title: UCN-01 alters phosphorylation of Akt and GSK3beta and induces apoptosis in six independent human neuroblastoma cell lines.
abstract: In this study we evaluated UCN-01, a small molecule that inhibits protein kinases by interacting with the ATP-binding site, as a potential anti-cancer agent for neuroblastoma. UCN-01 was effective at inducing apoptosis in six neuroblastoma cell lines with diverse cellular and genetic phenotypes. 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end-labeling (TUNEL) assays, detection of active caspase-3 and cleaved poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) confirmed that UCN-01 induced apoptosis. Cell cycle analysis determined that the UCN-01 treated cells accumulated in S phase by 16 h. Unlike vinblastine and docetaxel that increased survivin expression, UCN-01 treatment did not increase X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) and survivin levels. Analysis of specific phosphoepitopes on chk1/2, Akt, and GSK3beta following UCN-01 treatment determined that there was no significant change in phospho-chk1/2. However, there was decreased immunoreactivity at Ser473 and Thr308 of Akt and Ser9 of GSK3beta by 4 h indicating that the Akt survival pathway and downstream signalling was compromised. Thus, UCN-01 was effective at inducing apoptosis in neuroblastoma cell lines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA.
authors.forename: Sai Latha
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Shankar
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krupski
authors.forename: Bhupesh
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Parashar
authors.forename: Chidi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Okwuaka
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: O'Guin
authors.forename: Sridhar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mani
authors.forename: Bridget
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shafit-Zagardo
mesh_terms: D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D000071679:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta; D006801:Humans; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D009423:Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D019311:Staurosporine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077022:Survivin; D051636:X-Linked Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C107489:BIRC5 protein, human; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D000077022:Survivin; D051636:X-Linked Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein; C496866:XIAP protein, human; C054852:7-hydroxystaurosporine; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases; C494918:AKT1 protein, human; C000605506:GSK3B protein, human; D000071679:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases; D019311:Staurosporine