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Chemical modulation of cytosolic BAX homodimer potentiates BAX activation and apoptosis.
- Source :
- Nature Communications; 12/16/2023, Vol. 14 Issue 1, p1-20, 20p
- Publication Year :
- 2023
-
Abstract
- The BCL-2 family protein BAX is a major regulator of physiological and pathological cell death. BAX predominantly resides in the cytosol in a quiescent state and upon stress, it undergoes conformational activation and mitochondrial translocation leading to mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization, a critical event in apoptosis execution. Previous studies reported two inactive conformations of cytosolic BAX, a monomer and a dimer, however, it remains unclear how they regulate BAX. Here we show that, surprisingly, cancer cell lines express cytosolic inactive BAX dimers and/or monomers. Expression of inactive dimers, results in reduced BAX activation, translocation and apoptosis upon pro-apoptotic drug treatments. Using the inactive BAX dimer structure and a pharmacophore-based drug screen, we identify a small-molecule modulator, BDM19 that binds and activates cytosolic BAX dimers and prompts cells to apoptosis either alone or in combination with BCL-2/BCL-XL inhibitor Navitoclax. Our findings underscore the role of the cytosolic inactive BAX dimer in resistance to apoptosis and demonstrate a strategy to potentiate BAX-mediated apoptosis. Deregulation of BCL-2 proteins ensures resistance to apoptosis. Here, the authors describe cytosolic BAX dimers, which in cancer cells inhibit BAX activation and they develop a strategy to modulate BAX dimers to potentiate BAX-mediated apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- BCL-2 proteins
APOPTOSIS
BAX protein
CANCER cells
CELL death
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 20411723
- Volume :
- 14
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Nature Communications
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 174267981
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-44084-3