Although oxidative stress causes activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and apoptosis
in many cell types, how the JNK pathway is connected to the apoptosis pathway is unclear.
The molecular mechanism of JNK-mediated apoptosis was investigated in adult rat cardiac
myocytes in culture as a model system that is sensitive to oxidative stress. Oxidative stress
caused JNK activation, cytochromec release, and apoptosis without new protein synthesis.
Oxidative stress-induced apoptosis was abrogated by dominant negative stress-activated …