Purpose: Bax and Bak are regarded as key mediators for cytochrome c (Cyt c) release and apoptosis. Loss of Bax or Bak is often reported in human cancers and renders resistance of these cancerous cells to chemotherapy. Here, we investigated that phenylarsine oxide (PAO) could induce Bax/Bak-independent apoptosis. Experimental Design: Annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) staining, terminal deoxynucleo...

Chemoresistance in cancer has previously been attributed to gene mutations or deficiency. Caspase mutations or Bax deficiency can lead to resistance to cancer drugs. We recently demonstrated that Bak initiates a caspase/Bax-independent cell death pathway. We show that Plumbagin (PL) (5-hydroxy-2-methyl-1,4-napthoquinone), a medicinal plant-derived naphthoquinone that is known to have anti-tumor...

In mitochondrial apoptosis, Bak is activated by death signals to form pores of unknown structure on the mitochondrial outer membrane via homooligomerization. Cytochrome c and other apoptotic factors are released from the intermembrane space through these pores, initiating downstream apoptosis events. Using chemical crosslinking and double electron electron resonance (DEER)-derived distance meas...

AIMS AND BACKGROUND BAX and BAK are both pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins and are essential for the pathway of intrinsic apoptosis. Apoptosis in cancer cells is frequently inactivated by somatic mutations. The aim of the study was to see whether somatic mutations of BAX and BAK genes are characteristics of common human cancers. METHODS We analyzed somatic mutation of BAX and BAK genes in 47 gastr...

The efficacy of DNA vaccines may be improved by small interfering (si)RNA adjuvants targeting pro-apoptotic genes. The aim of the present study was to investigate the capacity of siRNAs targeting B-cell lymphoma 2 homologous antagonist killer (BAK) and B-cell lymphoma 2-associated X protein (BAX) to improve the efficacy of a cytomegalovirus (CMV) vaccine. BALB/c mice were divided into four grou...

ZM447439 (ZM) is a potent and selective inhibitor of aurora-A and -B kinase with putative anti-tumoral activity. Inhibitors of aurora kinases were shown to induce apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. To investigate the underlying mechanisms, cell death pathways triggered by ZM was analysed in HCT-116 colorectal cancer cells. Through correlation of polyploidization and apoptosis in different knockout...

Bax and Bak, two pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins, have been implicated in acute kidney injury following renal ischemia/reperfusion; however, definitive evidence for a role of these genes in the disease process is lacking. Here we first examined two Bax-deficient mouse models and found that only conditional Bax deletion specifically from proximal tubules could ameliorate ischemic acute kidne...