Journal
CELL DEATH AND DIFFERENTIATION
Volume 17, Issue 3, Pages 408-420Publisher
NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP
DOI: 10.1038/cdd.2009.132
Keywords
Bcl-2; superoxide; COX; ROS; cancer
Categories
Funding
- Biomedical Research Council of Singapore [R-185-000-164-305]
- NUS Academic Research Fund, Singapore [R-185-000-136-112]
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Bcl-2 has been shown to promote survival of cancer cells by maintaining a slight pro-oxidant state through elevated mitochondrial respiration during basal conditions. On oxidative stress, Bcl-2 moderates mitochondrial respiration through cytochrome c oxidase (COX) activity to prevent an excessive buildup of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by-production from electron transport activities. However, the underlying molecular mechanism(s) of Bcl-2-mediated ROS regulation and its impact on carcinogenesis remain unclear. In this study, we show that Bcl-2 expression positively influences the targeting of nuclear-encoded COX Va and Vb to the mitochondria of cancer cells. In addition, evidence is presented in support of a protein-protein interaction between COX Va and Bcl-2, involving the BH2 domain of Bcl-2. Interestingly, episodes of serum withdrawal, glucose deprivation or hypoxia aimed at inducing early oxidative stress triggered Bcl-2-overexpressing cells to preserve mitochondrial levels of COX Va while depressing COX Vb, whereas the reverse was observed in mock-transfected cells. The unique manner in which Bcl-2 adjusted COX subunits during these physiological stress triggers had a profound impact on the resultant decrease in COX activity and maintenance of mitochondrial ROS levels, thus delineating a novel mechanism for the homeostatic role of Bcl-2 in the redox biology and metabolism of cancer cells. Cell Death and Differentiation (2010) 17, 408-420; doi: 10.1038/cdd.2009.132; published online 16 October 2009
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