MAC inhibitors suppress mitochondrial apoptosis

2009 ◽  
Vol 423 (3) ◽  
pp. 381-387 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pablo M. Peixoto ◽  
Shin-Young Ryu ◽  
Agnes Bombrun ◽  
Bruno Antonsson ◽  
Kathleen W. Kinnally
Keyword(s):  
Cytochrome C ◽  
Mitochondrial Outer Membrane ◽  
Low Doses ◽  
Mitochondrial Apoptosis ◽  
Intrinsic Apoptosis ◽  
Cytochrome C Release ◽  
Apoptotic Death ◽  
Apoptotic Markers ◽  
Promising Therapeutic Target ◽  
Ic50 Values

MAC (mitochondrial apoptosis-induced channel) forms in the mitochondrial outer membrane and unleashes cytochrome c to orchestrate the execution of the cell. MAC opening is the commitment step of intrinsic apoptosis. Hence closure of MAC may prevent apoptosis. Compounds that blocked the release of fluorescein from liposomes by recombinant Bax were tested for their ability to directly close MAC and suppress apoptosis in FL5.12 cells. Low doses of these compounds (IC50 values ranged from 19 to 966 nM) irreversibly closed MAC. These compounds also blocked cytochrome c release and halted the onset of apoptotic markers normally induced by IL-3 (interleukin-3) deprivation or staurosporine. Our results reveal the tight link among MAC activity, cytochrome c release and apoptotic death, and indicate this mitochondrial channel is a promising therapeutic target.

scholarly journals The Effects of a Mitochondrial Targeted Peptide (Elamipretide/SS31) on BAX Recruitment and Activation During Apoptosis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua Grosser ◽  
Rachel Fehrman ◽  
Dennis Keefe ◽  
Martin Redmon ◽  
Robert Nickells
Keyword(s):  
Cytochrome C ◽  
Mitochondrial Outer Membrane ◽  
Intrinsic Apoptosis ◽  
Mitochondrial Fragmentation ◽  
Cytochrome C Release ◽  
Mitochondrial Outer Membrane Permeabilization ◽  
Bax Protein ◽  
Induced Apoptosis ◽  
Kinetics Of ◽  
Peptide Treatment

Abstract Objective: Elamipretide (SS31) is a mitochondria-targeted peptide that has reported functions of stabilizing mitochondrial cristae structure and improving mitochondrial bioenergetics. Several studies have documented cell protective features of this peptide, including impairment of intrinsic apoptosis by inhibiting the recruitment and activation of the pro-apoptotic BAX protein. We used live-cell imaging of ARPE-19 cells expressing fluorescently labeled BAX, cytochrome c, and a mitochondrial marker to investigate the effect of elamipretide on the kinetics of BAX recruitment, mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (as a function of cytochrome c release), and mitochondrial fragmentation, respectively. Result: In nucleofected and plated ARPE-19 cells, elamipretide accelerated the formation of larger mitochondria. In the presence of the apoptotic stimulator, staurosporine, cells treated with elamipretide exhibited moderately slower rates of BAX recruitment. Peptide treatment, however, did not significantly delay the onset of BAX recruitment or the final total amount of BAX that was recruited. Additionally, elamipretide showed no impairment or delay of cytochrome c release or mitochondrial fragmentation, two events associated with normal BAX activation during cell death. These results indicate that the protective effect of elamipretide is not at the level of BAX activity to induce pro-apoptotic mitochondrial dysfunction after the initiation of staurosporine-induced apoptosis.

scholarly journals The effects of a mitochondrial targeted peptide (elamipretide/SS31) on BAX recruitment and activation during apoptosis

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua A. Grosser ◽  
Rachel L. Fehrman ◽  
Dennis Keefe ◽  
Martin Redmon ◽  
Robert W. Nickells
Keyword(s):  
Cytochrome C ◽  
Mitochondrial Outer Membrane ◽  
Intrinsic Apoptosis ◽  
Mitochondrial Fragmentation ◽  
Cytochrome C Release ◽  
Mitochondrial Outer Membrane Permeabilization ◽  
Bax Protein ◽  
Induced Apoptosis ◽  
Kinetics Of ◽  
Peptide Treatment

