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)

The number of lymphocytes in an animal is remarkably constant despite antigen-driven proliferation and a high rate of B-cell lymphopoiesis. This reflects the relatively brief lifespan of many newly generated B cells and argues for a well-regulated death mechanism. Even so, a secondary immune response can be generated years after a primary exposure to antigen. Antigen that might restimulate B cells persists for extended periods on follicular dendritic cells in the light zone of germinal centres. Antigen-binding B cells have also been found months after the end of obvious cell division. The precise signal that enables certain B cells to emerge as long-term surviving memory cells is unknown. Bcl-2, an inner mitochondrial membrane protein, blocks programmed cell death in B cells. We report here that this proto-oncogene maintains immune responsiveness. Transgenic mice overproducing Bcl-2 have a long-term persistence of immunoglobulin-secreting cells and an extended lifetime for memory B cells.
Nature 1991 Sep 05
PMID:Bcl-2 maintains B cell memory. 190 51

A common feature of follicular lymphoma, the most prevalent haematological malignancy in humans, is a chromosome translocation (t(14;18] that has coupled the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus to a chromosome 18 gene denoted bcl-2. By analogy with the translocated c-myc oncogene in other B-lymphoid tumours bcl-2 is a candidate oncogene, but no biological effects of bcl-2 have yet been reported. To test whether bcl-2 influences the growth of haematopoietic cells, either alone or together with a deregulated c-myc gene, we have introduced a human bcl-2 complementary DNA using a retroviral vector into bone marrow cells from either normal or E mu-myc transgenic mice, in which B-lineage cells constitutively express the c-myc gene. Bcl-2 cooperated with c-myc to promote proliferation of B-cell precursors, some of which became tumorigenic. To determine how bcl-2 expression impinges on growth factor requirements, the gene was introduced into a lymphoid and a myeloid cell line that require interleukin 3 (IL-3). In the absence of IL-3, bcl-2 promoted the survival of the infected cells but they persisted in a G0 state, rather than proliferating. These results argue that bcl-2 provided a distinct survival signal to the cell and may contribute to neoplasia by allowing a clone to persist until other oncogenes, such as c-myc, become activated.
Nature 1988 Sep 29
PMID:Bcl-2 gene promotes haemopoietic cell survival and cooperates with c-myc to immortalize pre-B cells. 326 2

The immune system provides a useful model system in which to study the signal transduction events involved in the regulation of programmed cell death. Mature lymphocytes have the capacity to survive in the body for prolonged periods of time. During an immune response, cells of the appropriate antigenic specificity must undergo clonal amplification to mount a protective response, and cells participating in inflammatory immune responses need to have the capacity to survive at sites of inflammation. However, upon completion of a successful inflammatory response, the majority of cells produced must die off in order to maintain the homeostasis of the organism. Over the last several years we have learned a great deal about how mature lymphocytes regulated their susceptibility to undergo programmed cell death. Three types of information appear to be used by the lymphocyte to control its susceptibility to undergo programmed cell death. The intrinsic susceptibility of a cell to undergo programmed cell death is determined by members of the Bcl-2 gene family. In addition, extrinsic survival factors, such as IL-2, can initiate signal transduction events that can prevent a cell from initiating apoptosis. Finally, lymphocytes appear to have specific receptors, such as Fas, that can directly induce programmed cell death upon ligand binding. The integration of these three systems is discussed.
Ann N Y Acad Sci 1995 Sep 07
PMID:Receptors that regulate T-cell susceptibility to apoptotic cell death. 748 1

