Caspase activation is required for terminal erythroid differentiation

Yael Zermati, Carmen Garrido, Sophie Amsellem, Serge Fishelson, Didier Bouscary, Françoise Valensi, Bruno Varet, Eric Solary, Olivier Hermine

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    366 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    The cysteine proteases known as caspases play a central role in most apoptotic pathways. Here, we show that caspase inhibitors arrest the maturation of human erythroid progenitors at early stages of differentiation, before nucleus and chromatin condensation. Effector caspases such as caspase-3 are transiently activated through the mitochondrial pathway during erythroblast differentiation and cleave proteins involved in nucleus integrity (lamin B) and chromatin condensation (acinus) without inducing cell death and cleavage of GATA-1. These observations indicate a new function for caspases as key proteases in the process of erythroid differentiation.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)247-254
    Number of pages8
    JournalJournal of Experimental Medicine
    Volume193
    Issue number2
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 15 Jan 2001

    Keywords

    • Acinus
    • Apoptosis
    • Erythropoiesis
    • Lamin B
    • Mitochondria

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