title: JTE-522-induced apoptosis in human gastric adenocarcinoma [correction of adenocarcinoma] cell line AGS cells by caspase activation accompanying cytochrome C release, membrane translocation of Bax and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the role of the mitochondrial pathway in JTE-522-induced apoptosis and to investigate the relationship between cytochrome C release, caspase activity and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (Deltapsim).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cell culture, cell counting, ELISA assay, TUNEL, flow cytometry, Western blot and fluorometric assay were employed to investigate the effect of JTE-522 on cell proliferation and apoptosis in AGS cells and related molecular mechanism.
  
  
  RESULTS
  JTE-522 inhibited the growth of AGS cells and induced the apoptosis. Caspases 8 and 9 were activated during apoptosis as judged by the appearance of cleavage products from procaspase and the caspase activities to cleave specific fluorogenic substrates. To elucidate whether the activation of caspases 8 and 9 was required for the apoptosis induction, we examined the effect of caspase-specific inhibitors on apoptosis. The results showed that caspase inhibitors significantly inhibited the apoptosis induced by JTE-522. In addition, the membrane translocation of Bax and cytosolic release of cytochrome C accompanying with the decrease of the uptake of Rhodamin 123, were detected at an early stage of apoptosis. Furthermore, Bax translocation, cytochrome C release, and caspase 9 activation were blocked by Z-VAD.fmk and Z-IETD-CHO.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present data indicate a crucial association between activation of caspases 8, 9, cytochrome C release, membrane translocation of Bax, loss of Deltapsim and JTE-522-induced apoptosis in AGS cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Jinan University Pharmacy College, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong Province, China. tsam@jnu.edu.cn
authors.forename: Hong-Liang
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Dan-Dan
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xiao-Hong
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hai-Wei
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jun-Hua
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lü
authors.forename: Xian-Da
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Cun-Chuan
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma; D000590:Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones / Q000494:pharmacology; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D001557:Benzenesulfonates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism*; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D003574:Cytochrome c Group / Q000378:metabolism*; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D006801:Humans; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D010080:Oxazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D000096926:Benzenesulfonamides
chemical_list: D000590:Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D001557:Benzenesulfonates; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D020169:Caspases; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors; D003574:Cytochrome c Group; D010080:Oxazoles; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; C110453:4-(4-cyclohexyl-2-methyloxazol-5-yl)-2-fluorobenzenesulfonamide; D000096926:Benzenesulfonamides; C494826:BAX protein, human; C096713:benzyloxycarbonylvalyl-alanyl-aspartyl fluoromethyl ketone