N-ethylmaleimide-enhanced phosphatidylserine externalization of human pancreatic cancer cells and immediate phosphatidylserine-mediated phagocytosis by macrophages.
The purpose of this study was to examine whether N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) can enhance phosphatidylserine (PS) externalization on the outer surface of cancer cells, and PS-externalized cancer cells can be phagocytosed immediately by macrophages. NEM could externalize PS of cancer cells in concentration- and time-dependent manners. When treated with 5 mM NEM for 1 h, 80% of the carcinoma cells externalized their PS. In phagocytosis assay, these cells were engulfed immediately by macrophages before undergoing apoptosis. These results suggest that NEM can immediately externalize PS of cancer cells, leading to their recognition and phagocytosis by macrophages before undergoing apoptosis morphologically.
Elnemr
A
A
Department of Surgery II, Faculty of pharmaceutical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-0934, Japan.
Ohta
T
T
Yachie
A
A
Fushida
S
S
Ninomiya
I
I
Nishimura
G I
GI
Yamamoto
M
M
Ohkuma
S
S
Miwa
K
K
D000818:Animals; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005033:Ethylmaleimide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010718:Phosphatidylserines / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D010718:Phosphatidylserines; D005033:Ethylmaleimide