PI3 kinase and direct S-nitrosation are involved in down-regulation of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 during LPS-induced Toll-like receptor 4 signalling

Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is the human pattern recognition receptor that detects lipopolysaccharide (LPS) shared by Gram-negative bacteria. TLR4 is expressed in different cell types including myeloid cells, the key effectors of innate immune reactions. Apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1), the upstream kinase of MAP kinase-dependent apoptotic pathway has recently been found to be selectively required for p38 MAP kinase activation/cytokine production during TLR4 signalling. However, the activity of this enzyme has to be down-regulated to protect the cells against apoptosis. In the present study we have found that inhibition of PI3 kinase by LY294002 in THP-1 cells exposed to LPS attenuated down-regulation of ASK1 activity followed by programmed cell death. In addition, nitric oxide produced in response to exposure of THP-1 cells to LPS was found to S-nitrosate and therefore, down-regulate ASK1 activity.     

Ionizing radiation sensitizes leukemic MOLT-4 cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis

One of perspective approaches in treatment of hematological malignancies is activation of death receptors for TRAIL. However, leukemia cells studied to date have shown variable susceptibility to TRAIL. Our study demonstrates that cells of acute T-lymphoblastic leukemia MOLT-4 are resistant to TRAIL and that ionizing radiation in the therapeutically achievable dose of 1 Gy sensitizes TRAIL-resistant cells MOLT-4 to the TRAIL-induced apoptosis by increase in death receptors for TRAIL DR5. When TRAIL is applied after the irradiation in the time of increased DR5 positivity more efficient cell killing is achieved.     

Possible involvement of toll-like receptor 4 in endothelial cell activation of larger vessels in response to lipopolysaccharide.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) serve as recognition and signaling elements for bacterial substances. To examine the role of TLRs in endothelial cells of larger vessels in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced signaling, the expression and function of TLRs in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were analyzed. A high level of TLR4 mRNA expression was found in HUVEC, human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and human monocyte cell line THP-1 cells. Little or no TLR2 mRNA expression was observed in HUVEC. In contrast, strong TLR2 mRNA expression was observed in PBMC and THP-1 cells. Moderate and high levels of TLR1 mRNA expression were found in HUVEC, PBMC and THP-1 cells, respectively. TLR3 mRNA expression was moderate in PBMC but weak in HUVEC and THP-1 cells. Little or no TLR5 and RP105 mRNA expression was observed in HUVEC, whereas a moderate level was detected in PBMC and THP-1 cells. The LPS-induced E-selectin expression in HUVEC was significantly inhibited by pretreatment with an anti-TLR4 mAb. Preincubation of HUVEC with an anti- TLR4 mAb significantly reduced the LPS-induced IL-6 production. LPS induced E-selectin and IL-6 production by HUVEC only in the presence of human serum, suggesting the involvement of soluble CD14. Anti-CD14 mAb strongly inhibited the LPS-induced E-selectin and IL-6 production by HUVEC. The inhibition with the concomitant treatment with anti-TLR4 and anti-CD14 mAbs was stronger than that with anti-CD14 mAb only, although it was slight. These results show that TLR4 in the presence of soluble CD14 plays a major role in the signaling of LPS in endothelial cells of larger vessels.     

Following the TRAIL to apoptosis

Apoptosis, programmed cell death, eliminates injured or harmful cells. It can mediate its response through the actions of death ligands including TRAIL. TRAIL, a member of TNF superfamily, induces apoptosis of transformed cells through the action of death domain receptors DR-4 and DR5. It directly induces apoptosis through an extrinsic pathway, which involes the activation of caspases. TRAIL also is able to prevent apoptosis through the actions of its decoy receptors DcR-1 and DcR-2. Various regulators of TRAIL include FADD, IAPs, Bcl-2s, p53, and FLIPs. TRAIL is present in cells involved in asthma including eosinophils, mast cells, fibroblasts, and airway epithelial cells. It is expressed in airway remodeling and may be linked with the pathways of transforming growth factor-beta1, which is thought to cause damage to the epithelium. The repair process of the epithelium is hindered as a result of increased apoptosis induced by TGF-β1, which overlaps with the pathways of TRAIL. Analogs of TRAIL could have therapeutical applications for asthma. TRAIL is also seen as the basis for a “miracle” drug for cancer because of its ability to selectively kill cancer cells.     

