title: Activation of caspase cascades in Korean mistletoe (Viscum album var. coloratum) lectin-II-induced apoptosis of human myeloleukemic U937 cells.
abstract: Mistletoe lectins are of high biological activity and exert cytotoxic effects. We have previously shown that Korean mistletoe, Viscum album var. coloratum, lectin-II specifically induces apoptotic cell death in cancer cells, not normal lymphocytes. The destructive mechanism by mistletoe lectins on tumor cells was mediated by activation of c-JUN N-terminal kinase (JNK)/stress-activated protein kinase. Herein, we investigated the involvement of caspase cascade and its proteolytic cleavage effects on biosubstrates of human myeloleukemic U937 cells by D-galactoside and N-acetyl-galactosamine-specific Korean mistletoe lectin-II. Mistletoe lectin-II induced ladder pattern DNA fragmentation and activation of caspase-3, -8, and -9 of U937 cells, but not caspase-1 protease, in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Consistent with catalytic activation of protease, both poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and protein kinase C-delta (PKC-delta) are also cleaved in mistletoe lectin-II-treated U937 cells. An inhibitor of caspase-3-like protease, DEVD-CHO peptide, significantly inhibited mistletoe lectin-II-induced apoptosis, PARP cleavage, and fragmentation of DNA. These results provide the evidence that Korean mistletoe lectin-II induces apoptotic death of U937 cells via activation of caspase cascades.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Wonkwang University, Iksan, 570-749, Chonbuk, South Korea.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: So
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Y K
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D037102:Lectins / Q000494:pharmacology; D014784:Mistletoe / Q000378:metabolism*; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D037121:Plant Lectins; D028321:Plant Preparations; D010940:Plant Proteins; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D054790:Ribosome Inactivating Proteins, Type 2; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014118:Toxins, Biological / Q000494:pharmacology; D020298:U937 Cells
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D037102:Lectins; D037121:Plant Lectins; D028321:Plant Preparations; D010940:Plant Proteins; D054790:Ribosome Inactivating Proteins, Type 2; D014118:Toxins, Biological; C009674:ribosome inactivating protein, Viscum; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases; D020169:Caspases