title: Mechanisms of photochemotherapy-induced apoptotic cell death in lymphoid cells.
abstract: Previous studies we performed showed that 8-methoxypsoralen in combination with ultraviolet A light (photochemotherapy) caused DNA damage and that this caused nucleotide depletion in peripheral blood leukocytes, secondary to an active form of programmed cell death, poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation. Further studies revealed that 24 h after exposure to 10 J/cm2 ultraviolet A light and 8-methoxypsoralen (300 ng/mL), apoptotic cells increased from 3 (control) to 31% (p less than 0.001). Ultraviolet A light alone also significantly increased the number of apoptotic cells. These morphological changes were confirmed by parallel findings on DNA electrophoresis. Treatment with 2 to 5 J/cm2 of ultraviolet A light and 8-methoxypsoralen caused an approximately 30% increase in cytosolic free calcium levels in peripheral blood leukocytes 1 h after exposure. Associated with this was a 51% increase in 45Ca2+ uptake over the first 60 min. Similar findings in a different lymphoid cell (CCRF-CEM) confirmed the results obtained with peripheral blood leukocytes. The use of calcium-free medium prevented a rise in cytosolic free calcium and decreased the number of cells undergoing apoptotic cell death. Cycloheximide inhibited ultraviolet A light - 8-methoxypsoralen induced apoptosis in CCRF-CEM cells; it also decreased calcium levels in control CCRF-CEM cells. This study shows that ultraviolet A light - 8-methoxypsoralen caused apoptotic cell death in lymphoid cells; this appeared to be associated with calcium influx, presumably because of the requirement of endogenous endonucleases for calcium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology and Medical Oncology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: D I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Marks
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Fox
mesh_terms: D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003513:Cycloheximide / Q000494:pharmacology; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000628:therapy*; D007962:Leukocytes; D008730:Methoxsalen / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D014467:Ultraviolet Therapy
chemical_list: D004247:DNA; D003513:Cycloheximide; D002118:Calcium; D008730:Methoxsalen