The distribution of Bcl-2 oncoprotein was studied immunohistochemically in formaldehyde-fixed and paraffin-embedded reactive and neoplastic lymphoid tissue. The potential of Bcl-2 for the differential diagnosis of follicular lesions was emphasized, and the results on follicular lesions were correlated with those of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay of the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene rearrangement. In hyperplastic lymphoid tissue, Bcl-2 reactivity was widespread, including germinal center surroundings, scattered cells within the germinal centers, and the T-cell areas in general. Distinctively negative lymphoid populations included the majority of germinal center cells, and the negative staining pattern was maintained in cases of florid hyperplasia. In contrast, follicular lymphoma cells were consistently Bcl-2 positive. The immunohistochemical Bcl-2 reactivity of lymphoma follicles correlated with the clonal PCR amplification pattern of the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene; all Bcl-2-negative hyperplasias revealed a non-clonal pattern. Clusters of monocytoid B cells were Bcl-2 negative, whereas monocytoid B-cell lymphomas and closely related MALT lymphomas were positive. All other small cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas of B-cell types showed nearly uniform Bcl-2 reactivity, whereas large cell B-cell lymphomas were variably positive (74%). In Hodgkin's cells, Bcl-2 reactivity was seen in the neoplastic populations of most cases of nodular sclerosis and mixed cellularity types, whereas the L&H and Reed-Sternberg cells in lymphocyte predominance Hodgkin's disease were negative in most cases. Bcl-2 immunohistochemistry thus appears very valuable in the differential diagnosis of follicular hyperplasia and neoplasia, and it may help to distinguish between reactive and neoplastic monocytoid B cells. However, Bcl-2 immunohistochemistry is not useful in the subtyping of B-cell lymphomas.
APMIS 1995 Sep
PMID:Bcl-2 oncoprotein is widespread in lymphoid tissue and lymphomas but its differential expression in benign versus malignant follicles and monocytoid B-cell proliferations is of diagnostic value. 748 87

An ability of the Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein LMP1 to enhance the survival of infected B cells through upregulation of the bcl-2 oncogene was first suggested by experiments involving gene transfection and the selection of stable LMP1+ clones (S. Henderson, M. Rowe, C. Gregory, F. Wang, E. Kieff, and A. Rickinson, Cell 65:1107-1115, 1991). However, it was not possible to ascertain whether Bcl-2 upregulation was a specific consequence of LMP1 expression or an artifact of the selection procedure whereby rare Bcl-2+ cells already present in the starting population might best be able to tolerate the potentially toxic effects of LMP1. We therefore reexamined this issue by using two different experimental approaches that allowed LMP1-induced effects to be monitored immediately following expression of the viral protein and in the absence of selective pressures; activation of the NF-kappa B transcription factor and upregulation of the cell adhesion molecule ICAM-1 were used as early indices of LMP1 function. In the first approach, stable clones of two B-cell lines carrying an LMP1 gene under the control of an inducible metallothionein promoter were induced to express LMP1 in all cells. Activation of NK-kappa B and upregulation of ICAM-1 occurred within 24 h and were followed at 48 to 72 h by upregulation of Bcl-2. In the second approach, we tested the generality of this phenomenon by transiently expressing LMP1 from a strong constitutively active promoter in a range of different cell types. All six B-cell lines tested showed NF-kappa B activation in response to LMP1 expression, and this was followed in five of six lines by expression of ICAM-1 and Bcl-2. In the same experiments, all three non-B-cell lines showed NF-kappa B activation and ICAM-1 upregulation but never any effect upon Bcl-2. We therefore conclude that Bcl-2 upregulation is part of the panoply of cellular changes induced by LMP1 but that the effect is cell type specific. Our data also suggest that whilst NF-kappa B may be an essential component of LMP1 signal transduction, other cell-specific factors may be required to effect some functions of the viral protein.
J Virol 1994 Sep
PMID:Upregulation of bcl-2 by the Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein LMP1: a B-cell-specific response that is delayed relative to NF-kappa B activation and to induction of cell surface markers. 752 93

