title: Bovine seminal ribonuclease selectively kills human multidrug-resistant neuroblastoma cells via induction of apoptosis.
abstract: Bovine seminal ribonuclease (BS-RNase) is a homologue of RNase A with specific antitumor activity. The cytotoxic action of this agent was examined in human neuroblastoma (NB) cell lines (SK-N-SH and UKF-NB-4) possessing the multidrug resistance (MDR) phenotype and NB cell lines (IMR-32, UKF-NB-1, UKF-NB-2 and UKF-NB-3) without MDR. Although MDR cells expressed large amounts of mdr-1 mRNA, contained functional P-glycoprotein and had 20- to 105-fold lower sensitivities to doxorubicin and vincristine than cells with non-MDR phenotypes, BS-RNase was equally toxic to all NB cells at concentrations employed (0.2 to 100 microg/ml). BS-RNase showed high selectivity for NB cells and was non-toxic to normal fibroblasts and epithelial cells. Ultrastructural investigation and annexin V assay showed that BS-RNase is a powerful inductor of apoptosis. The antitumoral effects of BS-RNase were also demonstrated in vivo using established subcutaneous xenografts in athymic (nude) mice of the MDR-1-bearing UKF-NB-4 cell line. Intratumoral injections (12.5 mg/kg) of BS-RNase over four weeks resulted in complete tumor regression and absence of tumor regrowth over a two-week observation period after cessation of treatment. The results show that BS-RNase selectively kills NB cells by inducing apoptosis and that this agent is active against mdr-1 expressing cells both in vitro and in vivo. BS-RNase fulfills important criteria for a candidate antitumor agent in NB patients with advanced disease.
authors.affiliation: Center of Hygiene, Department of Medical Virology, Klinikum der Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universitat, 60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cinatl
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cinatl
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kotchetkov
authors.forename: J U
authors.initials: JU
authors.lastname: Vogel
authors.forename: B G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Woodcock
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Matousek
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pouckova
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kornhuber
mesh_terms: D020168:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002417:Cattle; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D018432:Drug Resistance, Multiple; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012260:Ribonucleases / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity*; D012661:Semen / Q000201:enzymology*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous
chemical_list: D020168:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D012260:Ribonucleases