Cardiolipin-enriched raft-like microdomains are essential activating platforms for apoptotic signals on mitochondria

FEBS Lett. 2009 Aug 6;583(15):2447-50. doi: 10.1016/j.febslet.2009.07.018. Epub 2009 Jul 18.

Abstract

Cardiolipin (CL) has recently been shown to provide an anchor and an essential activating platform for caspase-8 on mitochondria. We hypothesize that these platforms may correspond to "raft-like" microdomains, which have demonstrated to be detectable on mitochondrial membrane of cells undergoing apoptosis. The role for CL in "raft-like" microdomains could be to anchor caspase-8 at contact sites between inner and outer membranes, facilitating its self-activation, Bid cleavage and apoptosis execution. The role played by "raft-like" microdomains in the apoptotic program could introduce a new task in the pathogenetic studies on human diseases associated with cardiolipin dismetabolism.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Apoptosis / physiology*
  • Cardiolipins / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Membrane Microdomains / chemistry
  • Membrane Microdomains / metabolism*
  • Mitochondria / metabolism*
  • Mitochondria / ultrastructure
  • Mitochondrial Membranes* / chemistry
  • Mitochondrial Membranes* / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / physiology

Substances

  • Cardiolipins