Bcl-2 protein inhibits oxysterol-induced apoptosis through suppressing CPP32-mediated pathway

Oxysterols are presumed to mediate cytotoxicity of oxidized LDL in atherosclerotic lesions. To elucidate its molecular mechanism, we established murine macrophage-like P388-D1 cells which over-express Bcl-2 protein by retrovirus-mediated gene transfer. Oxysterols (7-ketocholesterol, 25-hydroxycholesterol) induced nuclear condensation and oligonucleosomal DNA fragmentation, which were partially inhibited by Bcl-2 over-expression. Though CPP32 inhibitor suppressed the cell death in control cells, it showed no additive protection in the cells over-expressing Bcl-2. These findings indicate that oxysterols induce apoptosis via Bcl-2-inhibitable and -uninhibitable pathways, and the former depends on CPP32 activation.