Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UNIPROT:P10415 (Bcl-2)
 33,771 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Expression of apoptosis-associated proteins was evaluated in premalignant and malignant oral epithelial lesions, to test the hypothesis that protein regulation of apoptosis may be altered in the development of oral squamous cell carcinoma. Ninety archived paraffin-embedded specimens from 25 patients (two or more sequential biopsies each) and eight control specimens were evaluated in immunohistochemically stained sections for tumor suppressor protein p53, p53 binding protein mdm-2, and apoptosis regulatory proteins Bcl-2, Bcl-X, Bax, and Bak. The initial histologic diagnosis for 17/25 patients was either focal keratosis, mild dysplasia, or moderate dysplasia; the initial diagnosis for the remaining eight patients ranged from severe dysplasia to moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. Thirty of 90 specimens showed positive p53 expression, nine of which were dysplasias. In patients with one or more lesions displaying p53 expression, there was increased intensity of staining with disease progression. Bak was expressed in 57/90 specimens, including 27 dysplasias of various grades. There was also a significantly increased intensity of Bak staining with disease progression, which did not appear to be dependent upon p53 status. Bcl-X was expressed in 73/90 specimens, with staining displayed earlier in premalignant lesions than either p53 or Bak. Ten of 90 specimens were positive for Bcl-2 (all were dysplasias or carcinomas), and only 2/90 specimens were positive for Bax. Eleven of 90 specimens were positive for mdm-2; six of which were also positive for p53. These data show that apoptosis-associated proteins are altered in variable patterns in both premalignant and malignant oral epithelial lesions. p53 and especially Bak and Bcl-X are expressed early; Bax is largely absent; and Bcl-2 and mdm-2 show sporadic expression in the development of oral premalignant and malignant disease.
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PMID:Apoptosis-associated proteins and the development of oral squamous cell carcinoma. 1021 14

The Bcl-2 homology 3 (BH3) domain is crucial for the death-inducing and dimerization properties of pro-apoptotic members of the Bcl-2 protein family, including Bak, Bax, and Bad. Here we report that synthetic peptides corresponding to the BH3 domain of Bak bind to Bcl-xL, antagonize its anti-apoptotic function, and rapidly induce apoptosis when delivered into intact cells via fusion to the Antennapedia homeoprotein internalization domain. Treatment of HeLa cells with the Antennapedia-BH3 fusion peptide resulted in peptide internalization and induction of apoptosis within 2-3 h, as indicated by caspase activation and subsequent poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage, as well as morphological characteristics of apoptosis. A point mutation within the BH3 peptide that blocks its ability to bind to Bcl-xL abolished its apoptotic activity, suggesting that interaction of the BH3 peptide with Bcl-2-related death suppressors, such as Bcl-xL, may be critical for its activity in cells. While overexpression of Bcl-xL can block BH3-induced apoptosis, treatment with BH3 peptides resensitized Bcl-xL-expressing cells to Fas-mediated apoptosis. BH3-induced apoptosis was blocked by caspase inhibitors, demonstrating a dependence on caspase activation, but was not accompanied by a dramatic early loss of mitochondrial membrane potential or detectable translocation of cytochrome c from mitochondria to cytosol. These findings demonstrate that the BH3 domain itself is capable of inducing apoptosis in whole cells, possibly by antagonizing the function of Bcl-2-related death suppressors.
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PMID:Bak BH3 peptides antagonize Bcl-xL function and induce apoptosis through cytochrome c-independent activation of caspases. 1022 90

The sequenced gammaherpesviruses each contain a single viral bcl-2 homolog (v-bcl-2) which may encode a protein that functions in preventing the apoptotic death of virus-infected cells. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a gammaherpesvirus associated with several lymphoid and epithelial malignancies, encodes the v-Bcl-2 homolog BHRF1. In this report the previously uncharacterized BALF1 open reading frame in EBV is identified as having significant sequence similarity to other v-bcl-2 homologs and cellular bcl-2. Transfection of cells with a BALF1 cDNA conferred apoptosis resistance. Furthermore, a recombinant green fluorescent protein-BALF1 fusion protein suppressed apoptosis and associated with Bax and Bak. These results indicate that EBV encodes a second functional v-bcl-2.
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PMID:Epstein-Barr virus encodes a novel homolog of the bcl-2 oncogene that inhibits apoptosis and associates with Bax and Bak. 1023 85

The modes of cell death in pilomatricoma were analysed using 27 nodules. The shadow cells with lost nuclei and preserved cytoplasms were morphologically considered to be derived from basaloid cells via transitional cells, which showed gradual loss of nucleic acid by Feulgen reaction and methylgreen-pyronin stain and no nuclear fragmentation. This process was regarded as cell death associated with terminal differentiation into hair. Amorphous debris among the shadow cells contained many fragmented nuclei (apoptotic bodies), which were directly derived from basaloid cell layer focally undergoing apoptosis and did not have any transition to transitional cells. Although in situ 3'-tailing reaction for a detection of dying cells labelled both transitional cells and apoptotic bodies in the amorphous debris, these two components were considered to be on different histogenetic pathways. Immunostainings for the Bcl-2 family revealed no expression of Bax, Bad or Bak protein in any components, whereas Bcl-2 protein was detected in the periphery of basaloid cell layer, but not in the transitional or shadow cells. These results indicate that there are two different modes of cell death in pilomatricoma: i) terminal differentiation into shadow cells; and ii) conventional apoptosis observed as amorphous debris.
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PMID:A reappraisal on the modes of cell death in pilomatricoma. 1023 77

