The role of VDAC2 in Bak-, Bax-mediated apoptosis: prospects for use in therapy (a review of literature)

Apoptosis is of great importance for tissue homeostasis and normal embryo- and ontogenesis. Currently great attention is paid to the study of mitochondrial apoptosis that can be realized through the interaction of proteins Bax and Bak, the key regulators of internal apoptosis pathway, and the channel in the outer mitochondrial membrane – VDAC2. Besides the need to study in detail the mechanisms of the internal apoptosis pathway for inducing cellular death in the malignant neoplasms' treatment, the prospects for developing methods to inhibit cell death are emphasized. In this article we analyzed the data on Bak and Bax interaction with VDAC2, present the current understanding of the mechanisms of Bak and Bax recruitment to the outer mitochondrial membrane, consider the disorders of these interactions in some pathological conditions, as well as the prospects for their therapeutic application in cancer and neurological diseases.