Cited by 453Clusterin in disease pathologyCell death mechanisms and regulationBiomarkers in Disease Mechanisms

Clusterin inhibits apoptosis by interacting with activated Bax

Zhang, Honglai, Kim, Jin Koo, Edwards, Chris A., Xu, Zhaohui, Taichman, Russell, Wang, Cun-Yu·2005·Nature Cell Biology

Abstract

Clusterin is an enigmatic glycoprotein that is overexpressed in several human cancers such as prostate and breast cancers, and squamous cell carcinoma. Because the suppression of clusterin expression renders human cancer cells sensitive to chemotherapeutic drug-mediated apoptosis, it is currently an antisense target in clinical trials for prostate cancer. However, the molecular mechanisms by which clusterin inhibits apoptosis in human cancer cells are unknown. Here we report that intracellular clusterin inhibits apoptosis by interfering with Bax activation in mitochondria. Intriguingly, in contrast to other inhibitors of Bax, clusterin specifically interacts with conformation-altered Bax in response to chemotherapeutic drugs. This interaction impedes Bax oligomerization, which leads to the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria and caspase activation. Moreover, we also find that clusterin inhibits oncogenic c-Myc-mediated apoptosis by interacting with conformation-altered Bax. Clusterin promotes c-Myc-mediated transformation in vitro and tumour progression in vivo. Taken together, our results suggest that the elevated level of clusterin in human cancers may promote oncogenic transformation and tumour progression by interfering with Bax pro-apoptotic activities.

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Crossref · 10.1038/ncb1291

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  • CLU gene encodes clusterin or APOJ that besides its functions in lipid transport, membrane recycling, cell adhesion, and apoptosis affects transvascular Aβ clearance by promoting Aβ42 efflux across the BBB.

    “CLU gene encodes clusterin or APOJ that besides its functions in lipid transport, membrane recycling, cell adhesion, and apoptosis (90, 444, 600, 677) affects transvascular A 𝛃 clearance by promoting A 𝛃 42 efflux across the BBB (580).”

    From Blood-Brain Barrier: From Physiology to Disease and Back (2019) · cites this paper as [677]

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Authors
Zhang, H., Kim, J. K., Edwards, C. A., Xu, Z., Taichman, R., & Wang, C.-Y.
Affiliations
University of Michigan (US)
Corresponding author
Wang, Cun-Yu
Venue
Nature Cell Biology
Published
2005-08-21
Volume
7
Issue
9
Pages
909-915
ISSN
  • 1465-7392 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-4679
OpenAlex
W2093107372
Cited by
453
References
27
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 22 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 18 · 2015: 20 · 2014: 24 · 2013: 27 · 2012: 31
FWCI
10.73
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Nature Cell Biology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health
  • Army Research Office
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Clusterin in disease pathology
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Cell death mechanisms and regulation
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Biomarkers in Disease Mechanisms
Keywords
clusterin, apoptosis inhibition, Bax activation, Bax oligomerization, cytochrome c release, caspase activation, c-Myc, oncogenic transformation, tumor progression, chemosensitization, prostate cancer, breast cancer, squamous cell carcinoma, mitochondrial apoptosis
MeSH terms
Animals, Antineoplastic Agents, Cell Transformation, Neoplastic, Glycoproteins, Humans, Mitochondria, Neoplasms, Protein Conformation, Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc, Apoptosis, Molecular Chaperones, Drug Resistance, Neoplasm, Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2, Caspases, Cytochromes c, Cell Line, Tumor, bcl-2-Associated X Protein, Clusterin, Rats

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