title: Retinoid-induced apoptosis in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia cells is mediated through caspase-3 activation and is independent of p53, the retinoic acid receptor, and differentiation.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) on apoptosis induction, Bcl-2 family protein expression, and differentiation in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B-CLL) cells. ATRA induced apoptosis in all the B-CLL samples tested, and this was accompanied by a specific reduction in Bcl-2 and Mcl-1 protein expression in the apoptotic cells. In contrast, Bax, p21, and p53 expression was not altered in either the viable or apoptotic B-CLL cells, inferring that ATRA utilises a p53-independent cell death pathway. Caspase-3 activation was shown to be a prerequisite for ATRA-induced apoptosis, which was inhibited by the pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK and the caspase-9 inhibitor Z-LEHD-FMK. In addition, the retinoic acid receptor (RAR) antagonist AGN194310 failed to abrogate the apoptotic effects of ATRA, indicating that RAR binding was not necessary for ATRA-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, there was no evidence of ATRA-induced differentiation of the B-CLL cells in this study either in terms of altered morphology or immunophenotype. In summary these data indicate that ATRA induces apoptosis via the intrinsic apoptotic pathway, and this is independent of RAR binding, p53 activation, and cellular differentiation in B-CLL cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Llandough Hospital, Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan CF64 2XX, Wales, UK. chrisp@llanhaem.demon.co.uk
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pepper
authors.forename: Khalida
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: Alun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Terry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hoy
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fegan
authors.forename: Pratima
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chowdary
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kell
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bentley
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D014212:Tretinoin; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases