Association of 14-3-37 and phosphorylated bad attenuates injury in ischemic astrocytes

Our recent findings indicate an induced upregulation of 14-3-3 gamma mRNA and protein in ischemic cortical astrocytes. Despite being brain-specific, the functional role of 14-3-3 gamma in the brain still remains largely unknown. In this study, we show that among all the 14-3-3 isoforms, only the gamma isoform is inducible under ischemia in astrocytes. Furthermore, this upregulation of 14-3-3 gamma may play a specific protective role in astrocytes under ischemia. Overexpression experiments and antisense treatment show that an elevation of 14-3-3 gamma protein in astrocytes promotes survival, while a decrease in 14-3-3 gamma enhances apoptosis in astrocytes under ischemia. Under ischemia, endogenous 14-3-3 gamma binds p-Bad, thus preventing Bad from entering mitochondria to initiate apoptosis. Therefore, 14-3-3 gamma is selectively induced during ischemia to protect astrocytes from apoptosis through p-Bad-related signaling.