Overexpression of Bax sensitizes prostate cancer cells to TGF-beta induced apoptosis.
NRP-154 is a tumorigenic epithelial cell line derived from the preneoplastic dorsal-lateral prostate of rats. These cells are exquisitely sensitive to TGF-beta induced apoptosis. In contrast, we find that NRP-154 cells can sustain overexpression of exogenous Bax protein, which is different from non-tumor cells where Bax functions as a ubiquitous stimulator of apoptosis. NRP-154 cells stably overexpressing Bax show increased sensitivity to TGF-beta induced apoptosis. The degree of TGF-beta induced apoptosis displays high correlation with cleavage of Bax at the amino-terminus. Our data indicate that prostate cancer cells can host high levels of latent Bax which can be activated through post-translational modification.
Lin
Pei Hui
PH
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 675 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
Pan
Zui
Z
Zheng
Lin
L
Li
Na
N
Danielpour
David
D
Ma
Jian Jie
JJ
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D011230:Precancerous Conditions; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms; D051381:Rats; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
C494827:Bax protein, mouse; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C508960:TGFB1 protein, human; C508961:Tgfb1 protein, mouse; C508962:Tgfb1 protein, rat; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins