title: Bax translocation is crucial for the sensitivity of leukaemic cells to etoposide-induced apoptosis.
abstract: Bax translocation from cytosol to mitochondria is believed to be a crucial step for triggering cytochrome c release from mitochondria. However, it is unclear whether Bax translocation is associated with Bax induction by DNA damaging agents. The induction of Bax in response to DNA damaging agents has been considered to be linked with p53. In this study, we used the p53 negative human chronic myeloid leukaemia K562 cell line. Bax up-regulation occurred at the whole cell level after DNA damage induced by etoposide. However, after incubation with etoposide, Bax failed to translocate to mitochondria and as a result, the apoptotic process was blocked. A Bax stable transfectant, the K/Bax cell line, expressed more Bax protein in the cytosol, mitochondria and nuclei. This Bax overexpression induced cytochrome c release, a reduction of cytochrome c oxidase activity and mitochondrial membrane potential (Delta(Psi)m). However, Bax-induced apoptosis was blocked downstream of mitochondria in K562 cells. The increased levels of mitochondrial Bax sensitized cells to etoposide-induced activation of caspases-2, -3 and -9 and apoptosis. However, after transient transfection with the Apaf-1 gene, K/Bax cells were sensitized to etoposide-induced caspase activation and apoptosis to a larger extent compared with Bax or Apaf-1 transfection alone. We therefore conclude that two mechanisms contribute to the resistance of K562 cells to etoposide-induced apoptosis; firstly failure of Bax targeting to mitochondria and, secondly, deficiency of Apaf-1. Uncoupling of Bax translocation from Bax induction can occur in response to etoposide-induced DNA damage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, St. Bartholomew's and The Royal London School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, E1 2AD, UK.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Patwari
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Srinivasula
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Newland
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fernandes-Alnemri
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Alnemri
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kelsey
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D053477:Apoptotic Protease-Activating Factor 1; D001692:Biological Transport; D020169:Caspases / Q000502:physiology; D004249:DNA Damage; D005047:Etoposide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D020014:K562 Cells; D007938:Leukemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D011506:Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein
chemical_list: C506592:APAF1 protein, human; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D053477:Apoptotic Protease-Activating Factor 1; C494826:BAX protein, human; D011506:Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D005047:Etoposide; D020169:Caspases