Apo2L/TRAIL-dependent recruitment of endogenous FADD and caspase-8 to death receptors 4 and 5

Fas (APO-1/CD95) and tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1) trigger apoptosis by recruiting the apoptosis initiator caspase-8 through the adaptor FADD. Fas binds FADD directly, whereas TNFR1 binds FADD indirectly, through TRADD. TRADD alternatively recruits the NF-kappaB-inducing adaptor RIP. The TNF homolog Apo2L/TRAIL triggers apoptosis through two distinct death receptors, DR4 and DR5; however, receptor over-expression studies have yielded conflicting results on the ligand's signaling mechanism. Apo2L/TRAIL induced homomeric and heteromeric complexes of DR4 and DR5 and stimulated recruitment of FADD and caspase-8 and caspase-8 activation in nontransfected cells. TRADD and RIP, which bound TNFR1, did not bind DR4 and DR5. Thus, Apo2L/TRAIL and FasL initiate apoptosis through similar mechanisms, and FADD may be a universal adaptor for death receptors.     

TRAIL triggers apoptosis in human malignant glioma cells through extrinsic and intrinsic pathways

Many malignant glioma cells express death receptors for tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), yet some of these cells are resistant to TRAIL. Here, we examined signaling events in TRAIL-induced apoptosis and searched for therapeutic agents that could overcome TRAIL resistance in glioma cells. TRAIL induced apoptosis through death receptor 5 (DR5) and was mediated by caspase-8-initiated extrinsic and intrinsic mitochondrial pathways in sensitive glioma cell lines. TRAIL also triggered apoptosis in resistant glioma cell lines through the same pathways, but only if the cells were pretreated with chemotherapeutic agents, cisplatin, camptothecin and etoposide. Previous studies suggested that this was due to an increase in DR5 expression in wild-type TP53 cells, but this mechanism did not account for cells with mutant TP53. Here, we show that a more general effect of these agents is to downregulate caspase-8 inhibitor c-FLIP(S) (the short form of cellular Fas-associated death domain-fike interleukin-1-converting enzyme-inhibitory protein) and up-regulate Bak, a pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family member, independently of cell's TP53 status. Furthermore, we showed that TRAIL alone or in combination with chemotherapeutic agents, induced apoptosis in primary tumor cultures from patients with malignant gliomas, reinforcing the potential of TRAIL as an effective therapeutic agent for malignant gliomas.     

The polysaccharide portion plays an indispensable role in Salmonella lipopolysaccharide-induced activation of NF-kappaB through human toll-like receptor 4

The lipid A portion has been identified as the active center responsible for lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced macrophage activation. However, we found that Salmonella (Salmonella enterica serovars Abortusequi, Minnesota, and Typhimurium) lipid A is inactive in human macrophages, despite its LPS being highly active. Thus we investigated the critical role of polysaccharide in Salmonella LPS-induced activation of NF-kappaB. In human monocytic cell line THP-1, Salmonella lipid A and synthetic Salmonella-type lipid A (516) did not induce NF-kappaB-dependent reporter activity up to 1 micro g/ml, whereas strong activation was observed in response to Salmonella LPS. The difference in activity between this lipid A and LPS was further examined by using 293 cells expressing human CD14/Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/MD-2, and similar results were obtained in these cells as well. A polysaccharide preparation obtained from Salmonella LPS was inactive in 293 cells expressing human CD14/TLR4/MD-2 even in combination with 516. Salmonella enterica serovar Minnesota Re LPS, whose structure consists of lipid A and two molecules of 2-keto-3-deoxyoctonic acid, but not its lipid A exhibited strong activity in THP-1 cells and 293 cells expressing human CD14/TLR4/MD-2. These results indicate that the polysaccharide portion covalently bound to lipid A plays the principal role in Salmonella LPS-induced activation of NF-kappaB through human CD14/TLR4/MD-2.     

