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)

The v-Rel oncoprotein belongs to the Rel/NF-kappaB family of transcription factors. It transforms chicken lymphoid cells in vitro and induces fatal lymphomas in vivo. In this study, we used a tetracycline-regulated system to characterize the role of v-Rel in cell transformation. We show that the continued expression of v-Rel is necessary to maintain the viability of transformed lymphoid cells and enables primary spleen cells to escape apoptosis in vitro culture. In agreement with a possible role for v-Rel in the inhibition of programmed cell death, its inducible expression in HeLa cells prevented TNFalpha-induced apoptosis. While the repression of v-Rel was accompanied by the rapid degradation of IkappaBalpha, changes in the steady-state levels of the apoptosis inhibitors Bcl-2 and Bcl-X(L) were only observed following the onset of cell death in transformed lymphoid cells. This suggests that the anti-apoptotic activity of v-Rel may affect other apoptosis inhibitors or other factors in the death pathway. Together, these findings demonstrate that v-Rel blocks apoptosis and suggest that this activity may be an important component of its transforming function.
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PMID:v-Rel prevents apoptosis in transformed lymphoid cells and blocks TNFalpha-induced cell death. 928 92

Nuclear factor kappaB (NFkappaB) is a ubiquitously expressed transcription factor that is regulated by the cytoplasmic inhibitor protein IkappaBalpha. Biological agents such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha), which activate NFkappaB, result in the rapid degradation of IkappaBalpha. Adenoviral-mediated gene transfer of Bcl-2 prevents apoptosis of neonatal ventricular myocytes induced by TNFalpha. In view of the growing evidence that NFkappaB may play an important role in regulating apoptosis, we determined whether TNFalpha and Bcl-2 could modulate the activity of NFkappaB in ventricular myocytes. Stimulation of myocytes with TNFalpha resulted in a 2.1-fold increase (p < 0.001) in NFkappaB-dependent gene transcription and nuclear DNA binding. Similarly, a 1.9-fold increase (p < 0.0002) in NFkappaB-dependent gene transcription was observed in myocytes expressing Bcl-2. Nuclear DNA binding activity of NFkappaB was significantly increased in myocytes expressing Bcl-2, with a concomitant reduction in IkappaBalpha protein level. The Bcl-2-mediated loss of IkappaBalpha could be prevented by the proteasome inhibitor lactacystin, consistent with the notion that the targeted degradation of IkappaBalpha consequent to overexpression of Bcl-2 utilizes the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. This was further tested in human 293 cells in which the N-terminal region of IkappaBalpha was identified to be an important regulatory site for Bcl-2. Deletion of this region or a serine to alanine substitution mutant at amino acids 32 and 36, which are defective for both phosphorylation and degradation, were more resistant than wild type IkappaBalpha to the inhibitory effects of Bcl-2. To our knowledge, this provides the first evidence for the regulation of IkappaBalpha by Bcl-2 and suggests a link between Bcl-2 and the NFkappaB signaling pathway in the suppression of apoptosis.
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PMID:Bcl-2 activates the transcription factor NFkappaB through the degradation of the cytoplasmic inhibitor IkappaBalpha. 972 9

NF-kappaB is a key regulator of the innate antiviral immune response, due in part to its transcriptional activation of cytokines and adhesion molecules, which, in turn, function in chemotaxis and activation of inflammatory cells. We reported earlier that viral gene expression in hepatocytes transduced with first-generation (E1-deleted) adenoviruses induced NF-kappaB activation, elevation of serum cytokines, and hepatocellular apoptosis during the first days postinfusion. These events did not occur in mice infused with an adenovirus vector deleted for E1, E2, E3, and late gene expression. In the present study, we used an adenovirus expressing an IkappaBalpha supersuppressor (Ad.IkappaBM) and bcl-2 transgenic mice to unravel the role of virus-induced NF-kappaB activation and apoptosis in the clearance of recombinant adenovirus vectors from the liver. The combined action of IkappaBM and Bcl-2 allowed for vector persistence in livers of C57BL/6 x C3H mice. In the absence of Bcl-2, IkappaBM expression in mouse livers significantly reduced NF-kappaB activation, cytokine expression, leukocyte infiltration, and the humoral immune response against the transgene product; however, this was not sufficient to prevent the decline of vector DNA in transduced cells. Infusion of Ad.IkappaBM caused extended apoptosis predominantly in periportal liver regions, indicating that NF-kappaB activation may protect transduced hepatocytes from apoptosis induced by adenovirus gene products. To confer vector persistence, bcl-2 transgene expression was required to block virus-induced apoptosis if NF-kappaB protection was inactivated by IkappaBM. Expression of gene products involved in early stages of apoptotic pathways was up-regulated in response to virus infusion in bcl-2 transgenic mice, which may represent a compensatory effect. Our study supports the idea that the suppression of innate defense mechanisms improves vector persistence.
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PMID:Inhibition of NF-kappaB activation in combination with bcl-2 expression allows for persistence of first-generation adenovirus vectors in the mouse liver. 976 74

