title: Bcl-2-mediated resistance to apoptosis is associated with glutathione-induced inhibition of AP24 activation of nuclear DNA fragmentation.
abstract: Studies on the mechanism of apoptosis in this laboratory support a model in which signal transduction involving caspase 3 leads to activation of a serine protease called Mr 24,000 apoptotic protease (AP24), which then induces internucleosomal DNA fragmentation in the nucleus. This study examined the effect of Bcl-2 overexpression on activation of AP24 and the induction of DNA fragmentation by AP24 in isolated nuclei. It was demonstrated that overexpression of Bcl-2 in either HL-60 or PW leukemia cell lines suppressed activation of AP24 induced by either tumor necrosis factor or UV light and protected cells from apoptosis. Furthermore, nuclei isolated from Bcl-2-overexpressing cells were relatively resistant to internucleosomal DNA fragmentation induced by AP24 isolated from apoptotic cells. Bcl-2-overexpressing cells that were nutritionally depleted of glutathione (GSH) became sensitive to tumor necrosis factor- or UV light-induced activation of AP24 and underwent apoptotic cell death. Moreover, nuclei isolated from Bcl-2-overexpressing cells that were depleted of GSH became sensitive to AP24-induced DNA fragmentation. The addition of exogenous GSH blocked the proteolytic activity of AP24, as well as its ability to induce DNA fragmentation in normal isolated nuclei. These results indicate that Bcl-2 can attenuate at least two events in the AP24 apoptotic pathway: activation of AP24 and induction of DNA fragmentation by activated AP24. Furthermore, agents that deplete intracellular levels of GSH may have therapeutic use in the sensitization of Bcl-2-overexpressing cancer cells to apoptotic cell death.
authors.affiliation: Palo Alto Institute of Molecular Medicine, Mountain View, California 94043, USA.
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Q S
authors.initials: QS
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kinder
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Larrick
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D004249:DNA Damage; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology; D018922:HL-60 Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D006801:Humans; D009707:Nucleosomes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000378:metabolism; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D009707:Nucleosomes; D009842:Oligopeptides; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C067253:N-methoxysuccinyl-alanyl-alanyl-prolyl-valine-4-nitroanilide; C108734:AP24 apoptotic protease; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D005978:Glutathione