Bid-Independent Mitochondrial Activation in Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha-Induced Apoptosis and Liver Injury

Abstract

ABSTRACT The death receptor apoptosis pathway is intimately connected with the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway. Bid is a BH3-only pro-death Bcl-2 family protein and is the major molecule linking the two pathways. Bid-mediated mitochondrial activation occurs early and is responsible for the prompt progress of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)-induced apoptosis. However, in both cultured cells and animal models of TNF-α-induced injury, later-phase Bid-independent mitochondrial activation could be demonstrated. Consequently, bid -deficient mice are still susceptible to endotoxin-induced liver injury and mortality. Notably, embryonic hepatocyte apoptosis and lethality caused by TNF-α in the absence of p65relA cannot be rescued by the simultaneous deletion of bid . Further studies indicate that multiple mechanisms including reactive oxygen species, JNK, and permeability transition are critically involved in Bid-independent mitochondrial activation. Inhibition of these events suppresses TNF-α-induced mitochondrial activation and apoptosis in bid -deficient cells. These findings thus indicate that there are at least two sets of mechanisms of mitochondrial activation upon TNF-α stimulation. While the Bid-mediated mechanism is rapid and potent, the Bid-independent mechanism progresses gradually and involves multiple players. The critical involvement of Bid-independent mitochondrial activation in TNF-α-induced apoptosis demands the intervention of TNF-α-mediated tissue injury via multiple avenues.