Mutations to bid cleavage sites protect hepatocytes from apoptosis after ischemia/reperfusion injury.

BACKGROUND: Apoptosis of hepatocytes contributes to many forms of liver pathology and can compromise liver function. Hepatocytes have been shown to require mitochondrial disruption to execute apoptosis, a process that is controlled by members of the Bcl-2 family. Bid is a proapoptotic Bcl-2 family member that is cleaved to its active form, tBid, by caspase 8 and granzyme B. Studies in the Bid-deficient mouse have established that hepatocytes require Bid to undergo apoptosis.
METHODS: We generated aspartic acid to glutamic acid mutations in the rat Bid protein, at the caspase 8 and granzyme B cleavage sites, and utilized recombinant adenoviruses to express this protein in hepatoma cells and in the livers of rats.
RESULTS: Cells transduced with recombinant adenoviruses encoding Bid containing mutations to the caspase 8 and granzyme B cleavage sites are significantly protected from both tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced and cell-mediated apoptosis. Protection occurs through a mechanism that includes decreased Bid cleavage, caspase activation, and mitochondrial membrane damage. Further, after warm ischemia/reperfusion injury, we show that rats expressing cleavage-resistant Bid in the liver display significantly less hepatocyte apoptosis as compared to control rat livers and this results in improved liver function and survival.
CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that reagents that prevent the cleavage of Bid would be an effective strategy to inhibit hepatocyte apoptosis and decrease liver injury.