Translation inhibitors sensitize prostate cancer cells to apoptosis induced by tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) by activating c-Jun N-terminal kinase.
Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) induces apoptosis in several human tumors both in vitro and in vivo, however, some tumors remain resistant for poorly understood reasons. Using a quantitative DNA fragmentation assay for apoptosis, we have shown that human prostate cancer cells are resistant to a wide range of TRAIL doses up to 500 ng/ml. However, translation inhibitors, such as anisomycin, cycloheximide, emetine, harringtonine, and puromycin, unlike several transcription inhibitors, significantly sensitized PC3-neomycin (PC3-neo) cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis. These effects were inhibited in PC3 cells engineered to express bcl2 (PC3-bcl2). Translation inhibitors led to activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), which plays a role in this sensitization process because inhibition of JNK activation resulted in protection against TRAIL plus translation inhibitor-induced apoptosis. JNK activation may be required for this process, but it is not sufficient because activation of JNK using an MEKK2 expression vector did not mimic the sensitizing effect of translation inhibitors. Other stress-activated protein kinases, such as ERK and p38, play an insignificant role in determining the apoptotic sensitivity. We conclude that activation of JNK is required for sensitization of PC3 cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis by translation inhibitors in cells that are otherwise TRAIL-resistant. However, in addition to JNK activation, other aspects of translation inhibition such as the suppressed activity of apoptosis-inhibitory proteins or activation of other signal transduction pathways must also be involved.
Sah
Nand K
NK
Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
Munshi
Anupama
A
Kurland
John F
JF
McDonnell
Timothy J
TJ
Su
Bing
B
Meyn
Raymond E
RE
D051698:Activating Transcription Factor 2; D000841:Anisomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D003474:Curcumin / Q000494:pharmacology; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D003513:Cycloheximide / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048730:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinase 2; D020930:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D053221:TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology*
D051698:Activating Transcription Factor 2; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007093:Imidazoles; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors; D011725:Pyridines; D053221:TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand; C505653:TNFSF10 protein, human; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000841:Anisomycin; D003513:Cycloheximide; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048730:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinase 2; D020930:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases; C482618:MAP3K2 protein, human; D003474:Curcumin; C093642:SB 203580