Mitochondrial Release Of Apoptosis-inducing Factor Research Articles

HSP72 inhibits apoptosis-inducing factor release in ATP-depleted renal epithelial cells.

Inhibition of the mitochondrial release and nuclear translocation of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) by heat stress protein (HSP)72 may ameliorate apoptosis in renal epithelial cells exposed to a metabolic inhibitor. To evaluate this hypothesis, cells were transiently exposed to 5 mM sodium cyanide in the absence of medium glucose, a maneuver known to induce apoptosis. ATP depletion for 1-2 h resulted in the progressive accumulation of mitochondrial AIF in the cytosol of samples obtained by selectively permeabilizing the plasma membrane with digitonin. During recovery from ATP depletion, time-dependent nuclear AIF accumulation (but not cytochrome c, an F0F1 ATP synthase subunit, or talin) was observed in isolated nuclei. Nuclear AIF accumulation was associated with peripheral chromatin condensation and DNA degradation. Prior heat stress (HS) significantly reduced AIF leakage into the cytosol, decreased nuclear accumulation of AIF, and inhibited DNA degradation. HS also increased the interaction between AIF and HSP72 detected by immunoprecipitation. In ATP depleted cells, selective overexpression of human HSP72 reduced the leakage of mitochondrial AIF in a dose-dependent manner (r = 0.997). This study suggests that mitochondrial membrane injury and subsequent AIF release contribute to nuclear injury and apoptosis in ATP-depleted renal cells. HSP72, an antiapoptotic protein, inhibits cell injury in part by preventing mitochondrial AIF release and perhaps by decreasing its nuclear accumulation.

Cathepsin D Triggers Bax Activation, Resulting in Selective Apoptosis-inducing Factor (AIF) Relocation in T Lymphocytes Entering the Early Commitment Phase to Apoptosis

Activated human T lymphocytes exposed to apoptotic stimuli targeting mitochondria (i.e. staurosporine), enter an early, caspase-independent phase of commitment to apoptosis characterized by cell shrinkage and peripheral chromatin condensation. We show that during this phase, AIF is selectively released from the intermembrane space of mitochondria, and that Bax undergo conformational change, relocation to mitochondria, and insertion into the outer mitochondrial membrane, in a Bid-independent manner. We analyzed the subcellular distribution of cathepsins (Cat) B, D, and L, in a search for caspase-independent factors responsible for Bax activation and AIF release. All were translocated from lysosomes to the cytosol, in correlation with limited destabilization of the lysosomes and release of lysosomal molecules in a size selective manner. However, only inhibition of Cat D activity by pepstatin A inhibited the early apoptotic events and delayed cell death, even in the presence of bafilomycin A1, an inhibitor of vacuolar type H+-ATPase, which inhibits acidification in lysosomes. Small interfering RNA-mediated gene silencing was used to inactivate Cat D, Bax, and AIF gene expression. This allowed us to define a novel sequence of events in which Cat D triggers Bax activation, Bax induces the selective release of mitochondrial AIF, and the latter is responsible for the early apoptotic phenotype.

Bisphenol A diglycidyl ether-induced apoptosis involves Bax/Bid-dependent mitochondrial release of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF), cytochrome c and Smac/DIABLO.

(1) Bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE) is a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-gamma) antagonist, which is able to induce apoptosis in tumor cells independently of PPAR-gamma in caspase-dependent and -independent manners. Additionally, BADGE promotes TRAIL-induced apoptosis. (2) We report that BADGE activates via Bax and caspases-2 and -8 both the intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways using Bid as a shunt. (3) BADGE stimulates the mitochondrial release of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF), cytochrome c and second mitochondria-derived activator of caspase/direct IAP-binding protein with low pl (Smac/DIABLO). The release of cytochrome c could not be blocked by inhibitors of caspases-3, -8 and -9 indicating that BADGE acts upstream of caspases-3 and -9 and does not involve caspase-8 to release cytochrome c. (4) While the caspase-independent apoptotic effect might be mediated by AIF, the sensitizing effect of BADGE against other apoptotic substances is most likely mediated by the X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis inhibitor Smac/DIABLO. (5) Our data suggest that BADGE or BADGE derivatives could represent promising substances for the treatment of neoplasms improving the antitumoral activity of TRAIL.

Mitochondrial release of apoptosis-inducing factor occurs downstream of cytochrome c release in response to several proapoptotic stimuli.

Mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization by proapoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins, such as Bax, plays a crucial role in apoptosis induction. However, whether this only causes the intracytosolic release of inducers of caspase-dependent death, such as cytochrome c, or also of caspase-independent death, such as apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) remains unknown. Here, we show that on isolated mitochondria, Bax causes the release of cytochrome c, but not of AIF, and the association of AIF with the mitochondrial inner membrane provides a simple explanation for its lack of release upon Bax-mediated outer membrane permeabilization. In cells overexpressing Bax or treated either with the Bax- or Bak-dependent proapoptotic drugs staurosporine or actinomycin D, or with hydrogen peroxide, caspase inhibitors did not affect the intracytosolic translocation of cytochrome c, but prevented that of AIF. These results provide a paradigm for mitochondria-dependent death pathways in which AIF cannot substitute for caspase executioners because its intracytosolic release occurs downstream of that of cytochrome c.

