Pollak et al. published in the Journal of Cell Science

November 29, 2021

Cell cycle progression and transmitotic apoptosis resistance promote escape from extrinsic apoptosis

Nadine Pollak, Aline Lindner, Dirke Imig, Karsten Kuritz, Jacques S Fritze, Lorena Decker, Isabel Heinrich, Jannis Stadager, Stephan Eisler, Daniela Stöhr, Frank Allgöwer, Peter Scheurich, Markus Rehm

Abstract

Extrinsic apoptosis relies on TNF-family receptor activation by immune cells or receptor-activating biologics. Here, we monitored cell cycle progression at minutes resolution to relate apoptosis kinetics and cell-to-cell heterogeneities in death decisions to cell cycle phases. Interestingly, we found that cells in S phase delay TRAIL receptor-induced death in favour for mitosis, thereby passing on an apoptosis-primed state to their offspring. This translates into two distinct fates, apoptosis execution post mitosis or cell survival from inefficient apoptosis. Transmitotic resistance is linked to Mcl-1 upregulation and increased accumulation at mitochondria from mid S phase onwards, which allows cells to pass through mitosis with activated caspase-8, and with cells escaping apoptosis after mitosis sustaining sublethal DNA damage. Antagonizing Mcl-1 suppresses cell cycle-dependent delays in apoptosis, prevents apoptosis-resistant progression through mitosis and averts unwanted survival from apoptosis induction. Cell cycle progression therefore modulates signal transduction during extrinsic apoptosis, with Mcl-1 governing decision making between death, proliferation and survival. Cell cycle progression thus is a crucial process from which cell-to-cell heterogeneities in fates and treatment outcomes emerge in isogenic cell populations during extrinsic apoptosis.

 

doi: 10.1038/s41418-021-00895-9

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