Abstract Objective Elamipretide (SS31) is a mitochondria-targeted peptide that has reported functions of stabilizing mitochondrial cristae structure and improving mitochondrial bioenergetics. Several studies have documented cell protective features of this peptide, including impairment of intrinsic apoptosis by inhibiting the recruitment and activation of the pro-apoptotic BAX protein. We used live-cell imaging of ARPE-19 cells expressing fluorescently labeled BAX, cytochrome c, and a mitochondrial marker to investigate the effect of elamipretide on the kinetics of BAX recruitment, mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (as a function of cytochrome c release), and mitochondrial fragmentation, respectively. Result In nucleofected and plated ARPE-19 cells, elamipretide accelerated the formation of larger mitochondria. In the presence of the apoptotic stimulator, staurosporine, cells treated with elamipretide exhibited moderately slower rates of BAX recruitment. Peptide treatment, however, did not significantly delay the onset of BAX recruitment or the final total amount of BAX that was recruited. Additionally, elamipretide showed no impairment or delay of cytochrome c release or mitochondrial fragmentation, two events associated with normal BAX activation during cell death. These results indicate that the protective effect of elamipretide is not at the level of BAX activity to induce pro-apoptotic mitochondrial dysfunction after the initiation of staurosporine-induced apoptosis.

Effects of cytochrome c on the mitochondrial apoptosis-induced channel MAC

2004 ◽  
Vol 286 (5) ◽  
pp. C1109-C1117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liang Guo ◽  
Dawn Pietkiewicz ◽  
Evgeny V. Pavlov ◽  
Sergey M. Grigoriev ◽  
John J. Kasianowicz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cytochrome C ◽  
Outer Membrane ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Rnase A ◽  
Mitochondrial Outer Membrane ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Mitochondrial Apoptosis ◽  
Noise Type ◽  
Voltage Dependent

Recent studies indicate that cytochrome c is released early in apoptosis without loss of integrity of the mitochondrial outer membrane in some cell types. The high-conductance mitochondrial apoptosis-induced channel (MAC) forms in the outer membrane early in apoptosis of FL5.12 cells. Physiological (micromolar) levels of cytochrome c alter MAC activity, and these effects are referred to as types 1 and 2. Type 1 effects are consistent with a partitioning of cytochrome c into the pore of MAC and include a modest decrease in conductance that is dose and voltage dependent, reversible, and has an increase in noise. Type 2 effects may correspond to “plugging” of the pore or destabilization of the open state. Type 2 effects are a dose-dependent, voltage-independent, and irreversible decrease in conductance. MAC is a heterogeneous channel with variable conductance. Cytochrome c affects MAC in a pore size-dependent manner, with maximal effects of cytochrome c on MAC with conductance of 1.9–5.4 nS. The effects of cytochrome c, RNase A, and high salt on MAC indicate that size, rather than charge, is crucial. The effects of dextran molecules of various sizes indicate that the pore diameter of MAC is slightly larger than that of 17-kDa dextran, which should be sufficient to allow the passage of 12-kDa cytochrome c. These findings are consistent with the notion that MAC is the pore through which cytochrome c is released from mitochondria during apoptosis.

