title: Analysis of the Bak protein expression in human polymorphonuclear neutrophils.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Institute of General Pathology, University of Medicine, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bazzoni
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Giovedi
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Kiefer
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Cassatella
mesh_terms: D000906:Antibodies; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000276:immunology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology; D050998:bcl-2 Homologous Antagonist-Killer Protein
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; C494772:BAK1 protein, human; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D050998:bcl-2 Homologous Antagonist-Killer Protein; D007371:Interferon-gamma