Year: 2007
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Calpains are intracellular non-lysosomal calcium-dependent cysteine proteases.They are involved in different physiological functions including cell apoptosis.Apoptosis or programmed cell death is a mechanism by which multi-cellular organisms can get rid of unwanted, damaged or mutated cells.We hypothesize that calpain is actively involved in the process of apoptosis.To test this hypothesis, we examined whether vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and HeLa (cervical cancer) cells over-expressing calpastatin (the only known specific endogenous inhibitor of calpain) are more resistant to apoptosis induced by either staurosporine or hydrogen peroxide.Our results demonstrated that well-differentiated cells like primary VSMCs are quite resistant to these apoptotic stimuli and inhibition of calpain by over-expression of calpastatin in these cells causes no signif,rcant increase in resistance.However, non-differentiated cells like HeLa cells are quite susceptible to apoptosis and inhibition of calpain does have a significant protective effect against apoptosis in these cells.
Source: Mspace (University of Manitoba)
Author: Babak Rashidkhani
Language: English
Subfield: Cell Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2790027159