UNIPROT:P10415 - FACTA Search

Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts: Target Concepts:

Query: UNIPROT:P10415 (Bcl-2)
33,771 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

There is substantial evidence that cytokines induce apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in atherosclerosis. Its regulation, however, is not completely defined. The aim of this study is to investigate whether proteasome activity is related with apoptosis in VSMCs by tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). Rat aorta smooth muscle cells were treated with TNF-alpha and proteasome inhibitor MG132 and then cell death was determined by morphology, viability, and DNA fragmentation. MG132 or TNF-alpha alone did not induce cell death. In contrast, co-treatment of TNF-alpha and proteasome inhibitor induced death and DNA degradation in VSMCs, suggesting proteasome inhibitor enhanced death activity of TNF-alpha. The death was not blocked by ascorbic acid but by nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine. Both caspase-3 and -8 were activated during the death by the proteasome inhibitor and TNF-alpha. The death was effectively blocked by the caspase-3 inhibitor z-DEVD-fmk, suggesting a role of caspase-3 in the death. Nonetheless, there were no significant alterations in the level of Bcl-2, Bcl-X(L), Bax and Bak by the proteasome inhibitor, nor any evidence of cytochrome (cyt) c release into cytosol from dying cells, suggesting that cyt c is not involved. These results suggest that proteasome inhibition potentiates TNF-mediated death in VSMCs in a cyt c-independent pathway. The present study proposes a new mechanism by which VSMCs undergo death by cytokines.
...
PMID:Enhancement of TNF-alpha-mediated cell death in vascular smooth muscle cells through cytochrome c-independent pathway by the proteasome inhibitor. 1256 Jan 2

Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) is known to induce apoptosis in endothelial cells, and this is believed to contribute to the progression of atherosclerosis. In the present study we made the novel observation that oxLDL-induced death of HMEC-1 cells is accompanied by activation of calpain. The mu-calpain inhibitor PD 151746 decreased oxLDL-induced cytotoxicity, whereas the general caspase inhibitor BAF (t-butoxycarbonyl-Asp-methoxyfluoromethylketone) had no effect. Also, oxLDL provoked calpain-dependent proteolysis of cytoskeletal alpha-fodrin in the HMEC-1 cells. Our observation of an autoproteolytic cleavage of the 80 kDa subunit of mu-calpain provided further evidence for an oxLDL-induced stimulation of calpain activity. The Bcl-2 protein Bid was also cleaved during oxLDL-elicited cell death, and this was prevented by calpain inhibitors, but not by inhibitors of cathepsin B and caspases. Treating the HMEC-1 cells with oxLDL did not result in detectable activation of procaspase 3 or cleavage of PARP [poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase], but it did cause polyubiquitination of caspase 3, indicating inactivation and possible degradation of this protease. Despite the lack of caspase 3 activation, oxLDL treatment led to the formation of nucleosomal DNA fragments characteristic of apoptosis. These novel results show that oxLDL initiates a calpain-mediated death-signalling pathway in endothelial cells.
...
PMID:Oxidized low-density lipoprotein induces calpain-dependent cell death and ubiquitination of caspase 3 in HMEC-1 endothelial cells. 1277 16

Abnormal regulation of apoptosis is observed in ischemic injury and may contribute to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. However, its role in cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV), the fundamental lesion of chronic rejection (CR) in heart transplantation, remains uncertain. To clarify this issue, apoptosis was quantitated in myocardium and coronary arteries from 5 cardiac allograft donors (NL) and explanted hearts of 24 patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (IsCM) and 15 patients with CR. Tissue samples were analyzed via end-labeling fragmented DNA [via deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL)] and immunoblotting for activated caspase-3 and -9. Myocyte apoptosis assessed by TUNEL was similarly increased over NL (0.21%) in both the CR (0.88%; P < 0.01) and IsCM (0.88%; P < 0.01) groups. Activated caspase-9 levels were significantly higher in CR (14.7%) compared with IsCM (6.9%; P < 0.01) and NL (0%) groups, whereas activated caspase-3 levels were similarly elevated in both CR and IsCM (7.8 and 6.5% vs. 0% in NL; P < 0.01 and P < 0.05) groups. Expression of myocardial Bcl-2 and Bax was increased in CR compared with both NL (Bax, 4.3-fold; P < 0.01; Bcl-2, 5.9-fold; P < 0.01) and IsCM (IsCM: Bax, 2.2-fold; P < 0.05; Bcl-2, 3.2-fold; P < 0.01) groups. The rate of apoptosis and the Bcl-2/Bax ratio independently correlated to graft survival in CR (activation of caspase-9: r = 0.87; P < 0.01; Bcl-2/Bax: r = 0.57; P = 0.05). Compared with native atherosclerosis, coronary arteries with CAV showed more medial apoptosis (7.8-fold; P < 0.01) and higher Bcl-2 levels (5.1-fold; P < 0.01) with lower Bax levels (threefold; P < 0.05) in the intima. These results indicate that abnormal Bcl-2 and Bax expression in myocardium and coronary arteries of cardiac allografts with CR is distinct from that in IsCM and suggest that balancing Bcl-2 to Bax in transplanted hearts promotes long-term graft survival.
...
PMID:Balanced expression of mitochondrial apoptosis regulatory proteins correlates with long-term survival of cardiac allografts. 1290 17

