Death-Associated Protein Kinase 1 (DAPK1) belongs to a family of five serine/threonine (Ser/Thr) kinases that possess tumor suppressive function and also mediate a wide range of cellular processes, including apoptosis and autophagy. The loss and gain-of–function of DAPK1 is associated with various cancer and neurodegenerative diseases respectively. In recent years, mechanistic studies have broadened our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms involved in DAPK1-mediated autophagy/apoptosis. In the present review, we have discussed the structural information and various cellular functions of DAPK1 in a comprehensive manner. © 2016 Singh, Ravanan and Talwar.

Priti Talwar

Department of Bio-Sciences

School of Bio Sciences and Technology

Vellore Campus

Singh P

Ravanan P

Fulltext

Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) is a private university located in&nbsp;Tamil Nadu, India. Founded in 1984, as Vellore Engineering College, the institution offers 20 undergraduate, 34 postgraduate, four integrated and four research programs. It has campuses in Vellore, Amravati, Bhopal and Chennai.

VIT is one of the top ranked private universities in India according to NIRF, THE and QS Rankings.&nbsp;Govt. of India has recognized&nbsp;VIT, Vellore as an&nbsp;Institution of Eminence. This has allowed VIT to take independent quality initiatives and move up in world ranking.

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Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience

Scientific Reports

Kaempferol mitigates Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Induced Cell Death by targeting caspase 3/7

Recently, a new signaling complex Death Associated Protein Kinase 1 (DAPK1) ̶ N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subtype 2B (NMDAR2B or NR2B) engaged in the neuronal death cascade was identified and it was found that after stroke injury, N-methyl-D-aspartate glutamate (NMDA) receptors interact with DAPK1 through NR2B subunit and lead to excitotoxicity via over-activation of NMDA receptors. An acute brain injury, such as stroke, is a serious life-threatening medical condition which occurs due to poor blood supply to the brain and further leads to neuronal cell death. During a stroke, activated DAPK1 migrates towards the extra-synaptic site and binds to NR2B subunit of NMDA receptor. It is this DAPK1-NR2B interaction that arbitrates the pathological processes like apoptosis, necrosis, and autophagy of neuronal cells observed in stroke injury, hence we aimed to inhibit this vital interaction to prevent neuronal damage. In the present study, using PubChem database, we applied an integrative approach of virtual screening and molecular dynamic simulations and identified a potential lead compound 11 that interrupts DAPK1-NR2B interaction by competing with both ATP and substrate for their binding sites on DAPK1. This inhibitor was found potent and considerably selective to DAPK1 as it made direct contact with the ATP binding sites as well as substrate recognition motifs: Gly-Glu-Leu (GEL) and Pro-Glu-Asn (PEN). Further in vitro and in vivo experiments are demanded to validate the efficacy of compound 11 nevertheless, it can be considered as suitable starting point for designing DAPK1 inhibitors. © 2017 Elsevier Inc.

Journal of Molecular Graphics and Modelling

Exploring putative inhibitors of Death Associated Protein Kinase 1 (DAPK1) via targeting Gly- Glu -Leu (G E L) and Pro- Glu -Asn (P E N) substrate recognition motifs

Execution of fundamental cellular functions demands regulated protein folding homeostasis. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is an active organelle existing to implement this function by folding and modifying secretory and membrane proteins. Loss of protein folding homeostasis is central to various diseases and budding evidences suggest ER stress as being a major contributor in the development or pathology of a diseased state besides other cellular stresses. The trigger for diseases may be diverse but, inflammation and/or ER stress may be basic mechanisms increasing the severity or complicating the condition of the disease. Chronic ER stress and activation of the unfolded-protein response (UPR) through endogenous or exogenous insults may result in impaired calcium and redox homeostasis, oxidative stress via protein overload thereby also influencing vital mitochondrial functions. Calcium released from the ER augments the production of mitochondrial Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS).Toxic accumulation of ROS within ER and mitochondria disturbs fundamental organelle functions. Sustained ER stress is known to potentially elicit inflammatory responses via UPR pathways. Additionally, ROS generated through inflammation or mitochondrial dysfunction could accelerate ER malfunction. Dysfunctional UPR pathways have been associated with a wide range of diseases including several neurodegenerative diseases, stroke, metabolic disorders, cancer, inflammatory disease, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and others. In this review, we have discussed the UPR signaling pathways, and networking between ER stress-induced inflammatory pathways, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial signaling events, which further induce or exacerbate ER stress. © 2014 Chaudhari, Talwar, Parimisetty, Lefebvre d'Hellencourt and Ravanan.

Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience

A Molecular Web: Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress, Inflammation, and Oxidative Stress

Cerebral Cortex

A Novel Mechanism of Spine Damages in Stroke via DAPK1 and Tau

Oncology Letters

Methylation analysis of the DAPK1 gene in imatinib-resistant chronic myeloid leukemia patients

Molecular and Cellular Biology

Regulation of the Death-Associated Protein Kinase 1 Expression and Autophagy via ATF6 Requires Apoptosis Signal-Regulating Kinase 1

Cell Death & Disease

Death-associated protein kinase 1 has a critical role in aberrant tau protein regulation and function

Death Associated Protein Kinase 1 (DAPK1): A Regulator of Apoptosis and Autophagy

Journal	Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience
Publisher	Frontiers Media SA
ISSN	16625099
Open Access	Yes