title: Normal breast epithelial cells induce apoptosis of breast cancer cells via Fas signaling.
abstract: Fas/Fas ligand (Fas L) death pathway is an important mediator of apoptosis. Deregulation of Fas pathway is reported to be involved in the immune escape of breast cancer and the resistance to anti-cancer drugs. In this study, we demonstrated that conditioned medium by normal breast epithelial cells (NBEC-CM) induced apoptosis of MCF-7 and T-47D Fas-sensitive cells but had no effect on MDA-MB-231 Fas-resistant cells. Inhibition of PI3 kinase or NF-kappaB by specific inhibitors or transient transfections restored the sensitivity of MDA-MB-231 cells to NBEC-induced apoptosis. Moreover, the constitutive activation of NF-kappaB was controlled by PI3 kinase because inhibition of PI3 kinase reduced NF-kappaB activity. Inducible activation of NF-kappaB rendered MCF-7 cells resistant to NBEC-CM- and Fas agonist antibody-triggered apoptosis. Therefore, constitutive or inducible activation of PI3 kinase and/or NF-kappaB in breast cancer cells rendered them resistant to NBEC-triggered apoptosis. In addition, Fas neutralizing antibody and dominant negative Fas abolished NBEC-triggered apoptosis. Western blot and confocal microscopy analysis showed an increase of membrane Fas/Fas L when cells were induced into apoptotis by NBEC-CM. Taken together, these data show that NBEC induced apoptosis in breast cancer cells via Fas signaling.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement (UPRES, EA 1033), Equipe Facteurs de Croissance, Université des Sciences et Technologies de Lille, Villeneuve d'Ascq, 59655, France.
authors.forename: Robert-Alain
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Toillon
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Descamps
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Adriaenssens
authors.forename: Jean-Marc
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ricort
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bernard
authors.forename: Bénoni
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Boilly
authors.forename: Xuefen
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Le Bourhis
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D001940:Breast / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D000081082:Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D016328:NF-kappa B; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D000081082:Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors; C505661:FASLG protein, human