Molecular Interactions between Neuroglobin and Cytochrome <i>c:</i> Possible Mechanisms of Antiapoptotic Defense in Neuronal Cells

Abstract

Neuroglobin, which is a heme protein from the globin family that is predominantly expressed in nervous tissue, can promote a neuronal survivor. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the neuroprotective function of Ngb remain poorly understood to this day. The interactions between neuroglobin and mitochondrial cytochrome c may serve as at least one of the mechanisms of neuroglobin-mediated neuroprotection. Interestingly, neuroglobin and cytochrome c possibly can interact with or without electron transfer both in the cytoplasm and within the mitochondria. This review provides a general picture of molecular interactions between neuroglobin and cytochrome c based on the recent experimental and computational work on neuroglobin and cytochrome c interactions.

Keywords

• neuroglobin
• neuroprotection
• cytochrome <i>c</i>
• heme proteins
• protein–protein interaction
• apoptosis