Background: A survival role for the transcription factor nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) in ventricular myocytes has been reported; however, the underlying mechanism is undefined. In this report we provide new mechanistic evidence that survival signals conferred by NF-kappaB impinge on the hypoxia-inducible death factor BNIP3.
Methods and results: Activation of the NF-kappaB signaling pathway by IKKbeta in ventricular myocytes suppressed mitochondrial permeability transition pore (PTP) opening and cell death provoked by BNIP3. Expression of IKKbeta or p65 NF-kappaB suppressed basal and hypoxia-inducible BNIP3 gene activity. Deletion analysis of the BNIP3 promoter revealed the NF-kappaB elements to be crucial for inhibiting basal and inducible BNIP3 gene activity. Cells derived from p65(-/-)-deficient mice or ventricular myocytes rendered defective for NF-kappaB signaling with a nonphosphorylative IkappaB exhibited increased basal BNIP3 gene expression, mitochondrial PTP, and cell death. Genetic or functional ablation of the BNIP3 gene in NF-kappaB-defective myocytes rescued them from mitochondrial defects and cell death.
Conclusions: The data provide new compelling evidence that NF-kappaB suppresses mitochondrial defects and cell death of ventricular myocytes through a mechanism that transcriptionally silences the death gene BNIP3. Collectively, our data provide new mechanistic insight into the mode by which NF-kappaB suppresses cell death and identify BNIP3 as a key transcriptional target for NF-kappaB-regulated expression in ventricular myocytes.