BCL2 protein – Apoptosis regulator Bcl-2(BCL2)

Description of BCL2 protein / Apoptosis regulator Bcl-2(BCL2)

General information on EGFR protein

BCL-2 protein stands for B-cell lymphoma 2 and is encoded by bcl2 gene in humans. It’s the founding member of BCL2 family of proteins which are essential in cell death regulation. BCL2 is located in the outer membrane of mitochondrial membrane. It controls the permeability of mitochondrial membrane and promotes cell survival. It’s believed that BCL2 protein inhibits cell apoptosis and autophagy by inhibiting the activity of BAX and BAK1 proteins. These proteins are also members of BCL2 family of proteins, however, unlike BCL2 protein, they promote cell apoptosis. BAX and BAK proteins act on mitochondrial membrane and promote permeabilization as well as the release of cytochrome C and ROS which are key signals for the apoptosis cascade. These pro-apoptotic proteins are inhibited, among others, by the function of BCL-2 protein.

BCL-2 protein can also regulate the caspase activity. These are a family of protease enzymes also involved in programmed cell death. By preventing the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria and binding to the apoptosis-activating factor (APAF-1) BCL2 protein inhibits caspase activity. Furthermore, BCL2 protein can attenuate inflammation by impairing NLRP1-inflasome activation which further regulates the activity of caspase1 (CASP1) protein and the release of IL1B protein. BCL-2 protein has also additional non-canonical roles such as the regulation of mitochondrial fusion and fission. In pancreatic beta-cells, BCL-2 protein, along with BCL-XI protein, is involved in the regulation of metabolic activity and insulin secretion. Inhibition of BCL-2/BCL-XI activity has been linked to increased metabolic activity. Given BCL2 role in cell survival, damage to the Bcl-2 gene has been linked to several form of cancers, such as melanoma and breast cancer.

BCL2 protein also interact with BID, BCL2-like 1, BCL2L11, BECN1, BNIP3, BMF, BNIP2, , BNIPL, BAD BAX, BIK, C-Raf, CAPN2, CASP8, Cdk1, HRK,IRS1, Myc, NR4A1, Noxa, PPP2CA, PSEN1, RAD9A, RRAS, RTN4, SMN1, SOD1, and TP53BP2 proteins.