Elevated extracellular [K+] inhibits death-receptor- and chemical-mediated apoptosis prior to caspase activation and cytochrome c release

Efflux of intracellular K+ and cell shrinkage are features of apoptosis in many experimental systems. and a regulatory role has been proposed For cytoplasmic [K+] in initiating apoptosis, We have investigated this in both death-receptor-mediated and chemical-induced apoptosis. Using jurkat T cells pre-loaded with the K+ ion surrogate Rb-86(+) We have demonstrated an efflux of intracellular K+ during apoptosis that was concomitant with, but did not precede, other apoptotic changes, including phosphatidylserine externalization, mitochondrial depolarization and cell shrinkage. To further clarify the role of K+ ions in apoptosis, cytoprotection by elevated extracellular [K+] was studied. Induction of apoptosis by diverse death-receptor and chemical stimuli in two cell lines was inhibited prior to phosphatidylserine externalization, mitochondrial depolarization, cytochrome c release and caspase activation. Using a cell-free system, we have demonstrated a novel mechanism by which increasing [K+] inhibited caspase activation. In control dATP-activated lysates, Apaf-1 oligomerized to a biologically active caspase processing approximate to 700 kDa complex and an inactive approximate to 1.4 MDa complex. Increasing [K+] inhibited caspase activation by preventing formation of the approximate to 700 kDa complex, but not of the inactive complex. Thus intracellular and extracellular [K+] markedly affect caspase activation and the initiation of apoptosis induced by both death-receptor ligation and chemical stress.