Variations in the rheostat model of apoptosis: What studies of retinal ganglion cell death tell us about the functions of the Bcl2 family proteins

作者：Nickells Robert W^*

来源：Experimental Eye Research, 2011, 93(2): 2-8.

• retinal ganglion cells
• BAX
• Bcl2 gene family
• rheostat model
• apoptosis

Studies of the functions of members of the Bcl2 gene family suggested that apoptosis was controlled by a rheostat in which anti-apoptotic proteins like BCL2 bound and sequestered pro-apoptotic proteins like BAX. Our current understanding of these proteins suggests that this is a simplistic model. The new rheostat model predicts that BH3-only peptides act as neutralizing ligands for the anti-apoptotic proteins, thus allowing molecules like BAX to become activated and initiate mitochondrial dysfunction - a critical step in the intrinsic apoptotic program. Studies of retinal ganglion cell apoptosis indicate that a threshold of BAX expression is required for its successful activation, which is independent of the overall concentration of anti-apoptotic proteins in these cells.

• 出版日期2011-8