title: c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase-mediated activation of interleukin-1beta converting enzyme/CED-3-like protease during anticancer drug-induced apoptosis.
abstract: Upon treatment with various anticancer drugs, myeloid leukemia U937 cells undergo apoptosis. In this study, we found that either etoposide (VP-16) or camptothecin (CPT) activated c-Jun N-terminal kinase 1/stress-activated protein kinase (JNK1/SAPK), transient c-jun expression, and ICE (interleukin-1beta converting enzyme)/CED-3-like proteases in U937 cells. Phorbol ester-resistant U937 variant, UT16 cells, displayed a decreased susceptibility to apoptosis induced by these drugs. The drugs did not cause JNK1 activation, c-jun expression, nor activation of ICE/CED-3-like proteases in UT16 cells. As reported previously, benzyloxycarbonyl-Asp-CH2OC(O)-2,6-dichlorobenzene (Z-Asp), a preferential inhibitor of ICE/CED-3-like proteases, blocked the apoptosis of U937 cells. Interestingly, however, Z-Asp did not inhibit JNK1 activation in either VP-16- or CPT-treated U937 cells. The JNK1 antisense oligonucleotides diminished protein expression of JNK1 and inhibited drug-induced apoptosis of U937 cells, whereas sense control oligonucleotides did not. Consistent with this observation, the antisense oligonucleotide-treated cells did not respond to VP-16 or CPT with Z-Asp-sensitive proteases. These results indicate that JNK1 triggers the DNA damaging drug-induced apoptosis of U937 cells by activating Z-Asp-sensitive ICE/CED-3-like proteases.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Chemotherapy Center, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, 1-37-1 Kami-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 170.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Seimiya
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mashima
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Toho
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsuruo
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000494:pharmacology; D020170:Caspase 1; D020169:Caspases; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism*; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D005047:Etoposide / Q000494:pharmacology; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000494:pharmacology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D015801:Helminth Proteins; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D005047:Etoposide; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D020169:Caspases; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; C089223:ced-3 protein, C elegans; D020170:Caspase 1; D002166:Camptothecin