A novel Bcl-x splice product, Bcl-xAK, triggers apoptosis in human melanoma cells without BH3 domain.

Pro- and antiapoptotic proteins of the large Bcl-2 family are critical regulators of apoptosis via the mitochondrial pathway. Whereas antiapoptotic proteins of the family share all four Bcl-2 homology domains (BH1-BH4), proapoptotic members may lack some of these domains, but all so far described proapoptotic Bcl-2 proteins enclose BH3. The bcl-x gene gives rise to several alternative splice products resulting in proteins with distinct functions as the antiapoptotic Bcl-xL and proapoptotic Bcl-xS. Here, we describe a novel Bcl-x splice product of 138 amino acids termed Bcl-xAK (Atypical Killer), which encloses the Bcl-2 homology domains BH2 and BH4 as well as the transmembrane domain, but lacks BH1 and BH3. Weak endogenous expression of Bcl-xAK was seen in melanoma and other tumor cells. Interestingly, its overexpression by applying a tetracycline-inducible expression system resulted in significant induction of apoptosis in melanoma cells, which occurred in synergism with drug-induced apoptosis. After exogenous overexpression, Bcl-xAK was localized both in mitochondrial and in cytosolic cell fractions. By these findings, a completely new class of Bcl-2-related proteins is introduced, which promotes apoptosis independently from the BH3 domain and implies additional, new mechanisms for apoptosis regulation in melanoma cells.