Figure 4.

UA-mediated Rock1 activation and ezrin dephosphorylation/downregulation were not dependent on caspase activation. (a) U937 cells were pretreated with the caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK (10 μℳ) for 2 h, followed by treatment with 20 μℳ UA for 12 h. Apoptosis was determined using flow cytometry. The values represent the means±s.d. for three separate experiments. ** indicate values for cells treated with UA and Z-VAD-FMK were significantly reduced compared with values obtained for UA alone by Student's t-test; P<0.01. (b) Total protein extracts were prepared and subjected to western blot assay using antibodies against PARP, Caspase-8 and C-Caspase-3. (c) Western blot determined cell signaling proteins including Rho, Rock1, p-Ezrin and Ezrin.