title: Ionomycin-induced apoptosis of thymocytes is independent of Nur77 NBRE or NurRE binding, but is accompanied by Nur77 mitochondrial targeting.
abstract: The induction of thymocyte apoptosis through the Nur77-mediated intrinsic pathway can be of physiological importance in the clonal deletion of autoreactive thymocytes during negative selection in the thymus and/or in thymocytes undergoing oncogenic transformation. Ionomycin treatment induces endogenous Nur77 expression as well as apoptosis and cytochrome c release in thymocytes. Here it is shown for the first time that in normal thymocytes undergoing apoptosis, ionomycin induces translocation of endogenous Nur77 not only to the nucleus, but also to mitochondria. Immunosuppressant FK506 inhibits Nur77 NBRE and NurRE binding activity but has no effect on thymocytes apoptosis, the subcellular localization of Nur77, or cytochrome c release. This indicates that thymocytes can undergo apoptosis through the intrinsic Nur77-mediated mitochondrial pathway and that the transactivation activity of Nur77 monomers or dimers is not necessary for thymocyte apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Oncology, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Weigla 12, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Izabela
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Stasik
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rapak
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kalas
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ziolo
authors.forename: Leon
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Strzadala
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D015759:Ionomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D007476:Ionophores / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism*; D057105:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 4, Group A, Member 1; D057126:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 4, Group A, Member 2; D011485:Protein Binding; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D011987:Receptors, Steroid / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D020218:Response Elements / Q000235:genetics; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000494:pharmacology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D007476:Ionophores; C539818:Nr4a1 protein, mouse; C539883:Nr4a2 protein, mouse; D057105:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 4, Group A, Member 1; D057126:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 4, Group A, Member 2; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D011987:Receptors, Steroid; D014157:Transcription Factors; D015759:Ionomycin; D045304:Cytochromes c; D016559:Tacrolimus