To maintain the integrity of the vascular barrier, endothelial cells (EC) are resistant to cell death. The molecular basis of this resistance may be explained by the function of antiapoptotic genes such as bcl family members. Overexpression of Bcl-2 or Bcl-XL protects EC from tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-mediated apoptosis. In addition, Bcl-2 or Bcl-XL inhibits activation of NF-kappaB and thus upregulation of proinflammatory genes. Bcl-2-mediated inhibition of NF-kappaB in EC occurs upstream of IkappaBalpha degradation without affecting p65-mediated transactivation. Overexpression of bcl genes in EC does not affect other transcription factors. Using deletion mutants of Bcl-2, the NF-kappaB inhibitory function of Bcl-2 was mapped to bcl homology domains BH2 and BH4, whereas all BH domains were required for the antiapoptotic function. These data suggest that Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL belong to a cytoprotective response that counteracts proapoptotic and proinflammatory insults and restores the physiological anti-inflammatory phenotype to the EC. By inhibiting NF-kappaB without sensitizing the cells (as with IkappaBalpha) to TNF-mediated apoptosis, Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL are prime candidates for genetic engineering of EC in pathological conditions where EC loss and unfettered activation are undesirable.
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PMID:Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL serve an anti-inflammatory function in endothelial cells through inhibition of NF-kappaB. 1002 63

Endothelial cell death may contribute to tissue injury from ischemia. Little is known, however, about the characteristics of endothelial cell death in response to hypoxia. Using an in vitro model, we found that human umbilical vein endothelial cells were resistant to hypoxia-induced cell death with only a 2% reduction in viability at 24 h and 45% reduction in viability at 48 h. Overexpression of a mutant, IkappaBalpha, via adenoviral vector did not potentiate cell death in hypoxia, indicating that nuclear factor-kappaB activation was not involved in cytoprotection. Cell death in hypoxia was determined to be apoptotic by 3' labeling of DNA using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase staining and reversibility of cell death with a caspase inhibitor. Exposure of endothelial cells to hypoxia did not alter levels of proapoptotic and antiapoptotic Bcl-2 family members Bax and Bcl-XL by immunoblot analysis. In contrast, changes in p53 protein levels correlated with the induction of apoptosis in hypoxic endothelial cells. Inhibition of the proteasome increased p53 protein levels and accelerated cell death in hypoxia. Overexpression of p53 by adenoviral transduction was sufficient to initiate apoptosis of normoxic endothelial cells. These data provide a framework for the study of factors regulating endothelial cell survival and death in hypoxia.
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PMID:Mechanisms of hypoxia-induced endothelial cell death. Role of p53 in apoptosis. 1007 3

Hormonal and environmental factors that control the growth, differentiation, and regression of the vasculature are of fundamental importance in tumorigenesis and in the choice of therapeutic strategies. To test the hypothesis that estradiol (E2) and basement membrane proteins would affect the survival of vascular endothelial cells (EC), immortalized human umbilical vein endothelial cells (ECV304) were examined for their response to the chemotherapeutic drugs taxol and etoposide. ECV cell apoptosis was inhibited by E2 (taxol only) or attachment to extracellular matrix (ECM) (taxol or etoposide). E2 increased ECV growth, while ECM binding resulted in growth arrest and differentiation. Apoptosis was associated with decreased levels of Bcl-2 and p21 proteins. E2 prevented down-regulation of p21 and Bcl-2 induced by taxol but did not prevent the down-regulation of p21 induced by etoposide, consistent with the failure of E2 to inhibit etoposide-induced cell death. However, ECM prevented p21 and Bcl-2 down-regulation induced by taxol or etoposide. Persistent activation of NFkappaB occurred after attachment of ECV cells to ECM, suggesting a role in survival or differentiation. IkappaBalpha levels were not affected by taxol but were reduced by etoposide treatment, while IkappaBbeta levels did not change with drug treatment. E2 did not alter the levels of IkappaBalpha or IkappaBbeta. Interestingly, levels of IkappaBalpha and IkappaBbeta declined in etoposide-treated ECV cells on ECM concomitant with the elevation of NFkappaB, suggesting that in these cells degradation of IkappaB may be responsible for NFkappaB activation. In agreement with these data, anti-sense NFkappaB treatment of ECV cells inhibited differentiation on ECM, but did not affect cell survival. In conclusion, culture of ECV cells on ECM or treatment with E2 inhibited apoptosis. NFkappaB activation by ECM was necessary for cellular differentiation, rather than inhibition, of apoptosis.
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PMID:Extracellular matrix inhibits apoptosis and enhances endothelial cell differentiation by a NfkappaB-dependent mechanism. 1032 32

