JNK1 and ERK1/2 modulate lymphocyte homeostasis via BIM and DRP1 upon AICD induction

Cell Death Differ. 2020 Oct;27(10):2749-2767. doi: 10.1038/s41418-020-0540-1. Epub 2020 Apr 28.

Abstract

The Activation-Induced Cell Death (AICD) is a stimulation-dependent form of apoptosis used by the organism to shutdown T-cell response once the source of inflammation has been eliminated, while allowing the generation of immune memory. AICD is thought to progress through the activation of the extrinsic Fas/FasL pathway of cell death, leading to cytochrome-C release through caspase-8 and Bid activation. We recently described that, early upon AICD induction, mitochondria undergo structural alterations, which are required to promote cytochrome-C release and execute cell death. Here, we found that such alterations do not depend on the Fas/FasL pathway, which is instead only lately activated to amplify the cell death cascade. Instead, such alterations are primarily dependent on the MAPK proteins JNK1 and ERK1/2, which, in turn, regulate the activity of the pro-fission protein Drp1 and the pro-apoptotic factor Bim. The latter regulates cristae disassembly and cooperate with Drp1 to mediate the Mitochondrial Outer Membrane Permeabilization (MOMP), leading to cytochrome-C release. Interestingly, we found that Bim is also downregulated in T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (T-ALL) cells, this alteration favouring their escape from AICD-mediated control.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Death
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Dynamins / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lymphocyte Activation
  • MAP Kinase Signaling System
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mitochondria / metabolism*
  • Mitochondrial Membranes / metabolism
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / metabolism*
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma* / immunology
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma* / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocytes / cytology
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*

Substances

  • MAPK3 protein, human
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3
  • DNM1L protein, human
  • Dynamins