Potentiation of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α-Induced Cell Death by Rottlerin through a Cytochrome-C-Independent Pathway

The protein kinase C (PKC) signal transduction pathway negatively regulates receptor-initiated cell death. In HeLa cells, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF)-mediated cell death involved mitochondria and was blocked by the overexpression of Bcl-2. The PKC-specific inhibitor bisindolylmaleimide and the PKCδ inhibitor rottlerin enhanced TNF-induced cell death. We have investigated if potentiation of TNF-induced cell death by rottlerin involved amplification of the mitochondrial pathway. TNF induced cleavage of the proapoptotic protein Bid and release of mitochondrial cytochrome c. Rottlerin enhanced activation of caspase-8 and cleavage of Bid. It also enhanced activation of caspase-9 but it did not increase cytochrome c in the cytosol. It, however, increased release of mitochondrial apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) to the cytosol. Overexpression of Bcl-2 prevented release of both cytochrome c and AIF to the cytosol. Prolonged exposure (≥6 h) of HeLa cells to rottlerin and TNF decreased the level of cytochrome c but not of AIF in the cytosol. These results suggest that rottlerin activates a cytochrome-c-independent cell death pathway to potentiate cell death by TNF.

Mitochondrial Release of Apoptosis-Inducing Factor and Cytochrome c During Smooth Muscle Cell Apoptosis

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is under investigation for the treatment of intimal hyperplastia in conditions such as atherosclerosis and restenosis. Although smooth muscle cells (SMCs) may be a key target for treatment, the effects of PDT on these cells are poorly characterized. In the present study, apoptosis was induced in primary human aortic SMCs by the combination of the photosensitizer verteporfin and visible light. After PDT, an increase in mitochondrial cytochrome c (cyt c) and apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) levels were detected in the cytosol immediately and their levels increased steadily up to 2 hours. Cytosolic levels of the pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family member Bax decreased reciprocally throughout this period, but this change did not occur before cyt c release. Confocal microscopy revealed a diffuse staining pattern of cyt c within apoptotic cells as compared to a distinct mitochondrial staining in normal cells. AIF translocated from mitochondria to the nucleus during the progression of apoptosis. After cyt c release, caspase-9 and caspase-3 processing was visible by 1 hour and caspase-6, -7, and -8 processing was apparent by 2 hours after PDT. In summary, these results demonstrate for the first time the cellular redistribution of mitochondrial AIF during SMC apoptosis, as well as the early release of cyt c and the subsequent activation of multiple caspases during PDT-induced SMC apoptosis.

The central executioner of apoptosis: multiple connections between protease activation and mitochondria in Fas/APO-1/CD95- and ceramide-induced apoptosis.

According to current understanding, cytoplasmic events including activation of protease cascades and mitochondrial permeability transition (PT) participate in the control of nuclear apoptosis. However, the relationship between protease activation and PT has remained elusive. When apoptosis is induced by cross-linking of the Fas/APO-1/CD95 receptor, activation of interleukin-1beta converting enzyme (ICE; caspase 1) or ICE-like enzymes precedes the disruption of the mitochondrial inner transmembrane potential (DeltaPsim). In contrast, cytosolic CPP32/ Yama/Apopain/caspase 3 activation, plasma membrane phosphatidyl serine exposure, and nuclear apoptosis only occur in cells in which the DeltaPsim is fully disrupted. Transfection with the cowpox protease inhibitor crmA or culture in the presence of the synthetic ICE-specific inhibitor Ac-YVAD.cmk both prevent the DeltaPsim collapse and subsequent apoptosis. Cytosols from anti-Fas-treated human lymphoma cells accumulate an activity that induces PT in isolated mitochondria in vitro and that is neutralized by crmA or Ac-YVAD.cmk. Recombinant purified ICE suffices to cause isolated mitochondria to undergo PT-like large amplitude swelling and to disrupt their DeltaPsim. In addition, ICE-treated mitochondria release an apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) that induces apoptotic changes (chromatin condensation and oligonucleosomal DNA fragmentation) in isolated nuclei in vitro. AIF is a protease (or protease activator) that can be inhibited by the broad spectrum apoptosis inhibitor Z-VAD.fmk and that causes the proteolytical activation of CPP32. Although Bcl-2 is a highly efficient inhibitor of mitochondrial alterations (large amplitude swelling + DeltaPsim collapse + release of AIF) induced by prooxidants or cytosols from ceramide-treated cells, it has no effect on the ICE-induced mitochondrial PT and AIF release. These data connect a protease activation pathway with the mitochondrial phase of apoptosis regulation. In addition, they provide a plausible explanation of why Bcl-2 fails to interfere with Fas-triggered apoptosis in most cell types, yet prevents ceramide- and prooxidant-induced apoptosis.