Programmed cell death and Bcl-2 protection in very low oxygen

PROGRAMMED cell death (PCD) is a fundamental feature of animal cells 1 , but the mechanism remains unknown. Similarly, the Bcl-2 oncoprotein can suppress PCD in a variety of cell types and circumstances 2 , but it is not known how it does so. It has been suggested that PCD involves the generation of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature (London) 1995-04, Vol.374 (6525), p.814-816
Main Authors: Jacobson, Michael D, Raff, Martin C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Ageing, cell death
Alkaloids - pharmacology
Anaerobic conditions
Antigens, Surface - immunology
Antioxidants - pharmacology
apoptosis
Apoptosis - drug effects
Apoptosis - physiology
Bcl-2 gene
BCL2 gene
Biological and medical sciences
cell death
Cell Line, Transformed
cell lines
Cell physiology
Cellular biology
fas Receptor
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Humanities and Social Sciences
Humans
Interleukin-3 - immunology
letter
Lipid Peroxidation
man
mice
Molecular and cellular biology
Mortality
multidisciplinary
Oxygen
Oxygen - metabolism
Proteins
Proto-Oncogene Proteins - physiology
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
Reactive Oxygen Species - metabolism
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
Staurosporine
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Summary:PROGRAMMED cell death (PCD) is a fundamental feature of animal cells 1 , but the mechanism remains unknown. Similarly, the Bcl-2 oncoprotein can suppress PCD in a variety of cell types and circumstances 2 , but it is not known how it does so. It has been suggested that PCD involves the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and that Bcl-2 protects against PCD by inhibiting the generation or action of ROS 3–6 . To determine whether ROS are required for PCD, we cultured cells in a near-anaerobic atmosphere where the generation of ROS would be expected not to occur, or at least to be greatly reduced. We find that these conditions inhibit PCD induced by ROS-generating agents but do not inhibit PCD induced by other means. Furthermore, we show that Bcl-2 can protect cells from PCD in these anaerobic conditions. These results suggest that ROS are not required for PCD, and that Bcl-2 protects against PCD in ways that do not depend on the inhibition of ROS production or activity.
ISSN:0028-0836
1476-4687
DOI:10.1038/374814a0