PKC412 induces apoptosis through a caspase-dependent mechanism in human keloid-derived fibroblasts.
There is no established pharmacological therapy for skin keloids, a wound healing disorder. In this study, we investigated the effect of N-benzoyl staurosporine (PKC412), a protein kinase C inhibitor, on human keloid-derived fibroblasts to examine whether this agent is applicable for the treatment of keloid formation. Although PKC412 induced apoptosis in keloid fibroblasts in a time- and dose-dependent manner, the effective concentration of this agent was much higher than that of staurosporine. Western blotting showed that both PKC412 (10 microM) and staurosporine (100 nM) cleaved pro-caspase-3 to active forms. An in vitro caspase assay also showed that PKC412 and staurosporine elevated caspase-3 activities. Carbobenzoxy-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethyl ketone (Z-VAD-FMK), a caspase inhibitor with a broad spectrum, inhibited caspase-3 activities stimulated by PKC412 and staurosporine; however, only PKC412-induced apoptosis, but not staurosporine-induced apoptosis, was prevented by Z-VAD-FMK. These results suggested that PKC412-induced apoptosis, but not staurosporine-induced apoptosis, is mainly mediated by the caspase-dependent mechanism.
Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
Ayako
A
Nakazono-Kusaba
Fumi
F
Takahashi-Yanaga
Yoshikazu
Y
Miwa
Sachio
S
Morimoto
Masutaka
M
Furue
Toshiyuki
T
Sasaguri
D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D053148:Caspase 3; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D006801:Humans; D007627:Keloid / Q000201:enzymology*; D019311:Staurosporine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*
D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases; D019311:Staurosporine; C059539:midostaurin