title: Regulation of apoptosis in mouse hepatocytes and alteration of apoptosis by nongenotoxic carcinogens.
abstract: Regulation of apoptosis is an important component of multistage hepatocarcinogenesis. The objectives of the present study were to characterize apoptosis regulation in primary mouse hepatocytes and to determine whether nongenotoxic carcinogens alter apoptosis regulation. Bleomycin-induced apoptosis was accompanied by decreases in bcl-2 and bcl-xl and increases in p53, bak, and bax protein levels. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta-induced apoptosis was accompanied by decreased bcl-xL and increased bak. Bleomycin-induced apoptosis was partially dependent on p53, whereas TGF-beta-induced apoptosis was independent of p53. Phenobarbital inhibited both TGF-beta and bleomycin-induced apoptosis and the normal regulation of p53, bcl-2, and bax. Nafenopin inhibited apoptosis through a mechanism dependent on PPAR-alpha and inhibited the normal regulation of bcl-2 and bak. 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin did not alter apoptosis or its regulation. Apoptosis was increased in hepatocytes from bcl-2-null mice, which indicated that the bcl-2 family contributes to hepatocyte apoptosis regulation. This study demonstrated that apoptosis regulation in mouse hepatocytes involves distinct pathways and that diverse nongenotoxic carcinogens differentially alter molecular pathways that represent targets for hepatocarcinogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Chemical Industry Institute of Toxicology, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709-2137, USA. christensen@CIIT.org
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Gonzales
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Cattley
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Goldsworthy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009255:Nafenopin / Q000494:pharmacology; D010634:Phenobarbital / Q000494:pharmacology; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000494:pharmacology; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002273:Carcinogens; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D014157:Transcription Factors; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D009255:Nafenopin; D001761:Bleomycin; D010634:Phenobarbital