title: Deoxycholic acid can induce apoptosis in the human colon cancer cell line HCT116 in the absence of Bax.
abstract: In the human colon cancer cells HCT116, deoxycholic acid (DCA) induces apoptosis via the mitochondrial pathway by triggering the release of mitochondrial factors such as cytochrome c. To elucidate if Bax, a proapoptotic member of the Bcl-2 family known to trigger cytochrome c release in response to various types of apoptotic stimuli, is involved in DCA-induced apoptosis in HCT116 cells, we analyzed DCA-induced apoptosis in Bax-knockout (Bax(-/-)) HCT116 cells. Cytochrome c release and caspase-9 activation were detectable after 5 min in both Bax(-/-) and Bax(+/-) HCT116 cells. Caspase-3 and caspase-8 activation was observed after 15 and 30 min, respectively. Bax(-/-) cells were protected from apoptosis by treating them with ursodeoxycholic acid for 12 h prior to DCA treatment. These results are consistent with our previous observations that were obtained by using wild-type HCT116 cells and suggest that Bax is not indispensable for DCA-induced apoptosis in HCT116 cells.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto Prefectural University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yui
authors.forename: Ryuhei
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kanamoto
authors.forename: Tohru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saeki
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D053181:Caspase 8 / Q000378:metabolism; D053453:Caspase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D003840:Deoxycholic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D045325:HCT116 Cells; D006801:Humans; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000172:deficiency*
chemical_list: C494826:BAX protein, human; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D003840:Deoxycholic Acid; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid; D053148:Caspase 3; D053181:Caspase 8; D053453:Caspase 9; D020169:Caspases