UCN-01 (7-hydoxystaurosporine) inhibits in vivo growth of human cancer cells through selective perturbation of G1 phase checkpoint machinery.
Mechanisms underlying tumor sensitivity to the antitumor agent UCN-01 (7-hydroxystaurosporine) were examined in the nude mouse model using three human tumor xenografts, two pancreatic cancers (PAN-3-JCK and CRL 1420) and a breast cancer (MX-1). UCN-01 antitumor activity was evaluated in terms of relative tumor weights in treated and untreated mice bearing the tumor xenografts. The activity of cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2), levels of p21 and p27 proteins, pRb status and cell cycle were evaluated. Induction of p21 and apoptosis were also assessed immunohistochemically in CRL 1420. UCN-01 was administered intraperitoneally at a dose of either 5 or 10 mg / kg daily for 5 days followed by a further 5 injections after an interval of 2 days. UCN-01 significantly suppressed the growth of both pancreatic cancers, but was ineffective against MX-1. p21 protein expression was markedly induced in the UCN-01-sensitive pancreatic carcinoma xenografts at both doses, but p21 induction was only evident in the UCN-01-resistant MX-1 at 10 mg / kg. MX-1 exhibited CDK2 activity that was 6-fold higher than that of pancreatic cancer strains, which may explain the resistance of MX-1 to UCN-01 despite the induction of p21 at the dose of 10 mg / kg. The UCN-01-sensitive tumors exhibited G1 arrest and increased levels of apoptosis, changes not observed in resistant MX-1. In conclusion, it appears that a determining factor of in vivo UCN-01 sensitivity involves the balance of CDK2 kinase activity and p21 protein induction, resulting in augmented pRb phosphorylation, G1 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.
Abe
S
S
Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Keio University, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
Kubota
T
T
Otani
Y
Y
Furukawa
T
T
Watanabe
M
M
Kumai
K
K
Akiyama
T
T
Akinaga
S
S
Kitajima
M
M
D000470:Alkaloids / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D042846:CDC2-CDC28 Kinases; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects*; D051357:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D016213:Cyclins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D016193:G1 Phase / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010766:Phosphorylation; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D019311:Staurosporine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous
D000470:Alkaloids; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C493956:CDKN1A protein, human; C493957:Cdkn1a protein, mouse; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D016213:Cyclins; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein; C054852:7-hydroxystaurosporine; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D042846:CDC2-CDC28 Kinases; C495894:CDK2 protein, human; C495893:Cdk2 protein, mouse; D051357:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases; D019311:Staurosporine