Recent studies have shown that the Bcl-2 protein suppresses programmed cell death or apoptosis induced by a variety of stimuli including chemotherapeutic drugs. Because estrogen promotes the survival of estrogen-dependent breast cancer cells in vivo, we investigated whether estrogen might regulate levels of Bcl-2 gene expression in an estrogen-responsive human breast cancer cell line. Estrogen receptor-positive MCF-7 human breast cancer cells cultured in the presence of estrogen express the 8.5-kb Bcl-2 mRNA transcript. Depletion of estrogen from the medium results in loss of expression of the mRNA, whereas reexposure to estrogen markedly induces the Bcl-2 transcript. The changes in Bcl-2 mRNA are paralleled by changes in Bcl-2 protein levels. Estrogen-induced increases in Bcl-2 are significantly inhibited by inclusion of the pure antiestrogen ICI 164,384 in the medium. The Bax protein that heterodimerizes with Bcl-2 and promotes cell death is expressed in MCF-7 cells grown in the presence of estrogen and is unaffected by culture in estrogen-free medium. Estrogen depletion doubles the sensitivity of MCF-7 cells to the cytotoxic effects of Adriamycin compared with cells cultured in medium supplemented with estrogen, consistent with a decrease in the Bcl-2 levels. MCF-7 cells treated simultaneously with estrogen and ICI 164,384 exhibit markedly lower resistance to Adriamycin compared with cells treated with estrogen alone. In the absence of estrogen, MCF-7 cells transfected with Bcl-2 expression plasmids display a marked increase in resistance to Adriamycin. In the presence of estrogen, MCF-7 cells expressing Bcl-2 antisense transcripts are rendered twice as sensitive to acute Adriamycin cytotoxicity as a control clone. We conclude that estrogen can promote resistance of estrogen receptor bearing human breast cancer cells to chemotherapeutic drugs through a mechanism that involves regulation of the Bcl-2 proto-oncogene.
Cancer Res 1995 Sep 01
PMID:Estrogen promotes chemotherapeutic drug resistance by a mechanism involving Bcl-2 proto-oncogene expression in human breast cancer cells. 764 Dec 10

Bcl-2, bcl-x, and bax genes code for proteins that affect the susceptibility of cells to apoptosis. In general, the expression of bcl-2 or bcl-x inhibits apoptosis while bax promotes apoptosis. We examined the levels of these proteins by immunoblotting in resting and activated T cells and in thymocytes. Bcl-2 and Bax proteins vary coordinately, but Bcl-x varies independently: Bcl-2 and Bax are higher in splenic T cells than in thymocytes, and their levels increase even more after T cell activation. In contrast, Bcl-x is almost undetectable in splenic T cells but is manyfold greater in thymocytes and in activated splenic T cells. When CTLL-2 cells or activated T cells are starved of IL (IL-2), the level of Bcl-x but not Bcl-2 protein drops before the onset of apoptosis. Stable transfection of either bcl-2 or bcl-x expression plasmids promotes the survival of CTLL-2 cells in the setting of IL-2 withdrawal. Over 70 to 90% of the transfected cells remain viable at 48 h after IL-2 withdrawal when all of the control transfected cells are apoptotic. These findings suggest that a decrease in Bcl-x protein levels precedes apoptosis after IL-2 withdrawal in T cells and that transfected bcl-2 promotes survival after IL-2 withdrawal by functionally masking this drop in Bcl-x.
J Immunol 1995 Sep 01
PMID:Expression of Bcl-2, Bcl-x, and Bax after T cell activation and IL-2 withdrawal. 765 Mar 67

The effect of Bcl-xL upon the developmental death of T cells was assessed by generating transgenic mice that expressed Bcl-xL within all thymocyte subsets. Bcl-xL protected thymocytes from a variety of apoptotic stimuli, including gamma irradiation, glucocorticoids, and anti-CD3 treatment. Bcl-xL altered thymocyte maturation, resulting in increased numbers of CD3int/hi and CD4-8+ thymocytes. Overall, the phenotype of Bcl-xL transgenics was essentially indistinguishable from a Bcl-2 transgenic model. Overexpression of Bcl-xL or Bcl-2 resulted in the down-regulation of the other molecule, providing further evidence of their reciprocal regulation. In a genetic test of redundancy, the Bcl-xL transgene rescued mature T cells in Bcl-2 null mice. Immunoprecipitation indicated that Bcl-xL, like Bcl-2, heterodimerized with the death-promoting molecule Bax in thymocytes. This in vivo model argues that Bcl-xL, like Bcl-2, functions in a common pathway to repress cell death.
J Exp Med 1995 Sep 01
PMID:Bcl-XL and Bcl-2 repress a common pathway of cell death. 765 Apr 88

