Transcriptional upregulation of PUMA modulates endoplasmic reticulum calcium pool depletion-induced apoptosis via Bax activation

PUMA, a key mediator of p53-induced apoptosis, is a BH3-only domain proapoptotic protein that localizes to mitochondria and interacts with antiapoptotic Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL. Recent evidence implicates Bax to be an important mediator of PUMA-activated apoptotic signals. We have previously demonstrated that Bax deficiency significantly affects thapsigargin (TG)-mediated endoplasmic reticulum calcium pool depletion-induced apoptosis. We now present evidence that TG upregulates PUMA expression and that although Bax-deficient cells exhibit resistance to TG, Bax deficiency does not attenuate TG upregulation of PUMA expression. Furthermore, TG transcriptionally upregulates PUMA expression in a p53-independent manner and that PUMA-deficient cells are more resistant to undergo TG-induced apoptosis than the PUMA-proficient counterparts. Thus, our results demonstrate that TG engages PUMA and Bax for full transduction of apoptotic signals and both PUMA and Bax appear to exist in the same TG-activated apoptotic pathway in which PUMA may reside upstream of Bax.