Do mitochondria act as "cargo boats" in the journey of GD3 to the nucleus during apoptosis?

FEBS Lett. 2007 Aug 21;581(21):3899-903. doi: 10.1016/j.febslet.2007.07.020. Epub 2007 Jul 20.

Abstract

Plasma membrane lipid rafts have been considered as a sort of "chamber", where several subcellular activities, including CD95/Fas-mediated pro-apoptotic signaling, can take place. Recently, we demonstrated that, after CD95/Fas triggering, raft-like microdomains could be detected in mitochondrial membranes. The mitochondrion appears as a dynamic and subcompartmentalized organelle in which microdomains might act as controllers of apoptosis-associated fission that results in the release of apoptogenic factors. Here, we hypothesize that some "small" mitochondria, possibly derived from their fission process, can reach the nuclear envelope and strictly interact with this. Mitochondria could act as a signaling "device" contributing to molecular trafficking of molecules, including raft-like components, during apoptosis.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Active Transport, Cell Nucleus / physiology
  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / physiology*
  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism*
  • Fas Ligand Protein / metabolism
  • Gangliosides / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Membrane Microdomains / metabolism*
  • Mitochondria / metabolism*
  • Mitochondrial Membranes / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction / physiology
  • fas Receptor / metabolism

Substances

  • Fas Ligand Protein
  • Gangliosides
  • fas Receptor
  • ganglioside, GD3