Extracellular BCL2 Proteins Are Danger-Associated Molecular Patterns That Reduce Tissue Damage in Murine Models of Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

Abstract

Treatment with cytokine-like doses of rhBCL2 or rhBCL2A1 protein or BH4-domain peptides reduces apoptosis and tissue injury following I/R by a TLR2-MyD88-dependent mechanism. These findings establish a novel extracellular cytoprotective activity of BCL2 BH4-domain proteins as potent cytoprotective DAMPs.