title: Effects of 9-beta-D-arabinofuranosylguanine on mitochondria in CEM T-lymphoblast leukemia cells.
abstract: The nucleoside analog 9-beta-D-arabinofuranosylguanine (araG) is presently evaluated in clinical trials for therapy of T-cell lymphoid malignancies. AraG is a substrate for the mitochondrial deoxyguanosine kinase and we have recently shown that araG is predominantly incorporated into mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). In this study we have investigated the effects of araG on mtDNA content and function. Although araG was incorporated into mtDNA, no decrease in mtDNA levels or effect on the expression of the mtDNA encoded cytochrome c oxidase was detected. Cells depleted of mtDNA were resistant to araG, but the mechanism of resistance was not specific for nucleoside analogs incorporated into mtDNA. Furthermore, the results suggest that the cells need to pass the S-phase in order for araG to induce caspase-dependent apoptosis. In summary, our findings suggest that the incorporation of araG into mtDNA does not cause the acute cytotoxicity of araG.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Virology F-68, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge University Hospital, S-141 86 Stockholm, Sweden. Sophie.Curbo@labmed.ki.se
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Curbo
authors.forename: Boris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhivotovsky
authors.forename: Magnus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karlsson
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D001087:Arabinonucleosides / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D015458:Leukemia, T-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001087:Arabinonucleosides; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; C028771:9-arabinofuranosylguanine; C117108:cytochrome C oxidase subunit II; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV; D020169:Caspases