栀子苷下调Toll样受体4表达并拮抗脂多糖诱导的小胶质细胞炎性反应

目的:观察栀子昔对细菌脂多糖(LPS)诱导的BV2小胶质细胞炎性反应的影响并探讨其作用机制。方法:LPS诱导BV2小胶质细胞活化,CCK-8方法检测细胞存活率,Griess法测定NO释放量,ELISA测定肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)和白介素-1β(IL-1β)含量,免疫印迹检测Toll样受体4(TLR4)蛋白表达。结果:栀子苷在10～100μg/ml浓度范围内对小胶质细胞活力影响不显著,此浓度范围内,栀子苷剂量依赖性的减少LPS诱导的NO、TNF-α和IL-1β释放。此外,栀子苷还可抑制LPS诱导的BV2细胞形态活化改变,并降低LPS诱导的TLR4蛋白表达。结论:栀子苷可以拮抗LPS诱导的BV2小胶质细胞炎性反应,其机制可能与下调TLR4信号通路有关。     

Endotoxin tolerance attenuates LPS-induced TLR4 mobilization to lipid rafts: a condition reversed by PKC activation

Endotoxin tolerance is characterized by attenuated macrophage activation to subsequent LPS challenge and can be reversed through nonspecific protein kinase C (PKC) activation, and activation by LPS within na?ve cells requires the activation of the cell surface receptors CD14 and TLR4 on lipid rafts. The effect of PKC activation and endotoxin tolerance on lipid raft receptor complex assembly is unknown and the focus of this study. Tolerance was induced in THP-1 cells through LPS pre-exposure. Na?ve and tolerant cells were stimulated with LPS, with or without PMA pretreatment to activate PKC. TLR4 surface expression and LPS binding were determined by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry. Cellular and lipid raft protein was analyzed for the presence and activation of the TLR4 complex components. Harvested supernatants were examined for TNF-alpha production. Total TLR4 surface expression and LPS binding were not affected by tolerance induction. LPS stimulation of na?ve cells resulted in TLR4 and heat shock protein (HSP)70 lipid raft mobilization, MAPK activation, and TNF-alpha production. LPS stimulation of tolerant cells was associated with attenuation of all of these cellular events. Although PKC activation by PMA had no effect on na?ve cells, it did result in reversal in tolerance-induced suppression of TLR4 and HSP70 lipid raft mobilization, MAPK activation, and TNF-alpha production. In addition, the effects associated with PMA were reversed with exposure to a myristoylated PKC-zeta pseudosubstrate. Thus, endotoxin tolerance appears to be induced through attenuated TLR4 formation following LPS stimulation. This complex formation appears to be PKC-dependent, and restoration of PKC activity reverses tolerance.     

Ectopic expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL inhibits apoptosis induced by TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) through suppression of caspases-8, 7, and 3 and BID cleavage in human acute myelogenous leukemia cell line HL-60.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is one of the latest members of the TNF superfamily known to induce apoptosis in a wide variety of tumor cells. Some cell types, however, are quite resistant to TRAIL. We investigated the effect of ectopic expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL on TRAIL-induced apoptosis in human acute myelogenous leukemia HL-60 cells. We found that HL-60 cells, which express TRAIL receptors (also called death receptor, DR) DR4, DR5, and Dc (decoy) R2, are highly sensitive to TRAIL-induced cytotoxicity. Greater than 90% killing occurred within 24 h of TRAIL treatment. The expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, however, completely abolished the TRAIL-induced cytotoxic effects. Treatment of HL-60 cells with TRAIL induced caspase-8 activation within 2-4 h, but no activation could be seen in Bcl-2-expressing or Bcl-xL-expressing cells. TRAIL also induced cleavage of BID, which was also abolished by Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL. Similarly, TRAIL activated caspase-3 and caspase-7 in control cells but not in cells expressing Bcl-2 or Bcl-xL. Cleavage of the caspase-3 substrate poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), was abrogated by ectopic expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL. Inhibition of caspases by the pan-caspase inhibitor, benzyloxycarbonyl-valine-alanine-aspartate-fluoromethylketone (zVAD-fmk) abolished the TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Overall, these results indicate that TRAIL-induced apoptosis involves activation of caspase-8, caspase-7, caspase-3, and BID cleavage, and Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL prevents TRAIL-induced apoptosis by abrogating caspase activation and BID cleavage.     

