Fas-induced caspase denitrosylation

Only a few intracellular S-nitrosylated proteins have been identified, and it is unknown if protein 5-nitrosylation/denitrosylation is a component of signal transduction cascades. Caspase-3 zymogens were found to be S- nitrosylated on their catalytic-site cysteine in unstimulated human cell tines and denitrosylated upon activation of the Fas apoptotic pathway. Decreased caspase-3 S-nitrosylation was associated with an increase in intracellular caspase activity. Fas therefore activates caspase-3 not only by inducing the cleavage of the caspase zymogen to its active subunits, but also by stimulating the denitrosylation of its active-site thiol. Protein S- nitrosylation/denitrosylation can thus serve as a regulatory process in signal transduction pathways.