.
120 citations
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TL;DR: The proof-of-principal evidence obtained by studies in several corresponding experimental disease models confirming the validity of strategies targeting inflammatory caspases is summarized.
Abstract: This review provides an overview of the biochemistry and activation of inflammatory caspases, and focuses on their therapeutic potential as disease targets in pathologies such as sepsis, Crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, traumatic brain injury and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We summarize the proof-of-principal evidence obtained by studies in several corresponding experimental disease models confirming the validity of strategies targeting inflammatory caspases. We discuss the use of inflammatory caspase inhibitors, such as VX-740 (Pralnacasan) and VX-765, in clinical studies for rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Finally, we point out recent approaches identifying novel peptidomimetic or non-peptide caspase inhibitors with suitable clinical profiles.
88 citations
Cited by
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TL;DR: Autophagy is a cell biological process that is a central component of the integrated stress response and can be integrated with other cellular stress responses through parallel stimulation of autophagy and other stress responses by specific stress stimuli.
3,002 citations
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TL;DR: The triggers and receptor pathways that result in sterile inflammation and its impact on human health are reviewed.
Abstract: Over the past several decades, much has been revealed about the nature of the host innate immune response to microorganisms, with the identification of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) and pathogen-associated molecular patterns, which are the conserved microbial motifs sensed by these receptors. It is now apparent that these same PRRs can also be activated by non-microbial signals, many of which are considered as damage-associated molecular patterns. The sterile inflammation that ensues either resolves the initial insult or leads to disease. Here, we review the triggers and receptor pathways that result in sterile inflammation and its impact on human health.
2,481 citations
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French Institute of Health and Medical Research1, Institut Gustave Roussy2, University of Paris-Sud3, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center4, Thomas Jefferson University5, University of Massachusetts Medical School6, Roswell Park Cancer Institute7, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine8, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center9, Goethe University Frankfurt10, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital11, University of Zurich12, University College London13, University of Adelaide14, South Australia Pathology15, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research16, University of Graz17, Istituto Superiore di Sanità18, University of Michigan19, Northwestern University20, University of Rome Tor Vergata21, University of Cambridge22, University of Bern23, Ghent University24, Harvard University25, Karolinska Institutet26, University of Leicester27
TL;DR: A functional classification of cell death subroutines is proposed that applies to both in vitro and in vivo settings and includes extrinsic apoptosis, caspase-dependent or -independent intrinsic programmed cell death, regulated necrosis, autophagic cell death and mitotic catastrophe.
Abstract: In 2009, the Nomenclature Committee on Cell Death (NCCD) proposed a set of recommendations for the definition of distinct cell death morphologies and for the appropriate use of cell death-related terminology, including 'apoptosis', 'necrosis' and 'mitotic catastrophe'. In view of the substantial progress in the biochemical and genetic exploration of cell death, time has come to switch from morphological to molecular definitions of cell death modalities. Here we propose a functional classification of cell death subroutines that applies to both in vitro and in vivo settings and includes extrinsic apoptosis, caspase-dependent or -independent intrinsic apoptosis, regulated necrosis, autophagic cell death and mitotic catastrophe. Moreover, we discuss the utility of expressions indicating additional cell death modalities. On the basis of the new, revised NCCD classification, cell death subroutines are defined by a series of precise, measurable biochemical features.
2,238 citations
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TL;DR: The role of NLRs, and in particular the inflammasomes, in the recognition of microbial and danger components and the role they play in health and disease are discussed.
Abstract: The innate immune system relies on its capacity to rapidly detect invading pathogenic microbes as foreign and to eliminate them. The discovery of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) provided a class of membrane receptors that sense extracellular microbes and trigger antipathogen signaling cascades. More recently, intracellular microbial sensors have been identified, including NOD-like receptors (NLRs). Some of the NLRs also sense nonmicrobial danger signals and form large cytoplasmic complexes called inflammasomes that link the sensing of microbial products and metabolic stress to the proteolytic activation of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18. The NALP3 inflammasome has been associated with several autoinflammatory conditions including gout. Likewise, the NALP3 inflammasome is a crucial element in the adjuvant effect of aluminum and can direct a humoral adaptive immune response. In this review, we discuss the role of NLRs, and in particular the inflammasomes, in the recognition of microbial and danger components and the role they play in health and disease.
2,217 citations
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TL;DR: The role of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in regulating the immunogenicity of dying cancer cells and the effect of therapy-resistant cancer microevolution on ICD are discussed.
Abstract: Although it was thought that apoptotic cells, when rapidly phagocytosed, underwent a silent death that did not trigger an immune response, in recent years a new concept of immunogenic cell death (ICD) has emerged. The immunogenic characteristics of ICD are mainly mediated by damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), which include surface-exposed calreticulin (CRT), secreted ATP and released high mobility group protein B1 (HMGB1). Most DAMPs can be recognized by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). In this Review, we discuss the role of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in regulating the immunogenicity of dying cancer cells and the effect of therapy-resistant cancer microevolution on ICD.
1,736 citations