title: In vitro effects of 2-methoxyestradiol on cell morphology and Cdc2 kinase activity in SNO oesophageal carcinoma cells.
abstract: The effects of 1 x 10(-6) M exogenous 2-methoxyestradiol (2 ME) were determined on cell morphology and cell division cycle (Cdc) 2 kinase activity in SNO oesophageal carcinoma cells. Mitotic indices revealed an increase in metaphase cells (11.2%) when compared to the 0.5% vehicle-treated cells after 18 h of exposure to 2 ME. Vehicle-treated control cells did not show any hallmarks of apoptosis after 18 h of exposure to dimethyl sulphoxide. Only 0.5% of 2 ME-treated cells showed characteristics of apoptosis. Conversely, increased morphological hallmarks of apoptosis were observed in SNO-treated cells after 21.5 h of 2 ME exposure. When compared to the 0.5% in vehicle-treated cells, 4.7% of cells were in apoptosis. Furthermore, 34.1% of cells were blocked in metaphase after 21.5 h of 2 ME exposure compared to 0.6% of vehicle-control cells. In addition, Cdc2 kinase activity was statistically significantly increased (1.3-fold) (p<0.005) in 2 ME-treated cells when compared to vehicle-treated controls. The present preliminary study suggests that the accumulation observed in metaphase cells and the increase in Cdc2 kinase activity caused by 2 ME are consistent with morphological hallmarks of mitotic arrest and disrupted mitotic spindle formation, thus leading to induction of apoptosis in SNO cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa. annie.joubert@up.ac.za
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Joubert
authors.forename: Sumari
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marais
mesh_terms: D000077584:2-Methoxyestradiol; D016203:CDC2 Protein Kinase / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D048430:Cell Shape / Q000187:drug effects; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D004958:Estradiol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D004958:Estradiol; D000077584:2-Methoxyestradiol; D016203:CDC2 Protein Kinase