title: Overexpression of bcl-2 enhances LIGHT- and interferon-gamma -mediated apoptosis in Hep3BT2 cells.
abstract: LIGHT is a member of the tumor necrosis factor superfamily and is the ligand for LT-betaR, HVEM, and decoy receptor 3. LIGHT has a cytotoxic effect, which is further enhanced by the presence of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). Although LIGHT/IFN-gamma can activate caspase activity, neither benzyloxycarbonyl-Asp-Glu-Val-Asp-fluoromethylketone nor benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethylketone can completely inhibit LIGHT/IFN-gamma-mediated apoptosis. Moreover, overexpression of Bcl-2 further enhances LIGHT/IFN-gamma-mediated apoptosis. It appears that LIGHT and IFN-gamma act synergistically to activate caspase-3, with the resultant cleavage of Bcl-2, removal of the BH4 domain, leading to conversion of Bcl-2 from an antiapoptotic to a proapoptotic form in p53-deficient hepatocellular carcinoma Hep3BT2 cells. Thus, LIGHT seems to be able to override the protective effect of Bcl-2 and induce cell death. Although benzyloxycarbonyl-Asp-Glu-Val-Asp-fluoromethylketone and benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethylketone can prevent the cleavage of Bcl-2 by LIGHT/IFN-gamma, they only partially inhibit apoptosis in Hep3BT2 cells that are overexpressing Bcl-2. In contrast, both LIGHT/IFN-gamma-mediated apoptosis and Bcl-2 cleavage are inhibited by free radical scavengers, indicating that free radicals may play an essential role in LIGHT/IFN-gamma-mediated apoptosis at a step upstream of caspase-3 activation. These results suggest that LIGHT signaling may diverge into multiple, separate processes.
authors.affiliation: Institute and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: T Y
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Luh
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Hsieh
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; D053148:Caspase 3; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D019254:Genes, bcl-2; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007700:Kinetics; D008113:Liver Neoplasms; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000494:pharmacology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D053326:Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 14; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; C505914:TNFSF14 protein, human; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053326:Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 14; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases