title: The overexpression of Bcl-2 antagonizes the proapoptotic function of the kappa-opioid receptor.
abstract: Opioid receptors are G-protein-coupled cell-surface receptors that are mainly expressed in neuronal cells. Stimulation of the kappa-opioid receptor expressed by cultured human epithelial cancer cells promotes staurosporine-induced apoptosis. In this study, while Bcl-2 did not inhibit staurosporine-induced apoptosis, it did inhibit the kappa-opioid receptor-mediated potentiation of apoptosis. The results suggest that Bcl-2 targets a step that is specific to the signaling pathway of the kappa-opioid receptor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. nswong@hkucc.hku.hk
authors.forename: Naisum
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Catherine Teimei
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Diao
authors.forename: Takming
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D019900:3,4-Dichloro-N-methyl-N-(2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-cyclohexyl)-benzeneacetamide, (trans)-Isomer / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D019254:Genes, bcl-2; D006801:Humans; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics*; D017473:Receptors, Opioid, kappa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D019311:Staurosporine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D017473:Receptors, Opioid, kappa; D019900:3,4-Dichloro-N-methyl-N-(2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-cyclohexyl)-benzeneacetamide, (trans)-Isomer; D019311:Staurosporine