title: Morphological change, loss of deltapsi(m) and activation of caspases upon apoptosis of colorectal adenocarcinoma induced by 5-FU.
abstract: Apoptosis is clearly distinguished from necrosis, morphologically and chemically. Morphologically, apoptosis is characterized by a condensed nucleus and the disappearance of microvilli without disruption of the cytoplasm. In this report, we demonstrate that 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-induced early apoptotic cells are characterized by (i) ultracondensed mitochondria, (ii) no change in the microvilli or nucleus, (iii) a high mitochondrial transmembrane potential (Deltapsi(m)), and (iv) being annexin V(negative). The early apoptotic cells also show the active forms of caspase 8 and caspase 9. They rapidly lose Deltapsi(m) after further incubation. Therefore, we conclude that the ultracondensation of mitochondria precedes the loss of Deltapsi(m) and the exposure of phosphatidylserine to the outer leaflet of the cell membrane.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Pathology, Kansai Medical University, Moriguchi, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ikebukuro
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Adachi
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Toki
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taketani
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tokunaga
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hioki
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ikehara
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D020169:Caspases; D005472:Fluorouracil