title: Inhibition of the epidermal growth factor receptor suppresses telomerase activity in HSC-1 human cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma cells.
abstract: Activation of telomerase, which stabilizes the telomere length of chromosomes, is crucial for the continued growth or progression of cancer cells. In a previous study, we showed that telomerase is frequently activated in skin tumors. Because epidermal growth factor plays an important role during the tumorigenesis of epithelial tissue, we have now examined the role of epidermal growth factor signaling in regulating telomerase activity using HSC-1 human cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma cells. Treatment of HSC-1 cells with AG 1478, an inhibitor of the epidermal growth factor receptor, or with a neutralizing antibody to the epidermal growth factor receptor, significantly suppressed their telomerase activity, in association with inhibiting their growth. The suppression of telomerase activity was obvious at day 3 and was maximal at day 5 after treatment with AG 1478. The suppression of telomerase activity correlated with the decreased expression of human telomerase catalytic subunit (hTERT) mRNA, the rate-limiting determinant of its enzyme activity. The expression of c-Myc and of Sp1 proteins, transcription factors for hTERT, were also suppressed by AG 1478 in HSC-1 cells, but the expression of Ets-2 protein, another transcription factor, was not affected. The expression of Mad-1, a competitor of c-Myc, was increased. Inhibition of ERK, Src, or Akt suppressed telomerase activity in HSC-1 cells, but to a lesser extent than did treatment with AG 1478. Serum starvation suppressed telomerase activity, but addition of epidermal growth factor or transforming growth factor alpha did not increase it, indicating the involvement of other epidermal growth factor receptor ligands in the activation of telomerase in HSC-1 cells. These data indicate that blockade of the epidermal growth factor receptor might be effective in inhibiting telomerase activity of squamous cell carcinomas, which would lead to the suppression of tumor growth.
authors.affiliation: Division of Dermatology, Clinical Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Arief
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Budiyanto
authors.forename: Toshinori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bito
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kunisada
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ashida
authors.forename: Masamitsu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ichihashi
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ueda
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology*; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 / Q000032:analysis; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D016213:Cyclins / Q000032:analysis; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000032:analysis; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000032:analysis; D011799:Quinazolines; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology*; D019098:Telomerase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha / Q000494:pharmacology; D020032:Tyrphostins / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: C493956:CDKN1A protein, human; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D016213:Cyclins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C501384:MAD1L1 protein, human; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D011799:Quinazolines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha; D020032:Tyrphostins; C101044:RTKI cpd; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D066246:ErbB Receptors; C494918:AKT1 protein, human; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D019098:Telomerase