E4orf4 induces PP2A- and Src-dependent cell death in Drosophila melanogaster and at the same time inhibits classic apoptosis pathways

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1220282110
• Publication Date: 2013-04-24T03:56:46Z
• Authors: Antonina Pechkovsky; Maoz Lahav; Eliya Bitman; Adi Salzberg; Tamar Kleinberger
• Keywords: Male; 0301 basic medicine; Models, Genetic; Apoptosis; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; 3. Good health; Viral Proteins; 03 medical and health sciences; Drosophila melanogaster; Phenotype; src-Family Kinases; Caspases; Phosphoprotein Phosphatases; Animals; Drosophila Proteins; Wings, Animal; Female; Photoreceptor Cells, Invertebrate; Transgenes; Conserved Sequence

Significance Expression of the adenovirus protein E4orf4 alone in cultured mammalian cells prompts noncanonical apoptosis that is more efficient oncogene-transformed than normal cells. Here, activity a whole organism ( Drosophila melanogaster ) described, leading to three significant conclusions: i E4orf4-induced cell death an evolutionarily conserved process; ii induces distinctive mode death, differing from well-characterized mechanisms; and iii activates but concomitantly inhibits it, thus minimizing damage tissues. The last finding suggests possible explanation for differential effect cancer