Glycyrrhizin and isoliquiritigenin suppress the LPS sensor toll-like receptor 4/MD-2 complex signaling in a different manner

Recent evidences suggest that the extracts of plant products are able to modulate innate immune responses. A saponin GL and a chalcone ILG are representative components of Glycyrrhiza uralensis, which attenuate inflammatory responses mediated by TLRs. Here, we show that GL and ILG suppress different steps of the LPS sensor TLR4/MD-2 complex signaling at the receptor level. Extract of G. uralensis suppressed IL-6 and TNF-α production induced by lipid A moiety of LPS in RAW264.7 cells. Among various G. uralensis-related components of saponins and flavanones/chalcones, GL and ILG could suppress IL-6 production induced by lipid A in dose-dependent manners in RAW264.7 cells. Furthermore, elevation of plasma TNF-α in LPS-injected mice was attenuated by passive administration of GL or ILG. GL and ILG inhibited lipid A-induced NF-κB activation in Ba/F3 cells expressing TLR4/MD-2 and CD14 and BMMs. These components also inhibited activation of MAPKs, including JNK, p38, and ERK in BMMs. In addition, GL and ILG inhibited NF-κB activation and IL-6 production induced by paclitaxel, a nonbacterial TLR4 ligand. Interestingly, GL attenuated the formation of the LPS-TLR4/MD-2 complexes, resulting in inhibition of homodimerization of TLR4. Although ILG did not affect LPS binding to TLR4/MD-2, it could inhibit LPS-induced TLR4 homodimerization. These results imply that GL and ILG modulate the TLR4/MD-2 complex at the receptor level, leading to suppress LPS-induced activation of signaling cascades and cytokine production, but their effects are exerted at different steps of TLR4/MD-2 signaling.     

牙龈卟啉单胞菌脂多糖诱导THP-1细胞分泌IL-1β、TNF-α、IL-6能力及其相关Toll样受体的差异性

目的 探讨牙龈卟啉单胞菌(Porphyromonas gingivalis,Pg)脂多糖(LPS)诱导人单核-巨噬样细胞THP-1分泌IL-1β、TNF-α、IL-6能力及相关Toll样受体(TLR)的差异. 方法 采用酚水法提取Pg ATCC33277株脂多糖(Pg-LPS),并用红外光谱法和鲎试验进行鉴定.采用ELISA试剂盒定量检测Pg-LPS作用的THP-1细胞分泌IL-1β、TNF-α和IL-6水平.采用TLR2或TLR4单克隆抗体阻断试验联合ELISA检测,了解Pg-LPS结合靶细胞上Toll样受体的类型.实验中采用大肠杆菌0111:B4株脂多糖(E-LPS)作为对照. 结果 1μg/ml Pg-LPS作用THP-1细胞,分别于0.5、6和6 h检测分泌IL-1β、TNF-α和IL-6的水平明显升高(P0.05).TLR2或TLR4单抗均可有效阻断Pg-LPS作用的THP-1细胞分泌IL-1B或IL-6(P<0.05),但仅,ILR2单抗显示了阻断TNF-α分泌的作用(P<0.05).E-LPS诱导THP-1细胞分泌上述3种细胞因子的活性仅可被TLR4单抗所阻断(P<0.05). 结论 Pg-LPS诱导THP-1细胞分泌IL-1β、TNF-α和IL-6活性略高于E-LPS,TLR2而非TLR4是Pg-LPS介导靶细胞分泌上述细胞因子的主要受体.     

