Caspase‐3 is not essential for DNA fragmentation in MCF‐7 cells during apoptosis induced by the pyrrolo‐1,5‐benzoxazepine, PBOX‐6

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Abstract
Effector caspases‐3, ‐6 and ‐7 are responsible for producing the morphological features associated with apoptosis, such as DNA fragmentation. The present study demonstrates that a member of a novel series of pyrrolo‐1,5‐benzoxazepines, PBOX‐6, induces apoptosis in MCF‐7 cells, which lack caspase‐3. Apoptosis was accompanied by DNA fragmentation and the activation of caspase‐7, but not caspases‐3 and ‐6. Inhibition of caspase‐7 activity reduced the extent of apoptosis induced, indicating that activation of caspase‐7 is involved in the mechanism by which PBOX‐6 induces apoptosis in MCF‐7 cells. This study suggests that caspase‐3 is not necessarily essential for DNA fragmentation and the morphological changes associated with apoptosis.