title: BCL2 antisense transcripts decrease intracellular Bcl2 expression and sensitize LNCaP prostate cancer cells to apoptosis-inducing agents.
abstract: Prostate cancer (CaP) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer of aging men and the second leading cause of male cancer death in the United States. At present, no effective therapy is available for treating hormone independent CaP. Since Bcl2 is believed to play a role in protecting CaP cells from apoptosis, we investigated the effects of down-regulating Bcl2 expression on CaP cells. Genetically engineered LNCaP sublines were established by stably transfecting LNCaP cells with BCL2 antisense (BCL2-AS) transcript-expressing plasmids. Western blotting analysis showed that intracellular Bcl2 protein was decreased by 50-60% in BCL2-AS-transfected LNCaP cells. Expression of the antisense transcripts resulted in 50% growth inhibition of LNCaP cells in response to androgen withdrawal and markedly sensitized these cells to Adriamycin-induced apoptosis. These results suggest that down-regulation of Bcl2 protein using BCL2-AS transcripts could be exploited for improved treatment of advanced CaP.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Urology, University of California, Davis, School of Medicine, 4860 Y Street, Suite 3500, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA.
authors.forename: X B
authors.initials: XB
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Gumerlock
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Muenzer
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: deVere White
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects*; D019254:Genes, bcl-2; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D016372:RNA, Antisense / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D014162:Transfection; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D016372:RNA, Antisense