title: Luteinizing hormone inhibits Fas-induced apoptosis in ovarian surface epithelial cell lines.
abstract: Gonadotrophins including LH have been suggested to play an important role in the etiology of epithelial ovarian cancers. The goal of the present study was to obtain more insight in the mechanism of gonadotrophin action on ovarian surface epithelium (OSE) cells. As the Fas system is known to be a major player in the regulation of the process of apoptosis in the ovary, we investigated whether LH interfered with Fas-induced apoptosis in the human OSE cancer cell lines HEY and Caov-3. Activation of Fas receptor by an agonistic anti-Fas receptor antibody induced apoptosis, as was evaluated by caspase-3 activation, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase fragmentation, phosphatidylserine externalization and morphological changes characteristic of apoptosis. Co-treatment with LH reduced the number of apoptotic cells following activation of Fas in a transient manner, while LH by itself did not affect apoptosis or cell proliferation. The anti-apoptotic effect of LH could be mimicked by the membrane-permeable cAMP analog 8-(4-chlorophenylthio) cAMP (8-CPT-cAMP), and blocked by H89, a specific inhibitor of protein kinase A (PKA). In conclusion, these findings suggest that LH protects HEY cells against Fas-induced apoptosis through a signaling cascade involving PKA. Although it is plausible that in vivo LH might also enhance OSE tumor growth through inhibition of apoptosis, further research is necessary to confirm this hypothesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry & Cell Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Slot
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Boer-Brouwer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Houweling
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Vaandrager
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Dorrington
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Teerds
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000032:analysis; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D004792:Enzyme Precursors / Q000032:analysis; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000502:physiology; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008024:Ligands; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000502:physiology*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis; D010053:Ovary / Q000502:physiology*; D011974:Receptors, LH / Q000378:metabolism; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D013873:Thionucleotides / Q000378:metabolism; D048069:Tumor Necrosis Factors / Q000032:analysis; D019014:fas Receptor
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D004792:Enzyme Precursors; C491901:FAS protein, human; C505661:FASLG protein, human; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D008024:Ligands; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011974:Receptors, LH; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D013873:Thionucleotides; D048069:Tumor Necrosis Factors; D019014:fas Receptor; C015929:8-((4-chlorophenyl)thio)cyclic-3',5'-AMP; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases