BNIP3 acts as transcriptional repressor of death receptor-5 expression and prevents TRAIL-induced cell death in gliomas

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and malignant brain tumor, and current treatment modalities such as surgical resection, adjuvant radiotherapy and temozolomide (TMZ) chemotherapy are ineffective. Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a novel cancer therapeutic agent for GBM because of its capability of inducing apoptosis in glioma cells. Unfortunately, the majority of glioma cells are resistant to TRAIL-induced apoptosis. The Bcl-2 nineteen kilodalton interacting protein (BNIP3) is a pro-cell death BH3-only member of the Bcl-2 family that is one of the highest expressed genes in hypoxic regions of GBM tumors. We previously found that BNIP3 is localized to the nucleus in GBM tumors and suppresses cell death in glioma cells. Herein, we have discovered when BNIP3 nuclear expression is knockdown in glioma cell lines and in normal mouse astrocytes, TRAIL and its death receptor, death receptor-5 (DR5) expression is increased. In addition, when nuclear BNIP3 expression is increased, the amount of TRAIL-induced apoptosis is reduced. Using a streptavidin pull-down assay, we found that BNIP3 binds to the DR5 promoter and nuclear BNIP3 binds to the DR5 promoter. Furthermore, nuclear BNIP3 expression in GBM tumors correlates with decreased DR5 expression. Taken together, we have discovered a novel transcriptional repression function for BNIP3 conferring a TRAIL resistance in glioma cells.