title: Cyclic GMP mediates apoptosis induced by sulindac derivatives via activation of c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase 1.
abstract: Sulindac sulfone (Exisulind) induces apoptosis and exhibits cancer chemopreventive activity, but in contrast to sulindac, it does not inhibit cyclooxygenases 1 or 2. We found that sulindac sulfone and two potent derivatives, CP248 and CP461, inhibited the cyclic GMP (cGMP) phosphodiesterases (PDE) 2 and 5 in human colon cells, and these compounds caused rapid and sustained activation of the c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase 1 (JNK1). Rapid activation of stress-activated protein/ERK kinase 1 (SEK1) and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase (MEKK1), which are upstream of JNK1, was also observed. Other compounds that increase cellular levels of cGMP also activated JNK1, and an inhibitor of protein kinase G (PKG), Rp-8-pCPT-cGMPS, inhibited JNK1 activation by the sulindac sulfone derivatives. Expression of a dominant-negative JNK1 protein inhibited CP248-induced cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, a marker of apoptosis. Thus, it appears that sulindac sulfone and related compounds induce apoptosis, at least in part, through activation of PKG, which then activates the MEKK1-SEK1-JNK1 cascade. These studies also indicate a role for cGMP and PKG in the JNK pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032, USA.
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Soh
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pamukcu
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Piazza
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: I B
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Weinstein
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D005799:Genes, Dominant; D006801:Humans; D048670:MAP Kinase Kinase 4; D048728:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinase 1; D048055:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 8; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013467:Sulindac / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D013467:Sulindac; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D048055:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 8; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048728:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinase 1; C482576:MAP3K1 protein, human; D048670:MAP Kinase Kinase 4; C482559:MAP2K4 protein, human; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; D006152:Cyclic GMP; C025463:sulindac sulfone