title: Phosphorylation of Bcl-xL after spinal cord injury.
abstract: Spinal cord injury (SCI)-induced functional impairment results from secondary apoptosis regulated in part by SCI-induced decreases in the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-x(L). We assessed the role that Bcl-x(L) subcellular rerouting and posttranslational phosphorylation play in Bcl-x(L) decreases in a contusion model of rat SCI. Immunohistochemical analysis showed the presence of Bcl-x(L) in neurons and oligodendrocytes, but not in astrocytes and microglia, whereas phosphorylated Bcl-x(L) (P-ser(62)-Bcl-x(L)) was present only in neurons. Western blot analyses showed Bcl-x(L) present in mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, nuclei, and cytosolic extracts, whereas P-ser(62)-Bcl-x(L) was restricted to organelles. During the first 24 hr after SCI, Bcl-x(L) levels decreased in all fractions but with a different time course, suggesting an independent regulation of Bcl-x(L) shuttling from the cytosol to each compartment after SCI. SCI did not affect P-ser(62)-Bcl-x(L) levels in organelles. However, P-ser(62)-Bcl-x(L), which was not detected in the cytosolic fraction of uninjured spinal cord, appeared in the cytosol as early as 15 min postcontusion, suggesting a role for phosphorylation in SCI-induced Bcl-x(L)-decreases. Using an in vitro model, we observed a correlation between levels of cytosolic phosphorylated Bcl-x(L) and neuronal apoptosis, supporting the hypothesis that Bcl-x(L) phosphorylation is proapoptotic. Activated microglia/macrophages robustly expressed Bcl-x(L) 7 days after SCI, and a subpopulation showing nuclear condensation also expressed P-ser(62)-Bcl-x(L). Therefore, phosphorylation of Bcl-x(L) may have opposite effects in injured spinal cords: 1) it may decrease levels of the antiapoptotic Bcl-x(L) in neurons contributing to neuronal death, and 2) it may promote apoptosis in activated microglia/macrophages, thus curtailing the inflammatory cascades associated with SCI.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience and Cell Biology Department, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555-1072, USA.
authors.forename: Diana M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Cittelly
authors.forename: Olivera
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nesic-Taylor
authors.forename: J Regino
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Perez-Polo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008264:Macrophages / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D017628:Microglia / Q000502:physiology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000378:metabolism; D015388:Organelles / Q000378:metabolism; D016716:PC12 Cells; D010766:Phosphorylation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000378:metabolism*; D013347:Subcellular Fractions / Q000378:metabolism; D051020:bcl-X Protein / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D051020:bcl-X Protein