title: Cdc2 and Cdk2 kinase activated by transforming growth factor-beta1 trigger apoptosis through the phosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein in FaO hepatoma cells.
abstract: The signaling pathway leading to TGF-beta1-induced apoptosis was investigated using a TGF-beta1-sensitive hepatoma cell line, FaO. Cell cycle analysis demonstrated that the accumulation of apoptotic cells was preceded by a progressive decrease of the cell population in the G(1) phase concomitant with a slight increase of the cell population in the G(2)/M phase in response to TGF-beta1. TGF-beta1 induced a transient increase in the expression of Cdc2, cyclin A, cyclin B, and cyclin D1 at an early phase of apoptosis. During TGF-beta1-induced apoptosis, the transient increase in cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) activities coincides with a dramatic increase in the hyperphosphorylated forms of RB. Treatment with roscovitine or olomoucine, inhibitors of Cdc2 and Cdk2, blocked TGF-beta1-induced apoptosis by inhibiting RB phosphorylation. Overexpression of Bcl-2 or adenovirus E1B 19K suppressed TGF-beta1-induced apoptosis by blocking the induction of Cdc2 mRNA and the subsequent activation of Cdc2 kinase, whereas activation of Cdk2 was not affected, suggesting that Cdc2 plays a more critical role in TGF-beta1-induced apoptosis. In conclusion, we present the evidence that Cdc2 and Cdk2 kinase activity transiently induced by TGF-beta1 phosphorylates RB as a physiological target in FaO cells and that RB hyperphosphorylation may trigger abrupt cell cycle progression, leading to irreversible cell death.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Endocrinology, Institute for Medical Sciences, Ajou University School of Medicine, 5 Wonchon-Dong, Paldal-Gu, Suwon 442-749, Korea. kschoi@madang.ajou.ac.kr
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Y W
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Eom
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rhee
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D016203:CDC2 Protein Kinase / Q000378:metabolism*; D042846:CDC2-CDC28 Kinases; D002453:Cell Cycle; D016923:Cell Death; D051357:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D007701:Kinetin; D008114:Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D011687:Purines / Q000494:pharmacology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D000077546:Roscovitine; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D011687:Purines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D000077546:Roscovitine; C090046:olomoucine; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D016203:CDC2 Protein Kinase; D042846:CDC2-CDC28 Kinases; C495892:Cdk2 protein, rat; D051357:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases; D007701:Kinetin