the anti-apoptotic role of neuroglobinneuroglobin的抗凋亡作用.pdf

Cells 2012, 1, 1133-1155; doi:10.3390/cells1041133 OPEN ACCESS cells ISSN 2073-4409 /journal/cells Review The Anti-Apoptotic Role of Neuroglobin Thomas Brittain School of Biological Sciences, Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, 3a Symonds Street, Auckland,1142, New Zealand; E-Mail: T.Britain@auckland.ac.nz; Tel.: +64-9-373-7599; Fax: +64-9-373-7414 Received: 29 October 2012; in revised form: 15 November 2012 / Accepted: 21 November 2012 / Published: 23 November 2012 Abstract: The small heme-protein neuroglobin is expressed at high concentrations in certain brain neurons and in the rod cells of the retina. This paper reviews the many studies which have recently identified a protective role for neuroglobin, in a wide range of situations involving apoptotic cell death. The origins of this protective mechanism are discussed in terms of both experimental results and computational modeling of the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis, which shows that neuroglobin can intervene in this process by a reaction with released mitochondrial cytochrome c. An integrated model, based on the various molecular actions of both neuroglobin and cytochrome c, is developed, which accounts for the cellular distribution of neuroglobin. Keywords: apoptosis; neuroglobin; neurons 1. Introduction: Neuroglobin Discovery and Basic Characteristics The heme proteins hemoglobin and myogl