title: Promotion of heat-induced apoptosis in FM3A cells by protease inhibitors.
abstract: Although it has been shown that proteases may play a positive role in in causing apoptosis of some cells, we report here that, on the contrary, protease inhibitors can promote heat-induced apoptosis in FM3A cells. Cysteine protease inhibitor, trans-Epoxy-succinyl-L-leucylamido-(4-guanidino)butane (E-64, 100 micrograms/ml) and aspartate protease inhibitor, pepstatin-A (100 micrograms/ml) were used to test hyperthermic effect on FM3A cells and showed remarkable cytotoxicity when they were present in cell suspension during heating at 44 degrees C. The cytotoxicity was due to promotion of heat-induced apoptosis as judged by DNA agarose electrophoresis. Furthermore, using flow cytometric analysis, we observed a decrease in the G0/G1 phase cell and an increase in the S phase cell as well as increased apoptosis after heat shock. E-64 and pepstatin-A exhibited a promotive effect on the changes of cell cycle induced by heat. The data presented suggest that the enhancement of hyperthermic cell killing by protease inhibitors may be related to promotion of heat-induced apoptosis and changes of cell cycle.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan. weiguo@houki.med.kyushu-u.ae.jp
authors.forename: W G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aramaki
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Antoku
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced; D007930:Leucine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D008325:Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D051379:Mice; D010436:Pepstatins / Q000494:pharmacology; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors; D010436:Pepstatins; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; C014195:Streptomyces pepsin inhibitor; D007930:Leucine; C024974:E 64; C031375:pepstatin