Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
2
pubmed:dateCreated
1996-6-13
pubmed:abstractText
The C. elegans gene product ced-9 inhibits programmed cell death by negatively regulating the death-mediating protease ced-3. The mammalian homolog of ced-9 is the oncoprotein Bcl-2. Overexpression of Bcl-2 spares mammalian and nematodal cells from dying and prevents ectopic cell death in ced-9 loss-of-function mutants. Although Bcl-2 has been shown to act as an antioxidant under certain conditions, additional functions have emerged from studies under low oxygen pressure. Here we show that Bcl-2 overexpression impairs activation of the interleukin-1beta converting enzyme-related death protease CPP32/Yama/apopain, the mammalian homolog of ced-3. When U937 monocytes undergo programmed cell death in response to tumor necrosis factor alpha, the inactive CPP32 precursor is cleaved into its active forms. As a consequence poly(ADP ribose) polymerase, a major substrate of CPP32, is faithfully cleaved into a 85 kD fragment. Bcl-2 overexpressing cells are protected from tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced death and display neither CPP32 maturation nor PARP cleavage. The inhibitory effect of Bcl-2 on CPP32 activation is indirect since no physical interaction between the two proteins could be detected. These results indicate that Bcl-2 neutralizes an unknown cellular activator of CPP32 to save cells from programmed cell death.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Apr
pubmed:issn
0006-291X
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:day
16
pubmed:volume
221
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
340-5
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1996
pubmed:articleTitle
Bcl-2 overexpression blocks activation of the death protease CPP32/Yama/apopain.
pubmed:affiliation
Institute of Biochemistry, University of Fribourg, Switzerland.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't