title: Loss of Bif-1 suppresses Bax/Bak conformational change and mitochondrial apoptosis.
abstract: Bif-1, a member of the endophilin B protein family, interacts with Bax and promotes interleukin-3 withdrawal-induced Bax conformational change and apoptosis when overexpressed in FL5.12 cells. Here, we provide evidence that Bif-1 plays a regulatory role in apoptotic activation of not only Bax but also Bak and appears to be involved in suppression of tumorigenesis. Inhibition of endogenous Bif-1 expression in HeLa cells by RNA interference abrogated the conformational change of Bax and Bak, cytochrome c release, and caspase 3 activation induced by various intrinsic death signals. Similar results were obtained in Bif-1 knockout mouse embryonic fibroblasts. While Bif-1 did not directly interact with Bak, it heterodimerized with Bax on mitochondria in intact cells, and this interaction was enhanced by apoptosis induction and preceded the Bax conformational change. Moreover, suppression of Bif-1 expression was associated with an enhanced ability of HeLa cells to form colonies in soft agar and tumors in nude mice. Taken together, these findings support the notion that Bif-1 is an important component of the mitochondrial pathway for apoptosis as a novel Bax/Bak activator, and loss of this proapoptotic molecule may contribute to tumorigenesis.
authors.affiliation: Drug Discovery Program, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, 12902 Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Mariusz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karbowski
authors.forename: Hirohito
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Aslamuzzaman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kazi
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Saïd M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Sebti
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Youle
authors.forename: Hong-Gang
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000502:physiology; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000502:physiology*; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000235:genetics; D011487:Protein Conformation; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism; D050998:bcl-2 Homologous Antagonist-Killer Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; C494772:BAK1 protein, human; C494826:BAX protein, human; C494773:Bak1 protein, mouse; C494827:Bax protein, mouse; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; C429293:SH3GLB1 protein, human; C486100:Sh3glb1 protein, mouse; D050998:bcl-2 Homologous Antagonist-Killer Protein; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D045304:Cytochromes c; D020169:Caspases