【背景资料】:Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, the well-characterized apoptosis guards, have also been shown to be important factors in autophagy, inhibiting Beclin-1 mediated autophagy by binding to Beclin-1. In addition, Beclin-1, Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL can cooperate with Atg5 or Ca2+ to regulate both autophagy and apoptosis. Thus, Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL represent a molecular link between autophagy and apoptosis.