TargetRx Atlas

MRNA basic information

  • mRNA ID:ENST00000345358
  • Gene Name:BAX
  • mRNA database:Ensembl
  • mRNA expression :down-regulated
  • mRNA Method:Semi-Quantitative RT-PCR
  • mRNA Pathway:NA
  • Evidence:predicted
  • (mRNA-drug)

Drug basic information

  • Drug ID:NA
  • Drug Name:NA
  • Drug Method:NA

Disease basic infommation

  • Disease:hepatoma
  • Tissue:The human hepatoma cell lines BEL7402, SMMC7721

Other information

  • Title:The hepatitis B virus protein MHBs(t) sensitizes hepatoma cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis through ERK2.
  • Journal:Apoptosis : an international journal on programmed cell death
  • Published:2007
  • PubMed ID:17701086
  • Abstract:The TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) has recently been implicated in the death of hepatocytes under infectious but not normal conditions. Infectious agents, such as hepatitis B virus (HBV), may play important roles in regulating the sensitivity of hepatocytes to TRAIL. Our previous studies showed that HBx, a protein encoded by the HBV genome, enhanced TRAIL-induced apoptosis through upregulating Bax. We report here that another HBV protein called MHBs(t) (C-terminally truncated middle hepatitis B surface protein) is also a potent regulator of TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Overexpressing MHBs(t) in hepatoma cells enhanced TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Mechanistic studies reveal that MHBs(t) had no effect on Bax or TRAIL receptor expression or procaspase-8 activation, but selectively enhanced the activation of ERK2 (extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2) and the degradation of procaspases-3 and 9. ERK2 activation is required for the MHBs(t) effect because ERK2 inhibition by its inhibitor PD98059 significantly reversed TRAIL-induced apoptosis of MHBs(t)-transfected cells. These results establish that unlike HBx, MHBs(t) enhances TRAIL-induced hepatocyte apoptosis through a novel mechanism that involves ERK2. Therefore, manipulating the ERK2 signaling pathway may provide new therapeutic opportunities to contain hepatic cell death during HBV infection.