The Bcl-2 family in autoimmune and degenerative disorders

Members of the Bcl-2 family are essential regulators of programmed cell death and thus play a major role in the development and function of many tissues. The balance between pro-survival and pro-apoptotic members of the family decides whether a cell will live or die. This mechanism allows organisms to get rid of cells that are no longer needed or have become dangerous. Deregulation of apoptosis is a major contributing factor in the development of many diseases. A deeper understanding of how the Bcl-2 family proteins orchestrate death in normal and pathologic conditions is thus relevant not only for disease etiology, but also to try to prevent these various disorders. Experiments with transgenic and gene-ablated mice have helped elucidate the function of the different members of the Bcl-2 family and their physiological roles. The present review highlights the role of Bcl-2 family members in autoimmune and degenerative disorders, with a particular focus on the mouse models that have been used to study their function.