Cell death induced by taxanes in breast cancer cells: cytochrome C is released in resistant but not in sensitive cells.
BACKGROUND
The aim of the study was to contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms responsible for the resistance of breast cancer cells to taxanes.


METHODS
Cell cycle characteristics, DNA fragmentation, p53 and p21(WAF1/CIP1) expression, caspase-3 and caspase-9 activity, cytochrome c release from mitochondria during cell death induction by the taxanes paclitaxel and docetaxel in highly-sensitive MDA-MB-435 and highly-resistant NCI-ADR-RES human breast cancer cells were compared.


RESULTS
Approximately 300-fold higher concentrations of the taxanes were required to induce death in resistant NCI-ADR-RES cells than in sensitive MDA-MB-435 cells. Cell death induced by the taxanes in both sensitive and resistant cells was preceded by the accumulation of cells in the G2/M-phase. Neither cell type produced any DNA fragmentation (DNA ladder) typical of regular apoptosis. The p53 and the p21(WAF1/CIP1) levels did not change in sensitive or in resistant cells during cell death induction by the taxanes. The activity of the executioner caspase-3 increased significantly (2 to 2.5-fold) and, similarly, the activity of caspase-9 increased significantly (2 to 3.5-fold) in both cell types. However, cytochrome c was found to be released from mitochondria into the cytosol only in the resistant NCI-ADR-RES cells, but not in the sensitive MDA-MB-435 cells.


CONCLUSIONS
The death induced by the taxanes in the studied breast cancer cells can be characterized as an apoptosis-like death, including caspase-3 and caspase-9 activation but not oligonucleosomal DNA fragmentation. However, the mechanisms of death induction by the taxanes in sensitive MDA-MB-435 cells and resistant NCI-ADR-RES cells differ. Cytochrome c is released from the mitochondria in resistant but not in sensitive cells.
Ehrlichová
Marie
M
Cell Growth Control Laboratory, Institute of Molecular Genetics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, 142 20 Prague, Czech Republic.
Koc
Michal
M
Truksa
Jaroslav
J
Naldová
Zuzana
Z
Václavíková
Radka
R
Kovárr
Jan
J
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D053148:Caspase 3; D053453:Caspase 9; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D048708:Cell Growth Processes / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism*; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000187:drug effects; D000077143:Docetaxel; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D006801:Humans; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000494:pharmacology*; D043823:Taxoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000096:biosynthesis
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; C493956:CDKN1A protein, human; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; C495901:TP53 protein, human; D043823:Taxoids; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D000077143:Docetaxel; D045304:Cytochromes c; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; C506433:CASP9 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D053453:Caspase 9; D020169:Caspases; D017239:Paclitaxel