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Interactions of Bcl-2 family proteins regulate permeability of the mitochondrial outer membrane and apoptosis. In particular, Bax forms an oligomer that permeabilizes the membrane. To map the interface of the Bax oligomer we used Triton X-100 as a membrane surrogate and performed site-specific photocross-linking. Bax-specific adducts were formed through photo-reactive probes at multiple sites that can be grouped into two surfaces. The first surface overlaps with the BH1-3 groove formed by Bcl-2 Homology motif 1, 2, and 3; the second surface is a rear pocket located on the opposite side of the protein from the BH1-3 groove. Further cross-linking experiments using Bax BH3 peptides and mutants demonstrated that the two surfaces interact with their counterparts in neighboring proteins to form two separated interfaces and that interaction at the BH1-3 groove primes the rear pocket for further interaction. Therefore, Bax oligomerization proceeds through a series of interactions that occur at separate, yet allosterically, coupled interfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellular adhesion is regulated by members of the cadherin family of adhesion receptors and their cytoplasmic adaptor proteins, the catenins. Adhesion complexes are regulated by recycling from the plasma membrane and proteolysis during apoptosis. We report that in MCF-7, MDA-MB-468 and MDCK cells, induction of apoptosis by agents that cause endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress results in O-glycosylation of both β-catenin and the E-cadherin cytoplasmic domain. O-glycosylation of newly synthesized E-cadherin blocks cell surface transport, resulting in reduced intercellular adhesion. O-glycosylated E-cadherin still binds to β- and γ-catenin, but not to p120-catenin. Although O-glycosylation can be inhibited with caspase inhibitors, cleavage of caspases associated with the ER or Golgi complex does not correlate with E-cadherin O-glycosylation. However, agents that induce apoptosis via mitochondria do not lead to E-cadherin O-glycosylation, and decrease adhesion more slowly. In MCF-7 cells, this is due to degradation of E-cadherin concomitant with cleavage of caspase-7 and its substrate poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. We conclude that cytoplasmic O-glycosylation is a novel, rapid mechanism for regulating cell surface transport exploited to down-regulate adhesion in some but not all apoptosis pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our laboratory was one of the first to discover that the topoisomerase II inhibitors etoposide (VP-16) and teniposide (VM-26) synergistically enhanced TNF-mediated apoptosis of some human tumor cells. To probe the mechanism of cytotoxic synergy, we have examined pro- and antiapoptotic pathways in cells that show enhanced tumor cell death. ME-180 human cervical carcinoma cells treated with VP-16 and VM-26 showed no significant changes in NF-κB or IκB protein levels within the first 8h after treatment. NF-κB translocated into the nucleus following treatment with TNF or TNF and VM-26, but not with VM-26 alone, suggesting that the enhancement of TNF cytotoxicity by topoisomerase 11 inhibitors is not due to a global inhibition of NF-κB nuclear translocation. When treated TNF alone, a sharp increase in the levels of phospho-JNK (p-JNK) was observed at 0.5h, which declined at 1h, and almost disappeared at 2h. Treatment with TNF and VP-16 caused a second increase in p-JNK levels at 2h, which was not seen in cells incubated with TNF alone. The translocation of p-JNK into the nucleus was observed 2h after cells were treated with TNF, but not with VM-26 However, the combination of TNF and VM-26 showed increased nuclear translocation of p-JNK. Future experiments will address the potential role of the second JNK activation event in the enhancement of TNF cytotoxicities by these topoisomerase II inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bid is a Bcl-2 family protein that promotes apoptosis by activating Bax and eliciting mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP). Full-length Bid is cleaved in response to apoptotic stimuli into two fragments, p7 and tBid (p15), that are held together by strong hydrophobic interactions until the complex binds to membranes. The detailed mechanism(s) of fragment separation including tBid binding to membranes and release of the p7 fragment to the cytoplasm remain unclear. Using liposomes or isolated mitochondria with fluorescently labeled proteins at physiological concentrations as in vitro models, we report that the two components of the complex quickly separate upon interaction with a membrane. Once tBid binds to the membrane, it undergoes slow structural rearrangements that result in an equilibrium between two major tBid conformations on the membrane. The conformational change of tBid is a prerequisite for interaction with Bax and is, therefore, a novel step that can be modulated to promote or inhibit MOMP. Using automated high-throughput image analysis in cells, we show that down-regulation of Mtch2 causes a significant delay between tBid and Bax relocalization in cells. We propose that by promoting insertion of tBid via a conformational change at the mitochondrial outer membrane, Mtch2 accelerates tBid-mediated Bax activation and MOMP. Thus the interaction of Mtch2 and tBid is a potential target for therapeutic control of Bid initiated cell death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bcl-2 inhibits apoptosis by regulating the release of cytochrome c and other proteins from mitochondria. Oligomerization of Bax promotes cell death by permeabilizing the outer mitochondrial membrane. In transfected cells and isolated mitochondria, Bcl-2, but not the inactive point mutants Bcl-2-G145A and Bcl-2-V159D, undergoes a conformation change in the mitochondrial membrane in response to apoptotic agonists such as tBid and Bax. A mutant Bcl-2 with two cysteines introduced at positions predicted to result in a disulfide bond that would inhibit the mobility of α5–α6 helices (Bcl-2-S105C/E152C) was only active in a reducing environment. Thus, Bcl-2 must change the conformation to inhibit tBid-induced oligomerization of integral membrane Bax monomers and small oligomers. The conformationally changed Bcl-2 sequesters the integral membrane form of Bax. If Bax is in excess, apoptosis resumes as Bcl-2 is consumed by the conformational change and in complexes with Bax. Thus, Bcl-2 functions as an inhibitor of mitochondrial permeabilization by changing conformation in the mitochondrial membrane to bind membrane-inserted Bax monomers and prevent productive oligomerization of Bax. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The S2 domain of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) spike (S) protein is responsible for fusion between virus and target cell membranes, and is expected to be immungenic. In this study, we investigated the immune responses against the S2 subunit in BALB/c mice, which were vaccinated either with plasmid DNA encoding the S2 domain (residues 681–1120), the recombinant S2 fragment (residues 681–980) in incomplete Freund's adjuvant, or with inactivated SARS-CoV. The increased number of specific cytotoxic cells (CTLs) and the high titer of specific antibody showed stimulation of both arms of the immune system in these groups. The shift in cytokines suggested that Th1–polarized immune response was induced by plasmid pCoVS2, meanwhile the Th2-dominant response was induced by recombinant S2 fragment and inactivated vaccine. However, the titer of neutralizing antibodies was only detectable in mice immunized with inactivated virus, but not with pCoVS2 plasmid. Taken together, the S2 domain could induce specific cellular immune response and a high level of total IgG but little neutralizing antibodies against infection by SARSCoV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]