title: Proteasome activity is critical for the cAMP-induced differentiation of neuroblastoma cells.
abstract: 1. The ubiquitin-proteasome pathway is involved in a variety of cellular functions in mammalian cells. The role of proteasome, however, in the course of cell differentiation is not well characterized. We hypothesized that proteasome activity might be essential during neuronal cell differentiation. 2. To investigate the role of proteasome during neuronal differentiation, we made use of a murine neuroblastoma cell line (NBP2) that terminally differentiates into mature neurons upon elevation of the intracellular level of adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP). To monitor proteasome activity in NBP2 cells, we integrated an expression cassette for a short-lived green fluorescent protein (d2EGFP) into these cells, which were designated as NBP2-PN25. When NBP2-PN25 cells were treated with a proteasome inhibitor, lactacystin or MG132, a dose-dependent increase in the constitutive levels of d2EGFP expression was detected. 3. We also found that proteasome inhibition by lactacystin during the cAMP-induced differentiation of NBP2-PN25 cells triggered cell death. Both lactacystin and cAMP induction reduced the expression of mRNA for the differentiation-associated genes, such as N-myc and cyclin B1. While cAMP-inducing agents decreased the level of N-myc and cyclin B1 proteins, lactacystin increased the level of these proteins. 4. Our data suggest that a reduced level of N-myc and cyclin B1 proteins is critical to commence differentiation, and this can be blocked by a proteasome inhibitor, leading to cell death. Concomitant induction of differentiation and proteasome inhibition, may, therefore, be potentially useful for the treatment of human neuroblastomas.
authors.affiliation: Center for Vitamins and Cancer Research, Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver 80262, USA. piruz.nahreini@uchsc.edu
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nahreini
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Andreatta
authors.forename: K N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Prasad
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000502:physiology*; D019926:Cyclin B / Q000235:genetics; D056744:Cyclin B1; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism*; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D016259:Genes, myc; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D006801:Humans; D007976:Leupeptins / Q000494:pharmacology; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes / Q000378:metabolism*; D009447:Neuroblastoma; D046988:Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex; D012190:Retroviridae / Q000235:genetics; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D014162:Transfection; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: C534699:CCNB1 protein, human; C534700:Ccnb1 protein, mouse; D019926:Cyclin B; D056744:Cyclin B1; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors; D007976:Leupeptins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes; C067713:lactacystin; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; D046988:Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex; C072553:benzyloxycarbonylleucyl-leucyl-leucine aldehyde; D000111:Acetylcysteine