Osteoporosis (OP) and atherosclerotic-cardiovascular diseases (and possibly dementia) constitute emerging age-related co-morbidity states that might share risk factors. Blood-born lipids, like LDL involved in atherosclerosis and apolipoprotein-E4 (ApoE4) involved in dementia, may also be implicated in development of OP. We examined osteoblast cell lines as a culture model for OP by exposure to lipoproteins. ApoE expression in Saos2 and U2OS osteoblasts was confirmed by PCR. ApoE4 did decrease cell counts relatively to ApoE3, especially in Saos2 cells in which it was less selective for cells with higher alkaline phosphatase (ALP, an osteoblast marker) activity than ApoE3. This associates with ApoE4, being a risk factor for both dementia and OP. Saos2, but not U2OS, showed a decrease in cell counts after 48 h exposure to native LDL (NLDL). Both cell lines had decreased cell counts already after 24 h when exposed to oxidized-LDL (OxLDL) for which Saos2 also showed a higher sensitivity than U2OS. Exposure of Saos2 to both, OxLDL at low concentration (5 microg/ml) and NLDL revealed a shrunken size cell fraction of 17-23% on the fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) analysis. Such shrunken cell fraction was not seen when Saos2 cells were exposed to 50 microg/ml of OxLDL or to OxLDL combined with 10 nM dexamethasone (DEX, a stimulator of osteoprogenitor differentiation). DEX treatment has lysed the cells earlier than 24 h post exposure and has selected more resistant cells that did not show apoptotic shrinkage in the FACS analysis done after 24 h. We interpret this as a failure to detect the apoptotic cell fraction due to their lysis prior to the FACS analysis. Western blots performed at different time points (10 min, 30 min, 4 h, 24 h, and 48 h) under OxLDL + DEX revealed a fall in the positive regulator of pp60Src-kinase phosphotyrosine (pY)418 relative to the DEX controls during the first 4 h. This is consistent with DEX osteogenic induction, known to be negatively regulated by c-Src, although the pY418/pY529 ratios (negative/positive kinase regulation) fell only at the 10 min time point. Contrarily the pY418/pY529 ratio increased, relative to untreated controls, under 5 microg/ml and 50 microg/ml of NLDL at the 4 h time point and under 50 microg/ml NLDL only at the 10 min time point, being consistent with the ability of a higher dose of LDL to antagonize osteoblast differentiation. This could be even more acceptable if the NLDL would have become minimally oxidized during its long purification procedure. Under NLDL, the Bcl-2/Bax ratio was pro-apoptotic at 10 min, 30 min, and 4 h only under 50 microg/ml, whereas under OxLDL + DEX it was pro-apoptotic only after 4 h suggesting that additional pathways contribute to cell death. These results indicate that lipid effects on human osteoblast lines in culture may be used as a model to identify molecular targets shared between OP and atherosclerosis for intervention in this co-morbidity.
...
PMID:Cell death in cultured human Saos2 osteoblasts exposed to low-density lipoprotein. 1293 55

