Higher farnesyl diphosphate synthase activity in human colorectal cancer inhibition of cellular apoptosis.
OBJECTIVE
Farnesyl diphosphate synthase (FPPs) produces FPP which is considered a branch-point intermediate in the synthesis of sterols and isoprenylated cellular metabolites. In this study we investigated whether detectable FPPs activity was present in human colorectal cancer (CRC), also evaluating in vitro the role of this enzyme in the growth and apoptosis of CRC cells by using Pamidronate (PAM), a FPPs activity inhibitor.


METHODS
The activity level of FPPs was determined in CRC and the normal surrounding mucosa of 50 patients by radiochemical assay. The FPPs mRNA expression was investigated in 15 of 50 patients by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). K-ras mutation was evaluated using PCR and restriction enzyme analysis. Cell growth and apoptosis, after PAM treatment, in human CRC cell line DLD-1 were measured by MTT test and DNA fragmentation, respectively.


RESULTS
FPPs activity was detectable in human CRC. FPPs activity and its mRNA were significantly more abundant in cancer samples than in normal mucosa. In vitro PAM resulted in a significant reduction of cell growth and also gave rise to a marked proapoptotic effect.


CONCLUSIONS
This study provides the first evidence of the presence of FPPs activity in human CRC. Moreover, FPPs enzyme was found to play a significant role in colon cancer proliferation.
Notarnicola
Maria
M
Laboratory of Biochemistry, National Institute for Digestive Diseases, Castellana Grotte, Bari, Italy.
Messa
Caterina
C
Cavallini
Aldo
A
Bifulco
Maurizio
M
Tecce
Mario Felice
MF
Eletto
Davide
D
Di Leo
Alfredo
A
Montemurro
Severino
S
Laezza
Chiara
C
Caruso
Maria Gabriella
MG
D000368:Aged; D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017209:Apoptosis; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology*; D005260:Female; D011905:Genes, ras; D051228:Geranyltranstransferase; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases; D051228:Geranyltranstransferase