Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL in Diabetes: Contributions to Endocrine Pancreas Viability and Function

Abstract

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder whose prevalence increases every year, affecting more than 530 million adults worldwide. Type 1 (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D), the most common forms of diabetes, are characterized by the loss of functional pancreatic β-cells, mostly due to apoptosis. B-cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and B-cell lymphoma-extra large (Bcl-xL), two anti-apoptotic proteins belonging to the Bcl-2 family, are crucial for regulating the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis. However, over the years, they have been implicated in many other cellular processes, including intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis and the regulation of mitochondrial metabolism. Thus, understanding the biological processes in which these proteins are involved may be crucial to designing new therapeutic targets. This review summarizes the roles of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL in apoptosis and metabolic homeostasis. It focuses on how the dysregulation of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL affects pancreatic β-cell function and survival, and the consequences for diabetes development.