Menopause marks the start of a new phase in a woman's life that is associated with a decrease in circulating estrogen levels. Although the average age of women has increased from 50 to nearly 85 years, the average age at menopause has remained essentially constant at 50 years. Thus, women now spend nearly a third of their lives in an estrogen deficient state. This normal aging process in women is associated with increasing health problems such as osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer. Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) has been shown to play an important beneficial role in the health and well being of postmenopausal women. Several estrogen preparations are available and among these conjugated equine estrogens (CEE) are most frequently used. The drug CEE, is a complex natural urinary extract of pregnant mare's urine and contains at least 10 estrogens in their sulfate ester form and these are the ring B saturated estrogens: estrone (E(1)), 17beta-estradiol (17beta-E(2)), 17alpha-estradiol (17alpha-E(2)), and the ring B unsaturated estrogens equilin (Eq), 17beta-dihydroequilin (17beta-Eq), 17alpha-dihydroequilin (17alpha-Eq), equilenin (Eqn), 17beta-dihydroequilenin (17beta-Eqn), 17alpha-dihydroequilenin (17alpha-Eqn), and Delta(8)-estrone (Delta(8)-E(1)). All of these estrogens in their unconjugated form are biologically active and can interact with recombinant human estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) and beta (ERbeta) with 17beta-estradiol and 17beta-dihydroequilin having the highest affinity for both receptors. A number of the ring B unsaturated estrogens had nearly twofold higher affinity for the ERbeta. The pharmacokinetics of these estrogens in postmenopausal women indicate that the unconjugated estrogens compared to their sulfated forms are cleared more rapidly. The 17-keto estrogens are metabolized to the more potent 17beta-reduced products which are cleared at a slower rate. In postmenopausal women, the extent of 17beta-activation is much higher with the ring B unsaturated estrogens than with ring B saturated estrogens. Oxidized LDL and oxidative stress are thought to contribute to both atherosclerosis and neurodegenerative disorders. Neurons in particular are at a high risk from damage resulting from oxidative stress. In vivo and in vitro studies indicate that the oxidation of LDL isolated from postmenopausal women was inhibited differently by various estrogens and other antioxidants. The unique ring B unsaturated estrogens were the most potent while the red wine component t-resveratrol was the least potent. Studies were designed to explore the cellular and molecular mechanisms that may be involved in the neuroprotective effects of CEE components. The data indicate that the neurotoxic effects of oxidized LDL and glutamate can be inhibited by various estrogens, with the ring B unsaturated estrogens being the most active. These effects are involved in the inhibition of DNA fragmentation and up-regulation of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and down-regulation of pro-apoptotic protein Bax. These combined data suggest that some of the neuroprotective benefits associated with long-term estrogen therapy may occur by the above mechanism(s). Because estrogens such as the Delta(8)-estrogens are relatively less feminizing than the classical estrogen 17beta-estradiol, they may be important in the development of more neuro-specific estrogens that will be useful in the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson disease, in both men and women.
...
PMID:Estrogens and menopause: pharmacology of conjugated equine estrogens and their potential role in the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. 1294 38

Apoptosis plays an important role in atherosclerosis. The factors regulating this process are not well defined. We examined the relation of apoptotic cells with the terminal complement complex C5b-9 in human atherosclerotic lesions. The extent of apoptosis was determined using TdT dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) and immunohistochemistry of apoptosis regulators caspase-3, caspase-9, Bax, and Bcl-2. C5b-9 was localized by immunohistochemistry and immunoelectron microscopy. The apoptotic index was higher in fibrous plaques when compared with intimal fatty streaks and intimal thickenings. Bax expression was present in TUNEL+ apoptotic cells, and Bcl-2 was rarely present in the atherosclerotic wall. Active caspase 9 and caspase 3 deposits were present in the same areas, suggesting an involvement of the mitochondrial pathway. C5b-9 deposits colocalized with TUNEL+ cells, and the percent of double-positive cells was 2% in fatty streaks, 12% in intimal thickenings, and 35% in fibrous plaques. Colocalization of apoptotic cells with C5b-9 was also confirmed by immunoelectron microscopy. In conclusion, some apoptotic cells carry C5b-9 deposits, suggesting that complement might be activated by apoptotic cells and involved in the promotion of apoptosis, contributing to the progression of atherosclerotic lesions.
...
PMID:C5b-9 terminal complement complex assembly on apoptotic cells in human arterial wall with atherosclerosis. 1473 64

7-Ketocholesterol is a component of oxidized LDL, which plays a central role in atherosclerosis. It is a potent inducer of cell death towards a wide number of cells involved in atherosclerosis. In this study, it is reported that 7-ketocholesterol treatment induces an increase of cytosolic-free Ca(2+) in THP-1 monocytic cells. This increase is correlated with the induction of cytotoxicity as suggested from experiments using the Ca(2+) channel blockers verapamil and nifedipine. This 7-ketocholesterol-induced apoptosis appears to be associated with the dephosphorylation of serine 75 and serine 99 of the proapoptotic protein Bcl-2 antagonist of cell death (BAD). We demonstrated that this dephosphorylation results mainly from the activation of calcium-dependent phosphatase calcineurin by the oxysterol-induced increase in Ca(2+). Moreover, this Ca(2+) increase appears related to the incorporation of 7-ketocholesterol into lipid raft domains of the plasma membrane, followed by the translocation of transient receptor potential calcium channel 1, a component of the store operated Ca(2+) entry channel, to rafts.
...
PMID:Involvement of a calcium-dependent dephosphorylation of BAD associated with the localization of Trpc-1 within lipid rafts in 7-ketocholesterol-induced THP-1 cell apoptosis. 1510 36