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

2002 ◽  
Vol 159 (6) ◽  
pp. 923-929 ◽  
Author(s):  
Damien Arnoult ◽  
Philippe Parone ◽  
Jean-Claude Martinou ◽  
Bruno Antonsson ◽  
Jérôme Estaquier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cytochrome C ◽  
Outer Membrane ◽  
Actinomycin D ◽  
Membrane Permeabilization ◽  
Mitochondrial Outer Membrane ◽  
Simple Explanation ◽  
Cytochrome C Release ◽  
Mitochondrial Outer Membrane Permeabilization ◽  
Mitochondrial Inner Membrane ◽  
Apoptosis Inducing Factor

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.

scholarly journals Resistance to Granzyme B-mediated Cytochrome c Release in Bak-deficient Cells

2001 ◽  
Vol 194 (9) ◽  
pp. 1325-1338 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gui-Qiang Wang ◽  
Eva Wieckowski ◽  
Leslie A. Goldstein ◽  
Brian R. Gastman ◽  
Asaf Rabinovitz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cytochrome C ◽  
Outer Membrane ◽  
Knockout Mice ◽  
Granzyme B ◽  
Membrane Permeabilization ◽  
Mitochondrial Outer Membrane ◽  
Target Cells ◽  
Cytochrome C Release ◽  
Mitochondrial Outer Membrane Permeabilization ◽  
S 100

Granzyme B (GrB), a serine protease with substrate specificity similar to the caspase family, is a major component of granule-mediated cytotoxicity of T lymphocytes. Although GrB can directly activate caspases, it induces apoptosis predominantly via Bid cleavage, mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization, and cytochrome c release. To study the molecular regulators for GrB-mediated mitochondrial apoptotic events, we used a CTL-free cytotoxicity system, wherein target cells are treated with purified GrB and replication-deficient adenovirus (Ad). We report here that the Bcl-2 proapoptotic family member, Bak, plays a dominant role in GrB-mediated mitochondrial apoptotic events. A variant of Jurkat cells, deficient in Bak expression, was resistant to GrB/Ad-mediated apoptosis, as determined by lack of membranous phosphatidylserine exposure, lack of DNA breaks, lack of mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization, and unchanged expression of inner mitochondrial membrane cardiolipin. The resistance of Bak-deficient cells to GrB/Ad cytotoxicity was reversed by transduction of the Bak gene into these cells. The requirement for both Bid and Bak, was further demonstrated in a cell-free system using purified mitochondria and S-100 cytosol. Purified mitochondria from Bid knockout mice, but not from Bax knockout mice, failed to release cytochrome c in response to autologous S-100 and GrB. Also, Bak-deficient mitochondria did not release cytochrome c in response to GrB-treated cytosol unless recombinant Bak protein was added. These results are the first to report a role for Bak in GrB-mediated mitochondrial apoptosis. This study demonstrates that GrB-cleaved Bid, which differs in size and site of cleavage from caspase-8-cleaved Bid, utilizes Bak for cytochrome c release, and therefore, suggests that deficiency in Bak may serve as a mechanism of immune evasion for tumor or viral infected cells.

Phosphorothioate oligonucleotides reduce mitochondrial outer membrane permeability to ADP

2007 ◽  
Vol 292 (4) ◽  
pp. C1388-C1397 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenzhi Tan ◽  
Johnathan C. Lai ◽  
Paul Miller ◽  
C. A. Stein ◽  
Marco Colombini
Keyword(s):  
Cytochrome C ◽  
Membrane Permeability ◽  
Outer Membrane ◽  
Mitochondrial Outer Membrane ◽  
Cytochrome C Release ◽  
Voltage Dependent ◽  
Selective Channel ◽  
Vdac Channels ◽  
Outer Membrane Permeability ◽  
Apoptotic Cascade

G3139, an antisense Bcl-2 phosphorothioate oligodeoxyribonucleotide, induces apoptosis in melanoma and other cancer cells. This apoptosis happens before and in the absence of the downregulation of Bcl-2 and thus seems to be Bcl-2-independent. Binding of G3139 to mitochondria and its ability to close voltage-dependent anion-selective channel (VDAC) have led to the hypothesis that G3139 acts, in part, by interacting with VDAC channels in the mitochondrial outer membrane ( 21 ). In this study, we demonstrate that G3139 is able to reduce the mitochondrial outer membrane permeability to ADP by a factor of 6 or 7 with a Ki between 0.2 and 0.5 μM. Because VDAC is responsible for this permeability, this result strengthens the aforesaid hypothesis. Other mitochondrial respiration components are not affected by [G3139] up to 1 μM. Higher levels begin to inhibit respiration rates, decrease light scattering and increase uncoupled respiration. These results agree with accumulating evidence that VDAC closure favors cytochrome c release. The speed of this effect (within 10 min) places it early in the apoptotic cascade with cytochrome c release occurring at later times. Other phosphorothioate oligonucleotides are also able to induce VDAC closure, and there is some length dependence. The phosphorothioate linkages are required to induce the reduction of outer membrane permeability. At levels below 1 μM, phosphorothioate oligonucleotides are the first specific tools to restrict mitochondrial outer membrane permeability.