Mechanisms involved in apoptosis of human macrophages induced by lipopolysaccharide from Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans in the presence of cycloheximide

Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans is a major periodontopathic bacterium with multiple virulence factors, including lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Previous reports have demonstrated that LPS induced apoptosis in a murine macrophage-like cell line, J744.1, as well as in peritoneal macrophages from C3H/HeN mice in the presence of cycloheximide (CHX). However, the detailed molecular mechanisms involved in the apoptosis of macrophages induced by LPS and CHX are not well known. To clarify the possible role of LPS in the induction of macrophage apoptosis, we investigated cell death induced by LPS from A. actinomycetemcomitans and CHX in human macrophage-like U937 cells, which were differentiated by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA), and also assessed the molecular mechanisms involved in the process. We found that TPA-differentiated U937 cells usually showed resistance to LPS-induced apoptosis. However, in the presence of CHX, LPS induced release of cytochrome c without modifying steady-state levels of Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, Bax, and Bak. Treatment with LPS in the presence of CHX also led to activation of caspase-3 and apoptosis via, in part, the CD14/toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). The induction of cytochrome c release may have been due to dephosphorylation of Akt and Bad, which were cooperatively induced by CHX and LPS. However, endogenous tumor necrosis factor alpha- and Fas-induced signals, extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase/mitogen-activated protein kinases and I-kappa B alpha/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) were not required for caspase-3-dependent apoptosis. These results emphasize the possible important role of the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway leading to caspase-3 activation in LPS-induced apoptosis of human macrophages in the presence of CHX.     

Characterization of tumour necrosis factor-alpha-related apoptosis-inducing ligand and its receptors in the adult human testis

Tumour necrosis factor-alpha-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a member of the tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) family of cytokines which is known to induce apoptosis upon binding to its death domain-containing receptors, DR4/TRAIL-R1 and DR5/TRAIL-R2. Two additional TRAIL receptors, DcR1/TRAIL-R3 and DcR2/TRAIL-R4, lack functional death domains and act as decoy receptors for TRAIL. In this study, the presence of TRAIL and its receptors was investigated by immunohistochemistry in adult human testes. In addition, TRAIL and its receptors were studied in terms of protein and mRNA using western blot analysis and RT-PCR respectively. TRAIL and its receptors were immunodetected according to the different testicular cell types: TRAIL, DR5/TRAIL-R2 and DcR2/TRAIL-R4 were localized in Leydig cells, DR4/TRAIL-R1 was seen in peritubular and Sertoli cells whereas ligand and all receptors were detected in germ cells. Proteins and mRNA corresponding to TRAIL and its receptors were also identified in adult human testes. In conclusion, TRAIL and its receptors DR4/TRAIL-R1, DR5/TRAIL-R2, DcR1/TRAIL-R3 and DcR2/TRAIL-R4 are expressed in the human testis, and are predominantly localized in different germ cell types.     

Phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C (PC-PLC) is required for LPS-mediated macrophage activation through CD14

Lipid rafts, composed of sphingolipids, are critical to Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) assembly during lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exposure, as a result of protein kinase C (PKC)-zeta activation. However, the mechanism responsible for this remains unknown. The purpose of this study is to determine if LPS-induced TLR4 assembly and activation are dependent on the sphingolipid metabolite ceramide produced by phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C (PC-PLC) or CD14. To study this, THP-1 cells were stimulated with LPS. Selected cells were pretreated with the PC-PLC inhibitor D609, exogenous C2 ceramide, CD14 neutralizing antibody, or TLR4 neutralizing antibody. LPS led to production of ceramide, phosphorylation of PKC-zeta, and assembly of the TLR4 within lipid rafts. This was followed by activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase family and the liberation of cytokines. Pretreatment with D609 or CD14 blockade was associated with attenuated LPS-induced ceramide production, TLR4 assembly on lipid rafts, and cytokine production. Pretreatment with TLR4 blockade did not affect LPS-induced ceramide production but was associated with significant attenuation in cytokine production. Treatment with C2 ceramide prior to LPS reversed the inhibitory effects induced by D609 but not of CD14 or TLR4 blockade. C2 ceramide alone induced the activation of PKC-zeta and the assembly of TLR4 but was not associated with cytokine liberation. This study demonstrates that TLR4 assembly and activation following LPS exposure require the production of ceramide by PC-PLC, which appears to be CD14-dependent.     

