An increase in the permeability of outer mitochondrial membrane is central to apoptotic cell death, and results in the release of several apoptogenic factors such as cytochrome c into the cytoplasm to activate downstream destructive programs. The voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC or mitochondrial porin) plays an essential role in disrupting the mitochondrial membrane barrier and is regulated directly by members of the Bcl-2 family proteins. Anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family members interact with and close the VDAC, whereas some, but not all, proapoptotic members interact with VDAC to open protein-conducting pore through which apoptogenic factors pass. Although the VDAC is involved directly in breaking the mitochondrial membrane barrier and is a known component of the permeability transition pore complex, VDAC-dependent increase in outer membrane permeability can be independent of the permeability transition event such as mitochondrial swelling followed by rupture of the outer mitochondrial membrane. VDAC interacts not only with Bcl-2 family members but also with proteins such as gelsolin, an actin regulatory protein, and appears to be a convergence point for a variety of cell survival and cell death signals.
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Research Article|
February 01 2002
Bcl-2 Family of Proteins: Life-or-Death Switch in Mitochondria
Yoshihide Tsujimoto
Yoshihide Tsujimoto
1Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and CREST of Japanese Science and Technology, Osaka University Medical School and Graduate School of Medicine, Room B8 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Online ISSN: 1573-4935
Print ISSN: 0144-8463
© 2002 Plenum Publishing Corporation
2002
Biosci Rep (2002) 22 (1): 47–58.
Citation
Yoshihide Tsujimoto; Bcl-2 Family of Proteins: Life-or-Death Switch in Mitochondria. Biosci Rep 1 February 2002; 22 (1): 47–58. doi: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016061006256
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