Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Programmed cell death and Bcl-2 protection in very low oxygen

Nature volume 374, pages 814–816 (1995)Cite this article

Abstract

PROGRAMMED cell death (PCD) is a fundamental feature of animal cells1, but the mechanism remains unknown. Similarly, the Bcl-2 oncoprotein can suppress PCD in a variety of cell types and circumstances2, but it is not known how it does so. It has been suggested that PCD involves the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and that Bcl-2 protects against PCD by inhibiting the generation or action of ROS3–6. To determine whether ROS are required for PCD, we cultured cells in a near-anaerobic atmosphere where the generation of ROS would be expected not to occur, or at least to be greatly reduced. We find that these conditions inhibit PCD induced by ROS-generating agents but do not inhibit PCD induced by other means. Furthermore, we show that Bcl-2 can protect cells from PCD in these anaerobic conditions. These results suggest that ROS are not required for PCD, and that Bcl-2 protects against PCD in ways that do not depend on the inhibition of ROS production or activity.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Dexter, T. M., Raff. M. C. & Wyllie, A. H. (eds) Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B345, 231–233 (1994).

  2. Reed, J. C. J. Cell Biol. 124, 1–6 (1994).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Hockenbery, D. M., Oltavai, Z. N., Yin, X.-M., Milliman, C. L. & Korsmeyer, S. J. Cell 75, 241–251 (1993).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Kane, D. J. et al. Science 262, 1274–1277 (1993).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Veis, D. J., Sorenson, C. M., Shutter, J. R. & Korsmeyer, S. J. Cell 75, 229–240 (1993).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Buttke, T. M. & Sandstrom, P. A. Immun. Today 15, 7–10 (1994).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. King, M. P. & Attardi, G. Science 246, 500–503 (1989).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Jacobson, M. D., Burne, J. F. & Raff, M. C. EMB0 J. 13, 1899–1910 (1994).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Jacobson, M. D. et al. Nature 361, 365–369 (1993).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Tamaoki, T. & Nakano, H. BioTechnology 8, 732–735 (1990).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Nagata, S. & Golstein, P. Science 267, 1449–1456 (1995).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Raff, M. C. Nature 356, 397–400 (1992).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Trauth, B. E. et al. Science 245, 301–305 (1989).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Marvel, J., Perkins, G. R., Lopez-Rivas, A. & Collins, M. K. L. Oncogene 9, 1117–1122 (1994).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Abrams, J. S. & Pearce, M. K. J. Immun. 140, 131–137 (1988).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Wyllie, A. H., Morris, R. G., Smith, A. L. & Dunlop, D. J. Path. 142, 67–77 (1984).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Cadenas, E. A. Rev. Biochem. 58, 79–110 (1989).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Halliwell, B. & Gutteridge, J. M. C. Meth. Enzym. 186, 1–85 (1990).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Ratan, R. R., Murphy, T. H. & Baraban, J. M. J. Neurosci. 14, 4385–4392 (1994).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Behl, C., Davis, J. B., Lesley, R. & Schubert, D. Cell 77, 817–827 (1994).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Franklin, J. L., Miller, T. M. & Johnson, E. M. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 20, 432 (1994).

    Google Scholar 

  22. Lennon, S., Martin, S. & Cotter, T. Cell Prolif. 24, 203–214 (1991).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Wolfe, J. T., Ross, D. & Cohen, G. M. FEBS Lett. 352, 58–62 (1994).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Abello, P. A., Fidler, S. A., Bulkley, G. B. & Buchman, T. G. Archs. Surg. 129, 134–140 (1994).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Sandstrom, P. A., Mannie, M. D. & Buttke, T. M. J. Leukoc. Biol. 55, 221–226 (1994).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Ratan, R. R., Murphy, T. H. & Baraban, J. M. J. Neurochem. 62, 376–379 (1994).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Schulze-Osthoff, K., Krammer, P. H. & Dröge, W. EMBO J. 13, 4587–4596 (1994).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Baudry, M. et al. Biochem. biophys. Res. Commun. 192, 964–968 (1993).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Nourooz-Zadeh, J., Tajaddini-Sarmadi, J. & Wolff, S. P. Analyt. Biochem. 220, 403–409 (1994).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. MRC Developmental Neurobiology Programme, MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology and the Biology Department, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK

    Michael D. Jacobson & Martin C. Raff

Authors
  1. Michael D. Jacobson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Martin C. Raff
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Jacobson, M., Raff, M. Programmed cell death and Bcl-2 protection in very low oxygen. Nature 374, 814–816 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1038/374814a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/374814a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing