Pro-apoptotic protein capable of selectively inducing apoptosis in cancer cells, sensitizing the cells to diverse apoptotic stimuli and causing regression of tumors in animal models. Induces apoptosis in certain cancer cells by activation of the Fas prodeath pathway and coparallel inhibition of NF-kappa-B transcriptional activity. Inhibits the transcriptional activation and augments the transcriptional repression mediated by WT1. Down-regulates the anti-apoptotic protein BCL2 via its interaction with WT1. Seems also to be a transcriptional repressor by itself. May be directly involved in regulating the amyloid precursor protein (APP) cleavage activity of BACE1.
Subcellular locations: Cytoplasm, Nucleus
Mainly cytoplasmic in absence of apoptosis signal and in normal cells. Nuclear in most cancer cell lines. Nuclear entry seems to be essential but not sufficient for apoptosis (By similarity). Nuclear localization includes nucleoplasm and PML nuclear bodies.
Widely expressed. Expression is elevated in various neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer, Parkinson and Huntington diseases and stroke. Down-regulated in several cancers.