title: Mechanism of taxol-induced apoptosis in human SKOV3 ovarian carcinoma cells.
abstract: Taxol is extensively used clinically for chemotherapy of patients with ovarian, breast, and lung cancer. Although taxol induces apoptosis of cancer cells, its exact mechanism of action is not yet known. To determine the mechanism of action of taxol in ovarian cancer, we tested the effects of the drug, on the human ovarian carcinoma cell line, SKOV3. We observed that taxol-induced apoptosis of these cells by phosphatidylserine (PS) externalization and DNA fragmentation. While treatment of cells with taxol resulted in bcl-2 phosphorylation and mitochondrial depolarization, cytochrome c was not released and pro-caspase-3 was not activated. Treatment of SKOV3 cells with taxol, however, resulted in the translocation of AIF from the mitochondria to the nucleus via the cytosol. Taken together, these findings suggest that in SKOV3 cells, taxol induces caspase-independent AIF-dependent apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Management, College of Medicine, University of Ulsan, Seoul Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hak Jun
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Yeong Shik
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Joung-Uk
authors.initials: JU
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sung Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Jin Woo
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Hyun Ok
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D051033:Apoptosis Inducing Factor; D015153:Blotting, Western; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D003600:Cytosol / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005420:Flavoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010718:Phosphatidylserines / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D021381:Protein Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C494829:AIFM1 protein, human; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D051033:Apoptosis Inducing Factor; D005420:Flavoproteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010718:Phosphatidylserines; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases; D017239:Paclitaxel