Paraptosis: mediation by MAP kinases and inhibition by AIP-1/Alix

Programmed cell death (pcd) may take the form of apoptotic or nonapoptotic pcd. Whereas cysteine aspartyl-specific proteases (caspases) mediate apoptosis, the mediators of nonapoptotic cell death programs are much less well characterized. Here, we report that paraptosis, an alternative, nonapoptotic cell death program that may be induced by the insulin-like growth factor I receptor ( among other inducers), is mediated by mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and inhibited by AIP-1/Alix. The inhibition by AIP-1/Alix is specific for paraptosis since apoptosis was not inhibited. Caspases were not activated in this paradigm, nor were caspase inhibitors effective in blocking cell death. However, insulin-like growth factor I receptor (IGFIR)-induced paraptosis was inhibited by MEK-2-specific inhibitors and by antisense oligonucleotides directed against c-jun N-terminal kinase-1 (JNK-1). These results suggest that IGFIR-induced paraptosis is mediated by MAPKs, and inhibited by AIP-1/Alix.