Following TRAIL's path in the immune system

The members of the tumour necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily of cytokines play important roles in the regulation of various immune-cell functions. Likewise, induction of cell death by apoptosis is indispensable for the normal functioning of the immune system. There are two major pathways of apoptosis induction. The intrinsic, or mitochondrial, pathway is regulated by the activation and interaction of members of the Bcl-2 family. The extrinsic, or death receptor, pathway is triggered by certain TNF family members when they engage their respective cognate receptors on the surface of the target cell. Hence, cell-to-cell-mediated death signals are induced by activation of these death receptor–ligand systems. Besides TNF itself and the CD95 (Fas/APO-1) ligand (FasL/Apo1L), the TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL/Apo2L) belongs to the subfamily of ligands that is responsible for extrinsic induction of cell death. Depending on their status of stimulation, TRAIL can be expressed by various cells of the immune system, amongst them natural killer (NK) cells, T cells, natural killer T cells (NKT cells), dendritic cells and macrophages. TRAIL has been implicated in immunosuppressive, immunoregulatory and immune-effector functions. With respect to pathological challenges, TRAIL and its receptors have been shown to play important roles in the immune response to viral infections and in immune surveillance of tumours and metastases. In this review we summarize the current knowledge on the role of TRAIL and its receptors in the immune system and, based on this, we discuss future directions of research into the diverse functions of this fascinating receptor–ligand system.     

Signaling through C/EBP Homologous Protein and Death Receptor 5 and Calpain Activation Differentially Regulate THP-1 Cell Maturation-Dependent Apoptosis Induced by Shiga Toxin Type 1

