ECP-induced Apoptosis
Studies show that ECP, along with other RNases including EDN, had been reported to induce apoptosis in cells. A latest study indicated that ECP caused cytotoxicity in HL-60 and HeLa cells via caspase-3 like activity. Accordingly, cytotoxic RNases play an important role in cell death. However, the mechanism of ECP-induced apoptosis is still not fully verified. Recent studies have shown that eosinophils can induce epithelial cell death via apoptosis and necrosis.
ECP triggers apoptosis by caspase-8 activation through mitochondria-independent pathway. Increases in chromatin condensation, sub-G1 population, PARP cleavage, and DNA fragmentation indicate that ECP induces apoptosis in human bronchial epithelial (BEAS-2B) cells.
Read more about this topic: Eosinophil Cationic Protein