Mitochondria at the heart of the cytotoxic attack.
Granzyme B is a serine proteinase that acts as a key effector of cell death mediated by cytotoxic T lymphocytes. The enzyme is transferred from the cytotoxic cell to the pathogenic target cell where it cleaves and activates a number of substrates involved in the induction of apoptosis. However, recent evidence implicates mitochondria as playing an important role in both the initiation of apoptosis and control of substrate cleavage by granzyme B in cytotoxic T lymphocyte induced death. This review focuses on current research in this rapidly expanding field, specifically the role of mitochondria in cell death induced by components of cytotoxic granules in particular granzyme B.
Department of Biochemistry, Room 463, Medical Sciences Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2H7.
Darren L
DL
Roberts
Ing Swie
IS
Goping
R Chris
RC
Bleackley
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D053804:Granzymes; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000502:physiology*; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D008954:Models, Biological; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000502:physiology; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology
D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D053804:Granzymes; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases