title: Mycobacterium phlei cell wall complex directly induces apoptosis in human bladder cancer cells.
abstract: Intact mycobacteria and mycobacterial cell wall extracts have been shown to inhibit the growth of human and murine bladder cancer. Their mechanism of action is, however, poorly understood. Mycobacterium phlei mycobacterial cell complex (MCC) is a cell wall preparation that has mycobacterial DNA in the form of short oligonucleotides complexed on the cell wall surface. In this study, we have investigated the possibility that MCC has anti-cancer activity that is mediated by two different mechanisms--a direct effect on cancer cell proliferation and viability and an indirect effect mediated by the production of interleukin 12 (IL-12), a cytokine known to possess anti-cancer activity. We have found that, although MCC is a potent inducer of IL-12 and IL-6 synthesis in monocytes and macrophages either in vitro or in vivo, it is unable to induce the synthesis of either IL-12, IL-6 or granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) by the human transitional bladder cancer cell lines HT-1197 and HT-1376. MCC is not directly cytotoxic towards these cancer cells, but induces apoptosis as determined by nuclear DNA fragmentation and by the release of nuclear mitotic apparatus protein. Mycobacterium phlei DNA associated with MCC is responsible for the induction of apoptosis. Our results indicate that MCC directly effects bladder cancer cells by inhibiting cellular proliferation through the induction of apoptosis, and has the potential for an indirect anti-cancer activity by stimulating cancer-infiltrating monocytes/macrophages to synthesize IL-12.
authors.affiliation: Faculté de Pharmacie, Univeristé de Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Filion
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lépicier
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morales
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Phillips
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001688:Biological Products / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000494:pharmacology; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000187:drug effects; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D007378:Interleukins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009168:Mycobacterium phlei / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D001688:Biological Products; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D007378:Interleukins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor