Bcl-2 is located predominantly in the inner membrane and crista of mitochondria in rat liver

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1998 Aug 28;249(3):628-36. doi: 10.1006/bbrc.1998.9205.

Abstract

Bcl-2 is now recognized as a potent inhibitor of apoptotic cell death. It has been reported that Bcl-2 is located in the mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, and nuclear membrane in some cell lines, and it is not expressed in normal human and rat liver. An earlier study showed that Bcl-2 is an inner mitochondrial membrane protein. On the contrary, the following investigations using immunoelectron microscopy demonstrated that Bcl-2 resides predominantly in the mitochondrial outer membrane. In this study, using a cryo-sectioning immunogold labeling technique and immunoblotting, we carefully determined the subcellular localization of Bcl-2. Here we report that Bcl-2 is expressed in normal rat liver, and it is located predominantly in the inner membrane and crista rather than in the outer membrane of mitochondria.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Fractionation
  • HL-60 Cells
  • Humans
  • Intracellular Membranes / metabolism
  • Intracellular Membranes / ultrastructure
  • Male
  • Microscopy, Immunoelectron
  • Mitochondria, Liver / metabolism*
  • Mitochondria, Liver / ultrastructure*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / metabolism*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Submitochondrial Particles / metabolism
  • Submitochondrial Particles / ultrastructure

Substances

  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2