title: Bcl-2 protects against Abeta(25-35)-induced oxidative PC12 cell death by potentiation of antioxidant capacity.
abstract: A substantial body of data indicates that reactive oxygen intermediates (ROIs) are implicated in pathogenesis of diverse human diseases. Oxidative stress induced by ROIs often causes cell death via apoptosis that is regulated by a plenty of functional genes and their protein products. Bcl-2 is one such protein that blocks apoptosis induced by various death stimuli. In spite of extensive research, the molecular mechanisms underlying antiapoptotic function of Bcl-2 are not fully clarified. In the present work, we have investigated the role of bcl-2 in protecting against beta-amyloid (Abeta)-induced oxidative death in rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells. Transfection with the antiapoptotic bcl-2 gene rescued PC12 cells from apoptotic death induced by Abeta. Addition of an NF-kappaB inhibitor, such as pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate or N-tosyl-l-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone, to the media aggravated Abeta-induced PC12 cell death. PC12 cells overexpressing bcl-2 exhibited higher levels of constitutively activated NF-kappaB compared with vector-transfected controls, which appear to be mediated by the elevated activation of Akt/protein kinase B. The ectopic expression of bcl-2 enhanced both the expression and the activity of catalase, which were attenuated by NF-kappaB blockers. These results suggest that NF-kappaB plays a role in bcl-2-mediated protection against Abeta-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells through augmentation of cellular antioxidant capacity.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Shinlim-dong, Kwanak-ku, Seoul 151-742, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jung-Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Young-Joon
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Surh
mesh_terms: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism*; D002470:Cell Survival; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004798:Enzymes / Q000378:metabolism*; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D016716:PC12 Cells; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D004798:Enzymes; D016328:NF-kappa B; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C113041:amyloid beta-protein (35-25); D002374:Catalase; C494920:Akt1 protein, rat; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt