Elevated extracellular [K+] inhibits death-receptor- and chemical-mediated apoptosis prior to caspase activation and cytochrome c release

Abstract

Efflux of intracellular K⁺ and cell shrinkage are features of apoptosis in many experimental systems, and a regulatory role has been proposed for cytoplasmic [K⁺] in initiating apoptosis. We have investigated this in both death-receptor-mediated and chemical-induced apoptosis. Using Jurkat T cells pre-loaded with the K⁺ ion surrogate ⁸⁶Rb⁺, we have demonstrated an efflux of intracellular K⁺ during apoptosis that was concomitant with, but did not precede, other apoptotic changes, including phosphatidylserine externalization, mitochondrial depolarization and cell shrinkage. To further clarify the role of K⁺ ions in apoptosis, cytoprotection by elevated extracellular [K⁺] was studied. Induction of apoptosis by diverse death-receptor and chemical stimuli in two cell lines was inhibited prior to phosphatidylserine externalization, mitochondrial depolarization, cytochrome c release and caspase activation. Using a cell-free system, we have demonstrated a novel mechanism by which increasing [K⁺] inhibited caspase activation. In control dATP-activated lysates, Apaf-1 oligomerized to a biologically active caspase processing ≈ 700kDa complex and an inactive ≈ 1.4 MDa complex. Increasing [K⁺] inhibited caspase activation by preventing formation of the ≈ 700kDa complex, but not of the inactive complex. Thus intracellular and extracellular [K⁺] markedly affect caspase activation and the initiation of apoptosis induced by both death-receptor ligation and chemical stress.