Protection conferred by Bcl-2 expression involves reduced oxidative stress and increased glutathione production during hypothermia-induced apoptosis in AK-5 tumor cells.
Hypothermia is known to retard mammalian cell growth, however, BC-8 cells, which have originated from AK-5 tumor after single cell cloning, were triggered into apoptotic pathway when grown at 30 degrees C. Cell death process showed typical apoptotic features like DNA fragmentation, cytochrome c release, etc. Introduction of Bcl-2 gene in BC-8 cells inhibited hypothermia-induced apoptotic process, which is ascribed to reduced ROS generation and higher glutathione production. Thus, Bcl-2 seems to control the apoptotic induction process at the level of redox regulation, in addition to its known effects at the mitochondrial dysregulation. These observations suggest that tumors, which are low in Bcl-2 expression, are sensitive to hypothermic shock and make hypothermia an interesting inducer of apoptosis in tumor cells.
Khar
Ashok
A
Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology, Hydrabad, India. khar@ccmb.res.in
Pardhasaradhi
B V V
BV
Ali
A Mubarak
AM
Kumari
A Leela
AL
D000818:Animals; D017304:Annexin A5 / Q000378:metabolism; D017209:Apoptosis; D002455:Cell Division; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism; D005978:Glutathione / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007036:Hypothermia, Induced; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D011419:Propidium; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D014162:Transfection; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D017304:Annexin A5; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D011419:Propidium; D045304:Cytochromes c; D005978:Glutathione