title: High intracellular Zn2+ ions modulate the VHR, ZAP-70 and ERK activities of LNCaP prostate cancer cells.
abstract: Malignant prostate tissues have markedly reduced zinc (Zn(2+)) contents in comparison to non-malignant tissues. In this study, we restored a high intracellular Zn(2+) level to LNCaP prostate cancer cells by culturing the cells in a growth medium supplemented with a supraphysiological concentration of Zn(2+) (10 microg/ml) over 5 weeks. The intracellular Zn(2+) level increased in the Zn(2+)-treated cells, and there was a marked increase in the presence of zincosomes, a Zn(2+)-specific intracellular organelle. The proliferation rate of the Zn(2+)-treated cells was markedly reduced. There was also a significant increase (36.6% +/- 6.4%) in the total tyrosine phosphorylated proteins. Vaccinia H1-related (VHR) phosphatase, zeta chain-associated protein-70 (ZAP-70) kinase and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1 and 2 (p-ERK 1 and 2) were also present in higher abundance. Treatment with TPEN, which chelates Zn(2+), reduced the abundance of VHR phosphatase and ZAP-70 kinase, but increased the abundance of p-ERK 1. However, the TPEN treatment restored the Zn(2+)-treated LNCaP cell proliferation to a rate comparable to that of the non Zn(2+)-treated cells. These results highlight the importance of a high intracellular Zn(2+) content and the VHR/ZAP-70-associated pathways in the modulation of LNCaP prostate cancer cell growth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Pooi-Fong
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Sazaly
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abubakar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry; D054640:Dual Specificity Phosphatase 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D005029:Ethylenediamines / Q000378:metabolism; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D017027:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases / Q000378:metabolism; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D051746:ZAP-70 Protein-Tyrosine Kinase / Q000378:metabolism*; D015032:Zinc / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002614:Chelating Agents; D003470:Culture Media; D005029:Ethylenediamines; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D051746:ZAP-70 Protein-Tyrosine Kinase; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; D054640:Dual Specificity Phosphatase 3; D017027:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases; D015032:Zinc; C044387:N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine