title: Differentiation of BCS-TC2 human colon adenocarcinoma cells by sodium butyrate: increase in 5'-nucleotidase activity.
abstract: We have analysed the major effects of sodium butyrate on the morphology, protein content and induction of epithelial differentiation markers in human colon adenocarcinoma BCS-TC2 cells. Sodium butyrate alters the cell morphology, inducing a larger cellular size, flattening and vacuolization. The protein content per cell increases, whereas the proliferation rate is reduced. Moreover, cell death by apoptosis is also observed. Butyrate-treated cells show higher levels of alkaline phosphatase activity and carcinoembryonic antigen, suggesting that this agent induces the in vitro differentiation of BCS-TC2 cells. These effects are reversible and time and dose dependent. In addition, we have observed that the ectoenzyme 5'-nucleotidase activity also increases during this treatment, suggesting that it could be considered as a new differentiation marker for this type of carcinoma cells. These results contribute to the understanding of the action of sodium butyrate as a potential cancer chemotherapeutic agent.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Químicas, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Navarro
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Olmo
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Turnay
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: López-Conejo
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lizarbe
mesh_terms: D015720:5'-Nucleotidase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002087:Butyrates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020148:Butyric Acid; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000187:drug effects; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology*; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000187:drug effects; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002087:Butyrates; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D020148:Butyric Acid; D015720:5'-Nucleotidase