Nuclear factor (NF) kappaB is a ubiquitously expressed transcription factor whose function is regulated by the cytoplasmic inhibitor protein, IkappaBalpha. We have previously shown that IkappaBalpha activity is diminished in ventricular myocytes expressing Bcl-2. (de Moissac, D., Mustapha, S., Greenberg, A. H., and Kirshenbaum, L. A. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273, 23946-23951). In view of the growing evidence that the conserved N-terminal BH4 domain of Bcl-2 plays a critical role in suppressing apoptosis, we ascertained whether this region accounts for the underlying effects of Bcl-2 on IkappaBalpha activity. Transfection of human embryonic 293 cells with full length Bcl-2 resulted in a significant 1.9-fold reduction in IkappaBalpha activity (p < 0.006) with a concomitant increase in DNA binding and 3.4-fold increase in NFkappaB-dependent gene transcription (p < 0. 022) compared with vector transfected control cells. In contrast, no significant change in IkappaBalpha activity was detected with either a BH4 domain deletion mutant (residues 10-30) or BH4 domain point substitution mutants, I14G, V15G, Y18G, K22G, and L23G (p = 2.77). However, a small 0.60-fold decrease (p < 0.04) in IkappaBalpha activity was noted with the BH4 mutant I19G, suggesting that this residue may not be critical for IkappaBalpha regulation. Furthermore, adenovirus-mediated delivery of an IkappaBalpha mutant to prevent NFkappaB activation impaired the ability of Bcl-2 to suppress apoptosis provoked by TNFalpha plus cycloheximide in ventricular myocytes. The data provide the first evidence for the regulation of IkappaBalpha by Bcl-2 through a mechanism that requires the conserved BH4 domain that links Bcl-2 to the NFkappaB signaling pathway for suppression of apoptosis.
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PMID:Linkage of the BH4 domain of Bcl-2 and the nuclear factor kappaB signaling pathway for suppression of apoptosis. 1050 15

This study deals with the apoptotic effect exerted on human retinoblastoma Y79 cells by both sodium butyrate and an inhibitor of 26S proteasome [z-Leu-Leu-Leu-CHO (MG132)] and their synergistic effect. Exposure to sodium butyrate (1-4 mM) induced an accumulation of cells in the G2-M phase that was already visible after 24 h of treatment, when morphological and biochemical signs of apoptosis appeared only in a small number of cells (5-10%). Thereafter, the apoptotic effects increased progressively with slow kinetics, reaching a maximum after 72 h of exposure, when they concerned a large fraction of cells (>75% with 4 mM sodium butyrate). Sodium butyrate stimulated the conversion of procaspase-3 into caspase-3 and also induced the cleavage of poly-(ADP-ribose) polymerase and lamin B, two hallmarks of apoptosis. All of the apoptotic signals were suppressed by benzyloxy carbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethylketone (a general inhibitor of caspase activities), whereas acetyl-Asp-Glu-Val-Asp aldehyde, a specific inhibitor of caspase-3 activity, only induced a partial reversion of the apoptotic effects. Sodium butyrate also decreased the Bcl-2 level, whereas it increased the Bax level and stimulated the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria, an event that was most likely responsible for the activation of caspase-3. Finally, sodium butyrate activated 26S proteasome, the major extralysosomal degradative machinery, which is responsible for the degradation of short-lived proteins. Consequently, the levels of p53, N-myc, and IkappaBalpha (factors that play regulatory roles in apoptosis) diminished, whereas the nuclear level of nuclear factor kappaB concomitantly increased. Treatment of Y79 cells with MG132 induced apoptosis with more rapid kinetics than with sodium butyrate. The effects appeared after 8 h of incubation, reaching a maximum at 24 h, and they were accompanied by increased levels of N-myc, p53, and IkappaBalpha. MG132 also favored the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria and increased the activity of caspase-3. When Y79 cells were exposed to combinations of sodium butyrate and MG132, the latter compound suppressed the decreasing effect induced by sodium butyrate on the levels of p53, N-myc, and IkappaBalpha and the increasing effect on the nuclear level of nuclear factor kappaB. Moreover, an increase in the level of Bax and an enhancement in the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria were observed. Clear synergistic effects concerning the activation of both caspase-3 and apoptosis were induced by a combination of suboptimal doses of sodium butyrate and MG132. The results support the conclusion that MG132 potentiates the apoptotic effect of sodium butyrate by suppressing its stimulatory effect on 26S proteasome activity. Synergistic interactions between butyrate and inhibitors of proteasome could represent a new important tool in tumor therapy and, in particular, the treatment of retinoblastoma.
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PMID:The apoptotic effects and synergistic interaction of sodium butyrate and MG132 in human retinoblastoma Y79 cells. 1055 39

