title: Subcellular localization of Apaf-1 in apoptotic rat pituitary cells.
abstract: A key step in the intrinsic apoptotic pathway is the assembly of the apoptosome complex. The apoptosome components are well known; however, the physiology of the assembly of the apoptosome complex at the cellular level is still poorly defined. The aim of this work was to study the subcellular distribution of the apoptosome scaffold protein apoptotic protease-activating factor 1 (Apaf-1) before and after triggering apoptosis in single somatotrophs. Somatotrophs are the subject of extensive pituitary tissue remodeling in different physiological situations in which the quality and the number of pituitary cells are determined by cell proliferation and apoptosis. We show herein that 2 h after triggering apoptosis with rotenone, Apaf-1 redistributed to the proximity of mitochondria. In addition, the degree of colocalization between Apaf-1 and fluorescently labeled caspase-9 significantly increased during the same period. Furthermore, we show herein for the first time in single cells that the colocalization between Apaf-1 and cytochrome c increases only transiently, indicating a transient interaction between cytochrome c and Apaf-1 during the activation of apoptosis in these cells.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathophysiology, Medical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Zaloska 4, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Potokar
authors.forename: Marko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kreft
authors.forename: Helena H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Chowdhury
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vardjan
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zorec
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D053477:Apoptotic Protease-Activating Factor 1; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D045304:Cytochromes c; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D021381:Protein Transport; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012402:Rotenone / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: C506594:Apaf1 protein, rat; D053477:Apoptotic Protease-Activating Factor 1; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D012402:Rotenone; D045304:Cytochromes c