title: Promotion of Fas-mediated apoptosis in Type II cells by high doses of hepatocyte growth factor bypasses the mitochondrial requirement.
abstract: The death receptor pathway is coupled to the mitochondria apoptosis pathway. However, mitochondrial participation, which is stimulated by Bid but suppressed by Bcl-2/Bcl-x(L), is required in certain cells (Type II), but not in others (Type I). While these differences were originally characterized in the lymphoid cell lines, the typical Type II cells are represented by hepatocytes in vivo. The molecular mechanisms that distinguish Type II from Type I cells and the regulation are not fully understood. Fas can be sequestered by the HGF receptor c-Met and high doses of HGF can promote cell death by freeing Fas from c-Met complex. We thus reasoned that treatment of the Type II cells with high doses of HGF could enhance Fas-mediated apoptosis and spare the mitochondria amplification. Indeed, such treatment led to increased apoptosis in Type II lymphoid cells, which could not be blocked by Bcl-x(L). Moreover, significant hepatocyte apoptosis was induced by this scheme in the absence of Bid with increased dissociation of Fas from c-Met. These findings indicate that high doses of HGF could be used to promote apoptosis in Type II cells bypassing the requirement for mitochondria activation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, USA.
authors.forename: Yongge
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Daniell
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Difrancesca
authors.forename: Xue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zarnegar
authors.forename: George K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Michalopoulos
authors.forename: Xiao-Ming
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Yin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D051023:BH3 Interacting Domain Death Agonist Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053181:Caspase 8 / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D051020:bcl-X Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D051023:BH3 Interacting Domain Death Agonist Protein; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051020:bcl-X Protein; D019014:fas Receptor; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D053181:Caspase 8