title: A brain-specific isoform of mitochondrial apoptosis-inducing factor: AIF2.
abstract: Apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) has important supportive as well as potentially lethal roles in neurons. Under normal physiological conditions, AIF is a vital redox-active mitochondrial enzyme, whereas in pathological situations, it translocates from mitochondria to the nuclei of injured neurons and mediates apoptotic chromatin condensation and cell death. In this study, we reveal the existence of a brain-specific isoform of AIF, AIF2, whose expression increases as neuronal precursor cells differentiate. AIF2 arises from the utilization of the alternative exon 2b, yet uses the same remaining 15 exons as the ubiquitous AIF1 isoform. AIF1 and AIF2 are similarly imported to mitochondria in which they anchor to the inner membrane facing the intermembrane space. However, the mitochondrial inner membrane sorting signal encoded in the exon 2b of AIF2 is more hydrophobic than that of AIF1, indicating a stronger membrane anchorage of AIF2 than AIF1. AIF2 is more difficult to be desorbed from mitochondria than AIF1 on exposure to non-ionic detergents or basic pH. Furthermore, AIF2 dimerizes with AIF1, thereby preventing its release from mitochondria. Conversely, it is conceivable that a neuron-specific AIF isoform, AIF2, may have been 'designed' to be retained in mitochondria and to minimize its potential neurotoxic activity.
authors.affiliation: INSERM U848, Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hangen
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Zio
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bordi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dessen
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Caffin
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lachkar
authors.forename: J-L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Perfettini
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lazar
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Benard
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Fimia
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piacentini
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Harper
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pierron
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Vicencio
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bénit
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Andrade
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Höglinger
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Culmsee
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rustin
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Blomgren
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cecconi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kroemer
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Modjtahedi
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D051033:Apoptosis Inducing Factor / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism*; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment
chemical_list: C494829:AIFM1 protein, human; C462504:ferroptosis suppressor protein 1, human; D051033:Apoptosis Inducing Factor; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D020033:Protein Isoforms