Shiga toxins (Stxs) induce apoptosis via activation of the intrinsic and extrinsic pathways in many cell types. Toxin-mediated activation of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response was shown to be instrumental in initiating apoptosis in THP-1 myeloid leukemia cells. THP-1 cells responded to Shiga toxin type 1 (Stx1) in a cell maturation-dependent manner, undergoing rapid apoptosis in the undifferentiated state but reduced and delayed apoptosis in differentiated cells. The onset of apoptosis was associated with calpain activation and changes in expression of C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), Bcl-2 family members, and death receptor 5 (DR5). Ligation of DR5 by tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) activates the extrinsic pathway of apoptosis. We show here that expression of TRAIL and DR5 is increased by Stx1 treatment. Addition of exogenous TRAIL enhances, and anti-TRAIL antibodies inhibit, Stx1-induced apoptosis of THP-1 cells. Silencing of CHOP or DR5 expression selectively prevented caspase activation, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, and Stx1-induced apoptosis of macrophage-like THP-1 cells. In contrast, the rapid kinetics of apoptosis induction in monocytic THP-1 cells correlated with rates of calpain cleavage. The results suggest that CHOP-DR5 signaling and calpain activation differentially contribute to cell maturation-dependent Stx1-induced apoptosis. Inhibition of these signaling pathways may protect cells from Stx cytotoxicity.Shiga toxins (Stxs) are major virulence factors expressed by the enteric pathogens Shigella dysenteriae serotype 1 and certain Escherichia coli serotypes referred to as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). Infections with Stx-producing bacteria are associated with watery diarrhea that may progress to bloody diarrhea, acute renal failure, and central nervous system complications such as lethargy, seizures, and paralysis (60). STEC is a particular public health concern in developed nations, with approximately 73,000 cases annually of hemorrhagic colitis caused by E. coli O157:H7 and 37,000 annual cases caused by STEC non-O157 serotypes in the United States (42). The histopathological hallmark of disease caused by Stxs is damage to endothelial cells lining colonic capillaries, renal glomeruli and arterioles, and central nervous system (CNS) blood vessels (46). The essential role of Stxs in pathogenesis has been confirmed using animal models in which the infusion of the toxins causes extensive microvascular thromboses in the kidney and CNS and, in some cases, ataxia and limb paralysis (43, 61). S. dysenteriae serotype 1 produces Shiga toxin, while STEC may express one or more toxin variants categorized as Shiga toxin type 1 (Stx1) or Shiga toxin type 2 (Stx2) based on their antigenic similarity to Shiga toxin (56). All Stxs possess an AB₅ structure composed of a monomeric A subunit in noncovalent association with a pentamer of B subunits (17). The B subunits mediate toxin binding by interaction with the membrane neutral glycolipid globotriaosylceramide (Gb₃) (38). The toxins are then internalized and undergo a complex series of intracellular routing events, collectively termed retrograde transport, which ultimately deliver the toxins to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumen (50). In the ER, the A subunit is proteolytically processed, and a fragment of the A subunit retrotranslocates into the cytosol. The N-glycosidase activity associated with the processed A subunit catalyzes the inactivation of eukaryotic ribosomes and inhibits protein synthesis (12, 51).In addition to the capacity to inhibit protein synthesis, Stxs have been shown to induce apoptosis, or programmed cell death, in many cell types (5). The toxins appear to activate apoptotic signaling through an extrinsic (death receptor-mediated signaling) or an intrinsic (mitochondrion-mediated signaling) pathway. For example, the toxins have been shown to be capable of directly activating initiator and executioner caspase cascades but also to generate truncated BID (tBID) which translocates to mitochondrial membranes, leading to increased mitochondrial membrane permeability, release of cytochrome c, and formation of the apoptosome (6, 18, 34). As a result of signaling through the intrinsic or extrinsic pathway, intoxicated cells display characteristics of apoptosis such as DNA fragmentation, cell shrinkage, membrane blebbing, and chromatin condensation.We previously showed that Stx1 induced apoptosis in the human myelogenous leukemia cell line THP-1 in a cell maturation-dependent manner. Undifferentiated, nonadherent monocytic THP-1 cells underwent rapid apoptosis when treated with Stx1, while differentiation to the adherent, macrophage-like state was associated with increased resistance to the cytotoxic action of the toxins, with only approximately 30% of cells undergoing delayed apoptosis (22). The induction of apoptosis by Stx1 involved the activation of the ER stress response in both monocytic and macrophage-like THP-1 cells (33, 36). Stx1 induced the expression of the ER stress effectors C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), and death receptor 5 (DR5) in monocytic THP-1 cells. Delivery of functional Stx1 into the cytosol of monocytic THP-1 cells led to downregulated expression of the prosurvival factor Bcl-2, while the delayed-apoptosis phenotype in macrophage-like cells was associated with increased Bcl-2 expression, phosphorylation, and mitochondrial translocation.Increased expression of the apoptosis-inducing factor TRAIL and its death-inducing receptor, DR5, enhances cell death signals triggered during a prolonged ER stress response (23, 68). TRAIL may be membrane associated or may be cleaved from the cell surface by proteases to generate a soluble ligand (26, 40). Engagement of TRAIL with its cognate receptor DR5 activates the extrinsic pathway of apoptosis through DR5 aggregation, the recruitment of the Fas-associated death domain (FADD), and the formation of the death-inducing signaling complex (DISC) (31, 53). The observation that expression of TRAIL and DR5 was upregulated by Stx1 treatment of monocytic THP-1 cells suggested that this receptor-ligand pair may contribute to rapid apoptosis induced by the toxin in these cells. However, we also showed that calpains were rapidly activated by Stx1 in monocytic THP-1 cells, and calpains may directly cleave caspase-3 (36). The studies reported here were designed to characterize the roles of TRAIL/DR5 and calpains in the rapid apoptosis response of monocytic cells and in delayed apoptosis in macrophage-like cells. We show that Stx1-induced apoptotic signaling is amplified by the addition of soluble TRAIL (sTRAIL) and inhibited by exposure of cells to neutralizing anti-TRAIL antibodies prior to intoxication. A reduction in CHOP or DR5 expression using RNA interference (RNAi) techniques markedly protected cells from apoptosis induced by Stx1, linking activation of the ER stress response with apoptosis in this system. Signaling through CHOP and DR5 led to activation of the initiator caspase, caspase-8, and the executioner caspase, caspase-3, in macrophage-like THP-1 cells, but the effect of CHOP and DR5 knockdown on caspase activation and apoptosis of monocytic cells was minimal. In contrast, the rate of calpain activation (cleavage) was directly correlated with the rapid onset of apoptosis in monocytic THP-1 cells.