Live morphological analysis of taxol-induced cytoplasmic vacuolization [corrected] in human lung adenocarcinoma cells.
Taxol (paclitaxel), one of the most active cancer chemotherapeutic agents, can cause programmed cell death (PCD) and cytoplasmic vacuolization. The objective of this study was to analyze the morphological characteristics induced by taxol. Human lung adenocarcinoma (ASTC-a-1) cells were exposed to various concentration of taxol. CCK-8 was used to assay the cell viability. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), plasmid transfection and confocal fluorescence microscopy were performed to image the cells morphological change induced by taxol. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) was used to monitor the caspase-3 activation in living cells during taxol-induced cell death. Cells treated with taxol exhibited significant swelling and cytoplasmic vacuolization which may be due to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) vacuolization. Caspase-3 was not activated during taxol-induced cytoplasmic vacuolization and cell death. These findings suggest that taxol induces caspase-3-independent cytoplasmic vacuolization, cell swelling and cell death through ER vacuolization.
MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science & Institute of Laser Life Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China.
Xiao-Ping
XP
Wang
Tong-Sheng
TS
Chen
Lei
L
Sun
Ji-Ye
JY
Cai
Ming-Qian
MQ
Wu
Martin
M
Mok
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000187:drug effects; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014617:Vacuoles / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D053148:Caspase 3; D017239:Paclitaxel