Epithelial cells within the mammary gland undergo developmental programmes of proliferation and apoptosis during the pregnancy cycle. After weaning, secretory epithelial cells are removed by apoptosis. To determine whether members of the Bcl-2 gene family could be involved in regulating this process, we have examined whether changes in their expression occur during this developmental apoptotic program in vivo. Bax and Bcl-x were evenly expressed throughout development. However, expression of Bak and Bad was increased during late pregnancy and lactation, and the proteins were present during the time of maximal apoptotic involution. Thereafter, their levels declined. In contrast, Bcl-w was expressed in pregnancy and lactation but was downregulated at the onset of apoptosis. Bcl-2 was not detected in lactating or early involuting mammary gland. Thus, the pro-apoptotic proteins Bax, Bak and Bad, as well as the death-suppressors Bcl-x, Bcl-2 and Bcl-w, are synthesised in mouse mammary gland, and dynamic changes in the expression profiles of these proteins occurs during development. To determine if changes in Bak and Bcl-w expression could regulate mammary apoptosis, their effect on cultured mouse mammary epithelial cells was examined in transient transfection assays. Enforced expression of Bak induced rapid mammary apoptosis, which could be suppressed by coexpression of Bcl-w. In extracts of mammary tissue in vivo, Bak heterodimerized with Bcl-x whereas Bax associated with Bcl-w, but Bak/Bcl-w heterodimers were not detected. Thus, Bak and Bcl-w may regulate cell death through independent pathways. These results support a model in which mammary epithelial cells are primed for apoptosis during the transition from pregnancy to lactation by de novo expression of the death effectors Bak and Bad. It is suggested that these proteins are prevented from triggering apoptosis by anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins until involution, when the levels of Bcl-w decline. Our study provides evidence that regulated changes in the expression of cell death genes may contribute to the developmental control of mammary apoptosis.
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PMID:Developmental regulation of Bcl-2 family protein expression in the involuting mammary gland. 1031 69

The adenovirus E1B 19,000-molecular-weight (19K) protein is a potent inhibitor of apoptosis and cooperates with E1A to transform primary rodent cells. E1B 19K shows sequence and functional homology to the mammalian antiapoptotic gene product, Bcl-2. Like Bcl-2, the biochemical mechanism of E1B 19K function includes binding to and antagonization of cellular proapoptotic proteins such as Bax, Bak, and Nbk/Bik. In addition, there is evidence that E1B 19K can affect gene expression, but whether this contributes to its antiapoptotic function has not been determined. In an effort to further understand the functions of E1B 19K, we screened for 19K-associated proteins by the yeast two-hybrid system. A novel protein, Btf (Bcl-2-associated transcription factor), that interacts with E1B 19K as well as with the antiapoptotic family members Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL but not with the proapoptotic protein Bax was identified. btf is a widely expressed gene that encodes a protein with homology to the basic zipper (bZip) and Myb DNA binding domains. Btf binds DNA in vitro and represses transcription in reporter assays. E1B 19K, Bcl-2, and Bcl-xL sequester Btf in the cytoplasm and block its transcriptional repression activity. Expression of Btf also inhibited transformation by E1A with either E1B 19K or mutant p53, suggesting a role in either promotion of apoptosis or cell cycle arrest. Indeed, the sustained overexpression of Btf in HeLa cells induced apoptosis, which was inhibited by E1B 19K. Furthermore, the chromosomal localization of btf (6q22-23) maps to a region that is deleted in some cancers, consistent with a role for Btf in tumor suppression. Thus, btf may represent a novel tumor suppressor gene residing in a unique pathway by which the Bcl-2 family can regulate apoptosis.
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PMID:Btf, a novel death-promoting transcriptional repressor that interacts with Bcl-2-related proteins. 1033 Jan 79

