title: Induction of apoptosis in colon cancer cells by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
abstract: Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) decrease the incidence of colon cancer. In addition, NSAIDs reduce the number and size of polyps in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis. The mechanisms of the anti-neoplastic effect of NSAIDs are still far from complete understanding, but one possible mechanism is the induction of apoptosis. Several lines of evidence suggest that NSAIDs-induced apoptosis in colon cancer cells are mediated through the cyclooxygenase (COX)-independent pathway. In this study we explored the mechanism of NSAIDs-induced apoptosis in the colon cancer cell line, HT-29. We confirmed that NSAIDs induce apoptosis in HT-29 cells irrespective of their COX-selectivity. Indomethacin enhanced the expression of p21waf-1 in HT-29 cells. However the expression of apoptosis-related genes such as Fas, bcl-2 and bax was not affected by indomethacin. Intra- and extra-cellular calcium chelators, protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) inhibitor, protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor and protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors did not influence indomethacin-induced apoptosis in HT-29 cells. We concluded that NSAIDs-induced apoptosis in colon cancer cells may be independent from signals transducted through [Ca++]i, PTK, PKA, PKC or the expression of apoptosis-related genes. In contrast, our results demonstrating the induction of p21waf-1 transcription by NSAIDs suggest the possible association of NSAIDs-induced apoptosis and cell-cycle control in colon cancer cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Pundang Cha Hospital, Pochon Cha Medical University, Sungnam, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D016213:Cyclins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D019073:HT29 Cells; D006801:Humans; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000502:physiology; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000032:analysis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; C493956:CDKN1A protein, human; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D016213:Cyclins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D011494:Protein Kinases; D002118:Calcium