title: Mechanism of action of a tyrphostin, 3,4-dihydroxy-alpha-cyanothiocinnamamide, in breast cancer cell growth inhibition involves the suppression of cyclin B1 and the functional activity of cyclin B1/p34cdc2 complex.
abstract: Tyrphostins are a group of compounds specifically targeted for the inhibition of tyrosine phosphorylation in signal transduction pathways. We studied the effects of a tyrphostin, 3,4-dihydroxy-alpha-cyanothiocinnamamide (tyrphostin-47), on hormone-responsive MCF-7 and hormone-unresponsive MCF-7-5C cell growth by DNA analysis for a period of 10 days. The growth of both cell lines was inhibited by this drug at 50 and 100 microM concentrations. Flow cytometric analysis showed that tyrphostin treatment caused a significant delay in the progression of MCF-7 cells through G1 and S phases of the cell cycle. The level of cyclin B1, a component of the mitosis promoting factor (MPF), was reduced by 90% in the presence of 100 microM tyrphostin. The other component of MPF, p34cdc2 kinase, was not affected; however, its functional activity was dramatically reduced, as determined by histone H1 phosphorylation assay. In contrast, G1 cyclins (D1 and E) and tyrosine kinase activity were not markedly affected by tyrphostin-47, as determined by Western immunoblot detection with specific antibodies. Our results suggest that a possible mechanism of tyrphostin action in breast cancer cells might involve the suppression of cyclin B1 and inhibition of the functional activity of cyclin B1/p34cdc2 complex. Our data indicate that the cell cycle machinery might be a target for developing novel drugs for breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Community Medicine, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick 08903, USA.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Faaland
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Adhikarakunnathu
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D016203:CDC2 Protein Kinase / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D019926:Cyclin B; D056744:Cyclin B1; D016213:Cyclins / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D016193:G1 Phase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D009570:Nitriles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010636:Phenols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011233:Precipitin Tests; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D020032:Tyrphostins
chemical_list: C534699:CCNB1 protein, human; D019926:Cyclin B; D056744:Cyclin B1; D016213:Cyclins; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D009570:Nitriles; D010636:Phenols; D020032:Tyrphostins; C060152:tyrphostin 47; D016203:CDC2 Protein Kinase