The mechanisms for neurodegeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are not understood. We found that motor neuron degeneration in ALS structurally resembles apoptosis. The progression of neuronal death is divisible into 3 sequential stages: chromatolysis, somatodendritic attrition, and apoptosis. In ALS spinal cord anterior horn and motor cortex, DNA fragmentation is detectable in situ and in gels and is internucleosomal, occurring in the presence of DNA fragmentation factor-45/40 activation and increased caspase-3 activity. By immunoblotting, changes occur in the subcellular distribution of cell death proteins that would promote apoptosis. In selectively vulnerable CNS regions in ALS compared with controls, the proapoptotic proteins Bax and Bak are elevated in the mitochondrial-enriched membrane compartment, but are reduced or unchanged in the cytosol. In contrast, the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 is decreased in the mitochondrial-enriched membrane compartment of vulnerable regions in ALS, but is increased in the cytosol, whereas Bcl-xL levels are unchanged in both subcellular compartments. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments showed that Bax-Bax interactions are greater in the mitochondrial-enriched membrane compartment of ALS motor cortex compared with controls, whereas Bax-Bcl-2 interactions are lower in the membrane compartment of ALS motor cortex compared with controls. We conclude that a PCD mechanism, involving cytosol-to-membrane and membrane-to-cytosol redistribution of cell death proteins and caspase-3 activation, participates in the pathogenesis of ALS.
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PMID:Neuronal death in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is apoptosis: possible contribution of a programmed cell death mechanism. 1033 34

Type I interferon (IFN) receptor consists of two chains (Hu-IFN-alphaR1 and Hu-IFN-alphaR2), and Hu-IFN-alphaR2 takes a soluble (Hu-IFN-alphaR2a), short (Hu-IFN-alphaR2b), or long (Hu-IFN-alphaR2c) form. We examined the expression of type I IFN receptor, the growth-suppression effect of IFN-alpha, and their relationship in 13 liver cancer cell lines. With reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis, the expressions of Hu-IFN-alphaR1, Hu-IFN-alphaR2a, and Hu-IFN-alphaR2c were confirmed in all cell lines, and that of Hu-IFN-alphaR2b in 12 cell lines. All cell lines expressed mRNAs of a transcriptional activator, interferon regulatory factor (IRF)-1, and its antagonistic repressor (IRF-2). Flow cytometry revealed weak expression of Hu-IFN-alphaR2 on the cell surface in 12 cell lines. The soluble-form protein of Hu-IFN-alphaR2 was detected at varying levels in culture supernatants of all cell lines with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Cell proliferation was suppressed in proportion to the dose of human natural IFN-alpha at 96 hours of culture, but it was not clearly related to the expression of Hu-IFN-alphaR2 protein on the cell surface. Investigations on the morphology, DNA, and cell cycle presented four growth suppression patterns as a result of IFN-alpha: 1) induction of apoptosis and blockage of cell cycle at the S phase (9 cell lines); 2) blockage at the S phase (2 cell lines); 3) induction of apoptosis and blockage at the G2/M phase (1 cell line); and 4) blockage at the G1 phase (1 cell line). There was no evidence showing that changes in the expressions of Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, Bak, and Bax lead directly to IFN-alpha-mediated apoptosis. Our findings demonstrated that IFN-alpha would express growth-suppression effects at varying degrees by inducing inhibition of cell-cycle progression with or without apoptosis, regardless of the expression level of Hu-IFN-alphaR2 protein on the cell surface.
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PMID:Interferon alfa receptor expression and growth inhibition by interferon alfa in human liver cancer cell lines. 1034 12

In this study, we investigated the expression of Bak, a member of the Bcl-2 protein family, in human polymorphonuclear neutrophils. Northern blot and Western blot analyses revealed that Bak messenger RNA and protein were constitutively expressed in peripheral polymorphonuclear neutrophils and mononuclear cells, as well as in several hematopoietic cell lines. Remarkably, culturing neutrophils for 24 h in the presence or absence of interferon-gamma or tumor necrosis factor-alpha, which have been described to modulate the survival rate of these cells, did not influence the expression of antigenic Bak. Taken together, our data indicate that the expression of the pro-apoptotic protein Bak in polymorphonuclear neutrophils is constitutive, is not subject to modulation, and does not correlate with the neutrophil life span in culture.
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PMID:Analysis of the Bak protein expression in human polymorphonuclear neutrophils. 1035 63

During transduction of an apoptotic (death) signal into the cell, there is an alteration in the permeability of the membranes of the cell's mitochondria, which causes the translocation of the apoptogenic protein cytochrome c into the cytoplasm, which in turn activates death-driving proteolytic proteins known as caspases. The Bcl-2 family of proteins, whose members may be anti-apoptotic or pro-apoptotic, regulates cell death by controlling this mitochondrial membrane permeability during apoptosis, but how that is achieved is unclear. Here we create liposomes that carry the mitochondrial porin channel (also called the voltage-dependent anion channel, or VDAC) to show that the recombinant pro-apoptotic proteins Bax and Bak accelerate the opening of VDAC, whereas the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-x(L) closes VDAC by binding to it directly. Bax and Bak allow cytochrome c to pass through VDAC out of liposomes, but passage is prevented by Bcl-x(L). In agreement with this, VDAC1-deficient mitochondria from a mutant yeast did not exhibit a Bax/Bak-induced loss in membrane potential and cytochrome c release, both of which were inhibited by Bcl-x(L). Our results indicate that the Bcl-2 family of proteins bind to the VDAC in order to regulate the mitochondrial membrane potential and the release of cytochrome c during apoptosis.
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PMID:Bcl-2 family proteins regulate the release of apoptogenic cytochrome c by the mitochondrial channel VDAC. 1036 50


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