Prodigiosin induces caspase-9 and caspase-8 activation and cytochrome C release in Jurkat T cells.

Prodigiosin (PG) is an active component of bacterial origin, with reported apoptotic effects. We examined the activation of caspases-9, -8, and -3 in PG-treated Jurkat cells in a dose-response study. These caspases were activated in apoptotic cells, as judged by the appearance of cleavage products from procaspases, and cytochrome c (cyt c) was released to the cytosol. In addition, PG induced the cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). This study demonstrates that the activation of caspases-9, -8, and -3 mediates PG-induced apoptosis.