Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 25, 2026

Examining BCL-2 Family Function with Large Unilamellar Vesicles
Published on: October 5, 2012
NP1 regulates neuronal activity-dependent accumulation of BAX in mitochondria and mitochondrial dynamics
Kevin B Clayton1, Petar Podlesniy, Joana Figueiro-Silva
1Neurobiology Unit, Biomedical Research Institute of Barcelona, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Institute of Biomedical Research August Pi i Sunyer, 08036 Barcelona, Spain.
Abstract:
In cultured cerebellar granule neurons, low neuronal activity triggers the intrinsic program of apoptosis, which requires protein synthesis-dependent BAX translocation to mitochondria, a process that may underlie neuronal damage in neurodegeneration. However, the mechanisms that link neuronal activity with the induction of the mitochondrial program of apoptosis remain unclear. Neuronal pentraxin 1 (NP1) is a pro-apoptotic protein induced by low neuronal activity that is increased in damaged neurites in Alzheimer's disease-affected brains. Here we report that NP1 facilitates the accumulation of BAX in mitochondria and regulates mitochondrial dynamics during apoptosis in rat and mouse cerebellar granule neurons in culture. Reduction of neuronal activity increases NP1 protein levels in mitochondria and contributes to mitochondrial fragmentation in a Bax-dependent manner. In addition, NP1 is involved in mitochondrial transport in healthy neurons. These results show that NP1 is targeted to mitochondria acting upstream of BAX and uncover a novel function for NP1 in the regulation of mitochondrial dynamics and trafficking during apoptotic neurodegeneration.
Related Concept Videos
The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway
NF-κB-dependent Signaling Pathway
NF-κB-dependent Signaling Mechanism
The heterodimer of NF-κB...
Cellular Injury V: Apoptosis and Autophagy
Regulation of Nuclear Protein Sorting
Translocation of Proteins into the Mitochondria
Sorting of outer membrane proteins:
Mitochondrial outer membrane proteins are of two types: the transmembrane, beta-barrel porins, and the membrane-anchored, alpha-helical proteins. Beta-barrel porin precursors are translocated by the TOM complex and inserted into the outer mitochondrial membrane by the SAM complex. In contrast,...
Necrosis
Morphological Manifestations of Necrosis
Necrotic cells show different types of morphological appearance depending on the type of tissue and infection. In coagulative necrosis, cells become anucleated and die, but their...
