title: Bcl-2 attenuates anticancer agents-induced apoptosis by sustained activation of Akt/protein kinase B in U937 cells.
abstract: Aberrant overexpression of antiapoptotic members of the Bcl-2 protein family contributes to resistance to anticancer therapeutic drugs. Thus, this protein represent attractive target for novel anticancer agents. In the present study, we determined the effect of the anti-apoptosis protein Bcl-2 on caspase-3 activation, PLC-gamma1 degradation and Akt activation during the various anticancer agents-induced apoptosis. Treatment with chrysin for 12 h produced morphological features of apoptosis in U937 cells, which was associated with caspase-3 activation and PLC-gamma1 degradation. Induction of apoptosis was also accompanied by down-regulation of XIAP and inactivation of Akt. Chrysin-induced caspase-3 activation, PLC-gamma1 degradation and apoptosis were significantly attenuated in Bcl-2 overexpressing U937/Bcl-2 cells. Ectopic expression of Bcl-2 appeared to inhibit ceramide-, and Akt specific inhibitor (SH-6)-induced apoptosis by sustained Akt activation. Thus, our findings imply that some of the biological functions of Bcl-2 may be attributed to their ability to inhibit anticancer agents-induced apoptosis through the sustained Akt activation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Keimyung University, 194 DongSan-Dong Jung-Gu, Taegu 700-712, Korea.
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: J-W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Kwon
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D002518:Ceramides / Q000494:pharmacology; D002867:Chromones / Q000494:pharmacology; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006801:Humans; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D009025:Morpholines / Q000494:pharmacology; D000081082:Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D000081382:Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Acetyl-Transferring Kinase; D013997:Time Factors; D020298:U937 Cells
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D002518:Ceramides; D002867:Chromones; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D005419:Flavonoids; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D009025:Morpholines; D000081082:Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D000081382:Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Acetyl-Transferring Kinase; C085911:2-(4-morpholinyl)-8-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one; C043561:chrysin; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D053148:Caspase 3