Activation of physiological cell death mechanisms by a necrosis-causing agent.

Cell death is an important physiological process, but it can be triggered by both physiological and nonphysiological stimuli. The product of the bcl-2 gene has the ability to inhibit a physiological cell death process that can be activated by a variety of physiological signals, such as growth factor deprivation. This report describes the use of electron microscopy to examine the effects of two cytotoxic drugs on factor-dependent cells that constitutively express the human bcl-2 gene. Although all cells treated with sodium azide showed changes typical of necrosis, in the absence of Bcl-2 the cells died more rapidly and also displayed features of apoptosis. The fact that Bcl-2 could delay cell death argues that cells can activate internal cell death mechanisms to commit suicide before they are killed by a cytotoxin. Northern analysis showed that growth factor did not preserve viability of the cells through induction of bcl-2. However, growth factor may prevent activation of the physiological cell death mechanisms that bcl-2 can control. This process may constitute a primitive defense response, and blocking it may provide a means of limiting damage caused by otherwise sublethal injuries.