唯BH3域蛋白与神经细胞凋亡

BH3-only proteins and neuronal cell apoptosis

细胞凋亡在神经细胞的生理性和病理性死亡中起着重要作用。唯BH3域蛋白是Bcl-2家族中的一类仅含有BH3同源结构域的促凋亡分子,它们通过抑制Bcl-2抗凋亡成员的活性或激活Bax/Bak样促凋亡成员的活性来调节细胞凋亡。最近研究表明,唯BH3域蛋白在凋亡的启动及凋亡通路的沟通中发挥着极其重要的作用。

Apoptosis is necessary in the development of the nervous system and plays a key role in cell death observed in neurological injury and diseases. Bcl-2 homology domain （BH）-only proteins, sharing only the BH3 domain, are pro-apoptotic proteins of the Bcl-2 family. BH3-only proteins function as essential initiators of cell apoptosis by inactivating the protective function of the anti-apoptotic members of the Bcl-2 family and activating the Bax/Bak-like pro-apoptotic family members. Recent evidence has indicated that the BH3-only proteins play crucial roles in the initiation of apoptosis and the cross-talk between the intrinsic mitochondrial apoptotic and extrinsic death-receptor-mediated apoptotic pathways.