title: Arsenic trioxide induces apoptosis in chronic myelogenous leukemia K562 cells: possible involvement of p38 MAP kinase.
abstract: Arsenic trioxide (As(2)O(3)) was recently demonstrated to be an effective inducer of apoptosis in patients with relapsed acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) as well as in patients with APL in whom all-trans-retinoic acid and conventional chemotherapy failed. Chronic myelogenous leukemia cells are highly resistant to chemotherapeutic drugs. To determine if As(2)O(3) might be useful for the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia, we examined the ability of As(2)O(3) to induce apoptosis in K562 cells. In vitro cytotoxicity of As(2)O(3) was evaluated in K562 cells by a MTT assay; the IC(50) value for As(2)O(3) was determined to be 10 microM. When analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis, the DNA fragments became evident after incubation of the cells with 20 microM As(2)O(3) for 24 h. We also found morphological changes and chromatin condensation of the cells undergoing apoptosis. Activation of caspase-3 was observed 6 h after treatment with 20 microM As(2)O(3) by a Western blot analysis. Next, we examined the MAP kinase-signaling pathway of As(2)O(3)-induced apoptosis in K562 cells. As(2)O(3) at 10 microM strongly induced the activation of p38 and JNK 1/2, while ERK 1/2 was inhibited. In addition, pretreatment of SB203580, a specific inhibitor of p38, inhibited As(2)O(3) induced apoptotic cell death. These results suggest that As(2)O(3) is able to induce the apoptotic activity in K562 cells, and its apoptotic mechanism may be associated with the activation of p38.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, College of Health Science, Yonsei University, Wonju 220-710, Korea. Kimtu@dragon.yonsei.ac.kr
authors.forename: Moon Jeong
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.forename: Hyun Jeong
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seung Ju
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: In Soo
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hyun Il
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: TaeUe
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D000077237:Arsenic Trioxide; D001152:Arsenicals / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D020014:K562 Cells; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D048055:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 8; D048056:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 9; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D010087:Oxides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
chemical_list: D001152:Arsenicals; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007093:Imidazoles; D010087:Oxides; D011725:Pyridines; D048056:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 9; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D048055:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 8; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases; C093642:SB 203580; D000077237:Arsenic Trioxide