Transient protection by peripheral benzodiazepine receptors during the early events of ultraviolet light-induced apoptosis. |
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Authors: | P E Stoebner P Carayon P Casellas M Portier T Lavabre-Bertrand P Cuq J P Cano J Meynadier L Meunier |
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Institution: | Department of Dermatology-Allergology-Photobiology, H?pital St-Eloi, CHU Montpellier, France. |
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Abstract: | The peripheral benzodiazepine receptor (PBR) is a mitochondrial protein involved in the formation of mitochondrial permeability transition (PT) pores which play a critical role during the early events of apoptosis. PBRs are located in many tissues and are strongly expressed in the superficial layers of human epidermis. PBRs play a protective role against free radical damage and PBR ligands modulate apoptosis. To investigate the role of PBR during the early events of ultraviolet (UV)-mediated apoptosis we compared the effects of UVB on PBR-transfected Jurkat cells and their wild type counterparts devoid of any PBR expression. Results indicate that early after UVB exposure (up to 4 h), PBR-transfected cells were more resistant to apoptosis and exhibited a delayed mitochondrial transmembrane potential drop, a diminished superoxide anions production, and a reduced caspase-3 activation. Taken together these findings suggest that PBR may regulate early death signals leading to UV induced apoptosis. |
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