The tumor necrosis factor (TNF) related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL or Apo2L) and its receptors are members of the tumor necrosis factor superfamily. TRAIL triggers apoptosis by binding to its two proapoptotic receptors DR4 and DR5, a process which is negatively regulated by binding of TRAIL to its two decoy receptors TRID and TRUNDD. Here, we show that TRAIL effectively induces apoptosis ...

Cigarette smoking is one of the main risk factors for premature human death associated to a variety of respiratory and vascular diseases, and cancer due to containing Hundreds of toxicants. Rat mitochondria were obtained by differential ultracentrifugation and incubated with different concentrations (1, 10 and 100%) of standardized cigarette smoke extract (CSE). Our results showed that cigarett...

Cytochrome c release from the cristae into the cytoplasm constitutes the key step of intrinsic apoptosis (Frank et al., 2001; Detmer and Chan, 2007). A majority of total cytochrome c is encapsulated within the mitochondrial cristae folds that are connected to the intermembrane space (IMS) by relatively narrow structures named cristae junctions. At the early phase of intrinsic apoptosis, apoptot...

The release of cytochrome c from the mitochondrial intermembrane space is a decisive event in programmed cell death. Once in the cytoplasm, cytochrome c is involved in the formation of the macromolecular complex termed apoptosome, which activates procaspase-9 which in turn activates downstream procaspase-3. There are increasing evidence indicating that cyclophilin A is highly expressed in many ...

Many pro-apoptotic signals trigger mitochondrial cytochrome c release, leading to caspase activation and ultimate cellular breakdown. Cell survival pathways, including the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade, promote cell viability by impeding mitochondrial cytochrome c release and by inhibiting subsequent caspase activation. Here, we describe a mechanism for the inhibition of cytoc...

We have previously shown that the small heat shock protein HSP27 inhibited apoptotic pathways triggered by a variety of stimuli in mammalian cells. The present study demonstrates that HSP27 overexpression decreases U937 human leukemic cell sensitivity to etoposide-induced cytotoxicity by preventing apoptosis. As observed for Bcl-2, HSP27 overexpression delays poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase cleavage...

Many pro-apoptotic signals trigger mitochondrial cytochrome c release, leading to caspase activation and ultimate cellular breakdown. Cell survival pathways, including the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade, promote cell viability by impeding mitochondrial cytochrome c release and by inhibiting subsequent caspase activation. Here, we describe a mechanism for the inhibition of cytoc...

Objective: Extracts of Anchomanes difformis (AD) are used in folkloric medicine to treat several diseases and infections. However, their roles in mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening are not known. Material and Methods: The viability of mitochondria isolated from Wistar rat liver used in this experiment, was assessed by monitoring their swel...

In the cell cytochrome, c performs different functions depending on environment in which it acts; therefore, has been classified as a multifunction protein. When anchored to outer side of inner mitochondrial membrane, native cytochrome acts Schweitzer-StennerSchweitzer-Stenner that transfers electrons from reductase oxidase respiratory chain. On other hand, interact with cardiolipin (one phosph...