The Ewing family of tumors is characterized by recurrent reciprocal translocations that generate chimeric proteins, either EWS - FLI-1 or EWS - ERG. These proteins are potent transcriptional activators and are responsible for maintaining the oncogenic properties of tumor cells. Since apoptosis appears to be the main mechanism whereby chemotherapy and radiation kill tumor cells, identification of events that can antagonize apoptosis in Ewing tumors is essential for improving their response to conventional therapies. Here, we report that the transcriptional factor NF-kappaB is a survival factor for Ewing tumor-derived cells. In fact, inhibition of NF-kappaB activation as a consequence of the overexpression of a degradation-resistant form of IkappaBalpha, IkappaBalpha (A32/36), sensitized these cells to TNFalpha-induced killing. Although treatment with TNFalpha did not modify the cellular expression of Bcl-2, c-IAP1, c-IAP2, p53 and EWS - FLI-1 proteins, it increased p21Waf1/Cip1 levels. This induction required NF-kappaB activation since it was not observed in the IkappaBalpha (A32/36) expressing cells. Moreover, overexpression of p21Waf1/Cip1 in these IkappaBalpha (A32/36)-expressing cells, in which NF-kappaB and consequently p21Waf1/Cip1 are no longer inducible by TNFalpha, decreased their susceptibility to TNFalpha-induced killing. Our results therefore identify p21Waf1/Cip1 as a mediator of the antiapoptotic effect of TNFalpha-induced NF-kappaB in Ewing tumor cells.
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PMID:Induction of p21Waf1/Cip1 by TNFalpha requires NF-kappaB activity and antagonizes apoptosis in Ewing tumor cells. 1064 80

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-encoded latent membrane protein-1 induces NF-kappaB activity by targeting IkappaBalpha. To understand the role of NF-kappaB activation in EBV-related oncogenesis, we have subcloned mutated IkappaBalpha(32/36A) cDNA into a pHEBo vector containing doxycycline regulatory sequences and stably transfected this construct into a lymphoblastoid cell line. Two tightly regulated clones were obtained in which IkappaBalpha(32/36A) was inducible in a doxycycline dose-dependent manner. Levels of inducible IkappaBalpha(32/36A) peaked at day 2. Inhibition of NF-kappaB activity was closely correlated with levels of inducible IkappaBalpha(32/36A). Levels of 3 well-known NF-kappaB-dependent genes, CD54, p105, and endogenous IkappaBalpha, were decreased when IkappaBalpha(32/36A) was induced, and the growth of IkappaBalpha(32/36A)-induced EBV-infected cells was slightly reduced. Loss of NF-kappaB activity was associated with decreased Bcl-2 protein levels. Finally, the induction of apoptosis was strongly increased in IkappaBalpha(32/36A)-overexpressing cells. Together these results show that it is possible to control IkappaBalpha(32/36A) levels, ie, NF-kappaB activity, in EBV-infected B-lymphocytes using a doxycycline-inducible vector. Moreover, our results indicate that NF-kappaB can protect EBV-infected cells from apoptosis by Bcl-2. Finally, our results suggest that a cellular model with doxycycline-inducible IkappaBalpha(32/36A) may be useful in the identification of genuine NF-kappaB target genes in EBV-infected B cells. (Blood. 2000;95:2068-2075)
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PMID:Inducible loss of NF-kappaB activity is associated with apoptosis and Bcl-2 down-regulation in Epstein-Barr virus-transformed B lymphocytes. 1070 76


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