D-type cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinase (cdk-4) are likely involved in regulating passage of cells through the G1 phase of the cell cycle. A decrease in the proportion of cells in G1, a relatively radiation-sensitive phase of the cell cycle, should result in increased resistance to ionizing radiation; however, the effect of such overexpression on X-ray-induced G1-phase arrest is not known. Radiation survival curves were obtained at a dose rate of either 8 cGy/min or 1 Gy/min for subclones of the IL-3-dependent hematopoietic progenitor cell line 32D cl 3 expressing transgenes for either cyclin-D1, D2 or D3 or cdk-4. We compared the results to those with overexpression of the transgene for Bcl-2, whose expression enhances radiation survival and delays apoptosis. Cells overexpressing transgenes for each D-type cyclin or Bcl-2 had an increased number of cells in S phase compared to parent line 32D cl 3; however, overexpression of cdk-4 had no effect on cell cycle distribution. Cell death resulting from withdrawal of IL-3 was not affected by overexpression of cyclins D1 and D3 but was delayed by overexpression of D2, cdk-4 or Bcl-2. Flow cytometry 24 h after 5 Gy irradiation demonstrated that overexpression of each G1-phase regulatory transgene decreased the proportion of cells at the G1/S-phase border. Western analysis revealed induction of cyclin-D protein levels by irradiation, but no change in the levels of cdk-4, p53 or p21. There was no significant change in the D0, but a significant increase in the n for cyclin-D or cdk-4 transgene-overexpressing clones at 1 Gy/min (P < 0.017). At a lower dose rate of 8 cGy/min, the n for cyclin or cdk-4-overexpressing clones was also increased (P < 0.07). Thus overexpression of cyclin-D or cdk-4 in hematopoietic cells induces detectable effects on hematopoietic cell radiation biology including a broadening of the shoulder on the radiation survival curve and a decrease in radiation-induced G1/S-phase arrest.
Radiat Res 1995 Sep
PMID:Inhibition of G1-phase arrest induced by ionizing radiation in hematopoietic cells by overexpression of genes involved in the G1/S-phase transition. 765 61

Bcl-2 has been shown to inhibit apoptosis induced by several anticancer agents and to cause a dissociation between etoposide (VP-16)-induced protein-cross-linked DNA strand breaks and VP-16-induced cell death. We suggested previously that VP-16-induced cytotoxicity is mediated by a series of events leading from cleavable complex formation to aberrant DNA recombination, as measured by sister chromatid exchange (SCE) and Southern blot analysis of the hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase (hprt) gene mutations. To further evaluate this hypothesis and to determine whether Bcl-2 could affect any steps leading to the aberrant DNA recombination process, we stably transfected an expression vector containing human Bcl-2 cDNA into V79 Chinese hamster cells. This transfection resulted in overexpression of the Bcl-2 gene product. We subsequently quantitated the relationship between VP-16-induced cytotoxicity, DNA strand breaks, SCE, and mutant frequency at the hprt locus in these Bcl-2-overexpressing cells. Two independent Bcl-2-overexpressing cell lines, BCL2/2 and BCL2/4, showed 3-5 times higher survival at 15 microM VP-16 compared with parental V79 cells or control NeoR cells that were obtained by transfecting V79 cells with the expression vector containing the G-418 resistance gene only. DNA single-strand breaks induced by VP-16 were similar in parental V79, control NeoR, BCL2/2, and BCL2/4 cells. In contrast, VP-16 induced significantly less SCE in Bcl-2-overexpressing cell lines compared with parental V79 and control NeoR cells. The SCE/chromosome induced by 15 microM VP-16 were 0.65, 0.42, 0.09, and 0.10, respectively, in V79, NeoR, BCL2/2, and BCL2/4. In addition, there was an excellent correlation between VP-16-induced SCE and cytotoxicity in all cell lines. Furthermore, VP-16-induced mutant frequencies at the hprt locus were 5-10 times less in BCL-2/2 and BCL-2/4 cells than those observed in the V79 or NeoR control cells. These results indicate that overexpression of Bcl-2 is associated with reduction in VP-16-induced genetic recombination, mutation, and cytotoxicity. Moreover, they suggest that Bcl-2 modulates cytotoxicity of VP-16 between cleavable complex formation and subsequent induction of DNA recombination events. Thus, our results provide important support for the hypothesis that VP-16-induced cytotoxicity is associated with aberrant recombination events, including gene deletions and rearrangements.
Cancer Res 1995 Sep 15
PMID:Inhibition of etoposide (VP-16)-induced DNA recombination and mutant frequency by Bcl-2 protein overexpression. 766 76


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