scholarly journals Oligomeric Bax Is a Component of the Putative CytochromecRelease Channel MAC, Mitochondrial Apoptosis-induced Channel

2005 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 2424-2432 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurent M. Dejean ◽  
Sonia Martinez-Caballero ◽  
Liang Guo ◽  
Cynthia Hughes ◽  
Oscar Teijido ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cytochrome C ◽  
Hela Cells ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Single Channel ◽  
Apoptotic Cells ◽  
Mitochondrial Apoptosis ◽  
Cytochrome C Release ◽  
Apoptotic Pathway ◽  
Release Channel ◽  
The Mean

Bcl-2 family proteins regulate apoptosis, in part, by controlling formation of the mitochondrial apoptosis-induced channel (MAC), which is a putative cytochrome c release channel induced early in the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. This channel activity was never observed in Bcl-2–overexpressing cells. Furthermore, MAC appears when Bax translocates to mitochondria and cytochrome c is released in cells dying by intrinsic apoptosis. Bax is a component of MAC of staurosporine-treated HeLa cells because MAC activity is immunodepleted by Bax antibodies. MAC is preferentially associated with oligomeric, not monomeric, Bax. The single channel behavior of recombinant oligomeric Bax and MAC is similar. Both channel activities are modified by cytochrome c, consistent with entrance of this protein into the pore. The mean conductance of patches of mitochondria isolated after green fluorescent protein-Bax translocation is significantly higher than those from untreated cells, consistent with onset of MAC activity. In contrast, the mean conductance of patches of mitochondria indicates MAC activity is present in apoptotic cells deficient in Bax but absent in apoptotic cells deficient in both Bax and Bak. These findings indicate Bax is a component of MAC in staurosporine-treated HeLa cells and suggest Bax and Bak are functionally redundant as components of MAC.

scholarly journals Biphasic translocation of Bax to mitochondria

2002 ◽  
Vol 367 (1) ◽  
pp. 169-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michela CAPANO ◽  
Martin CROMPTON
Keyword(s):  
Green Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Cytochrome C ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Adenine Nucleotide ◽  
Phase 1 ◽  
Mitochondrial Outer Membrane ◽  
Second Phase ◽  
Voltage Dependent Anion Channel ◽  
Cytochrome C Release ◽  
Green Fluorescent

Using green fluorescent protein-tagged Bax, we demonstrate that Bax is sequestered from the cytosol of cardiomyocytes in two distinct phases following the induction of apoptosis with staurosporine. In the first phase, lasting several hours, Bax removal from the cytosol was relatively small. In the second phase, Bax was very largely removed from the cytosol and sequestered into large aggregates associated with the mitochondria. To test which of the phases involved cytochrome c release, cells were transfected with a red fluorescent protein—cytochrome c fusion. The cytochrome c fusion protein was accumulated by mitochondria of healthy cells and was released by staurosporine in phase 1. When green fluorescent protein—Bax was immunoprecipitated from extracts of cells in phase 1 and phase 2, the voltage-dependent anion channel (mitochondrial outer membrane) and the adenine nucleotide translocase (mitochondrial inner membrane) were also precipitated. These data support a two-phase model of Bax translocation in which Bax targets the mitochondrial intermembrane contact sites and releases cytochrome c in the first phase, and is then packaged into large aggregates on mitochondria in the second.

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