The preventive mechanism of salviae miltiorrhizae (SM) against experimental atherosclerosis (AS) in rabbits models was investigated. The experimental AS rabbit models were reproduced by feeding the high cholesterol diet. The changes of atherosclerotic plaques in normal group, model group and SM treated group were observed. The levels of serum TG, TC, HDL-C and LDL-C were determined. The immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of Bcl-2, Bax and IL-6 proteins in atherosclerotic plaques. The results showed that the level of serum TG in SM treated group was significantly lower than in model group (P<0.01). Immunohistochemistry revealed that the expression of Bcl-2, Bax and TL-6 in model group was significantly higher than in normal group. In the SM group, the expression of Bcl-2 protein was up-regulated and that of Bax was down-regulated. It was suggested that SM could inhibit formation of AS in experimental rabbits. To decrease the expression of Bax and increase the expression of Bcl-2 protein may be one of the mechanisms of SM against atherosclerosis.
...
PMID:Experimental study on the preventive mechanism of salviae miltiorrhizae against atherosclerosis in rabbits models. 1531 34

Guggulsterone, derived from Commiphora mukul and used to treat obesity, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, atherosclerosis, and osteoarthritis, has been recently shown to antagonize the farnesoid X receptor and decrease the expression of bile acid-activated genes. Because activation of NF-kappaB has been closely linked with inflammatory diseases affected by guggulsterone, we postulated that it must modulate NF-kappaB activation. In the present study, we tested this hypothesis by investigating the effect of this steroid on the activation of NF-kappaB induced by inflammatory agents and carcinogens. Guggulsterone suppressed DNA binding of NF-kappaB induced by tumor necrosis factor (TNF), phorbol ester, okadaic acid, cigarette smoke condensate, hydrogen peroxide, and interleukin-1. NF-kappaB activation was not cell type-specific, because both epithelial and leukemia cells were inhibited. Guggulsterone also suppressed constitutive NF-kappaB activation expressed in most tumor cells. Through inhibition of IkappaB kinase activation, this steroid blocked IkappaBalpha phosphorylation and degradation, thus suppressing p65 phosphorylation and nuclear translocation. NF-kappaB-dependent reporter gene transcription induced by TNF, TNFR1, TRADD, TRAF2, NIK, and IKK was also blocked by guggulsterone but without affecting p65-mediated gene transcription. In addition, guggulsterone decreased the expression of gene products involved in anti-apoptosis (IAP1, xIAP, Bfl-1/A1, Bcl-2, cFLIP, and survivin), proliferation (cyclin D1 and c-Myc), and metastasis (MMP-9, COX-2, and VEGF); this correlated with enhancement of apoptosis induced by TNF and chemotherapeutic agents. Overall, our results indicate that guggulsterone suppresses NF-kappaB and NF-kappaB-regulated gene products, which may explain its anti-inflammatory activities.
...
PMID:Guggulsterone inhibits NF-kappaB and IkappaBalpha kinase activation, suppresses expression of anti-apoptotic gene products, and enhances apoptosis. 1532 87

T cell interactions with vascular endothelial cells (EC) are of central importance for immune surveillance of microbes and for pathological processes such as atherosclerosis, allograft rejection, and vasculitis. Animal (especially rodent) models incompletely predict human immune responses, in particular with regard to the immunological functions of EC, and in vitro models may not accurately reflect in vivo findings. In this study, we describe the development of an immunodeficient SCID/bg murine model combining a transplanted human synthetic microvascular bed with adoptive transfer of human T lymphocytes allogeneic to the cells of the graft that more fully recapitulates T cell responses in natural tissues. Using this model, we demonstrate that transduced Bcl-2 protein in the engrafted EC effectively prevents injury even as it enhances T cell graft infiltration and replication.
...
PMID:Bcl-2 transduction protects human endothelial cell synthetic microvessel grafts from allogeneic T cells in vivo. 1532 61

<< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next >>