Non-canonical action of Bax at the nuclear envelop

Regulated cell death is an important biological process in health and disease. Abnormalities in this process can lead to developmental defects and cancer. While some mechanisms of regulated cell death have been extensively studied, others are only poorly understood. Our research has discovered a new function of a cell death regulatory protein called Bax, in which it causes structural alterations in membranous structure that surrounds the cell nucleus. These alterations lead to rupture of the nucleus, which is associated with cell death. By combining experiments in cultured cells and in mice, we will further elucidate the mechanism responsible for this novel form of cell death and its role in inflammation and cancer. This in turn can lead to the development of new therapeutic approaches to treat cancer.