title: BCL-2 expression and mitochondrial activity in leukemic cells with different sensitivity to glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis.
abstract: The present study investigates the relationship between mitochondrial activity and the expression of the BCL-2 gene in a panel of six human and murine leukemia/lymphoma cell lines. The cell lines all contained normal glucocorticoid receptors but differed widely in sensitivity to dexamethasone, ranging from very sensitive S49 lymphoma to completely resistant HL-60 acute leukemia cells. In this panel, 10- to 15-fold differences in basal adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content and adenosine diphosphate (ADP)/ATP ratio were correlated with up to fivefold differences in bcl-2 protein (in human cells) and approximately 25-fold difference in bcl-2 mRNA content (all cell lines). Moreover, ATP content and BCL-2 gene expression were inversely correlated with glucocorticoid sensitivity and cell cycle length. In resistant cell lines, sensitivity to dexamethasone was restored by the mitochondrial inhibitors rotenone and meta-iodobenzylguanidine. This sensitization was not accompanied by detectable reductions in bcl-2 mRNA or protein content, suggesting that the inhibitors were capable of overriding BCL-2-mediated inhibition of apoptosis. Increased mitochondrial activity and (overexpressed) BCL-2 appeared closely related properties of glucocorticoid-resistant cells, sharing common cellular targets in hormone-induced apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Experimental Therapy, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Smets
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van den Berg
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Acton
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Top
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Van Rooij
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Verwijs-Janssen
mesh_terms: D000244:Adenosine Diphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002460:Cell Line; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D007942:Leukemia, Experimental; D015473:Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute; D008223:Lymphoma; D051379:Mice; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism*; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D012402:Rotenone / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid; D012402:Rotenone; D000244:Adenosine Diphosphate; D003907:Dexamethasone; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases