title: Apoptosis of non-small-cell lung cancer cell lines after paclitaxel treatment involves the BH3-only proapoptotic protein Bim.
abstract: A significant variation in susceptibility to paclitaxel-mediated killing was observed among a panel of short-term cultured non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines. Susceptibility to killing by paclitaxel correlated with expression of the BH3-only protein, Bim, but not with other members of Bcl-2 family. NSCLC cell lines with the highest level of Bim expression are most susceptible to apoptosis induction after paclitaxel treatment. Forced expression of Bim increased paclitaxel-mediated killing of cells expressing an undetectable level of Bim. Conversely, knock down of Bim, but not Bcl-2 expression, decreased the susceptibility of tumor cells to paclitaxel-mediated killing. Similar observations were made using a panel of breast and prostate cancer cell lines. Paclitaxel impairs microtubule function, causes G2/M cell cycle blockade, mitochondria damage, and p53-independent apoptosis. These results established Bim as a critical molecular link between the microtubule poison, paclitaxel, and apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cancer Immunobiology, Robert W Franz Cancer Research Center, Earle A Chiles Research Institute, Providence Portland Medical Center, Portland, OR 97213, USA.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Moudgil
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: H-M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D000072224:Bcl-2-Like Protein 11; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D005260:Female; D016195:G2 Phase / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008870:Microtubules / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; C000606775:BCL2L11 protein, human; D000072224:Bcl-2-Like Protein 11; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D020169:Caspases; D017239:Paclitaxel