MTCH2/MIMP is a major facilitator of tBID recruitment to mitochondria

Nat Cell Biol. 2010 Jun;12(6):553-562. doi: 10.1038/ncb2057. Epub 2010 May 2.

Abstract

The BH3-only BID protein (BH3-interacting domain death agonist) has a critical function in the death-receptor pathway in the liver by triggering mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP). Here we show that MTCH2/MIMP (mitochondrial carrier homologue 2/Met-induced mitochondrial protein), a novel truncated BID (tBID)-interacting protein, is a surface-exposed outer mitochondrial membrane protein that facilitates the recruitment of tBID to mitochondria. Knockout of MTCH2/MIMP in embryonic stem cells and in mouse embryonic fibroblasts hinders the recruitment of tBID to mitochondria, the activation of Bax/Bak, MOMP, and apoptosis. Moreover, conditional knockout of MTCH2/MIMP in the liver decreases the sensitivity of mice to Fas-induced hepatocellular apoptosis and prevents the recruitment of tBID to liver mitochondria both in vivo and in vitro. In contrast, MTCH2/MIMP deletion had no effect on apoptosis induced by other pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family members and no detectable effect on the outer membrane lipid composition. These loss-of-function models indicate that MTCH2/MIMP has a critical function in liver apoptosis by regulating the recruitment of tBID to mitochondria.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / physiology
  • BH3 Interacting Domain Death Agonist Protein / metabolism*
  • BH3 Interacting Domain Death Agonist Protein / physiology
  • Fibroblasts / metabolism
  • Membrane Transport Proteins / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mitochondria / metabolism*
  • Mitochondria, Liver / metabolism
  • Mitochondrial Membrane Transport Proteins
  • Mitochondrial Membranes / metabolism
  • Mitochondrial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Receptors, Death Domain / metabolism

Substances

  • BH3 Interacting Domain Death Agonist Protein
  • Membrane Transport Proteins
  • Mitochondrial Membrane Transport Proteins
  • Mitochondrial Proteins
  • Mtch2 protein, mouse
  • Receptors, Death Domain