title: PRIMA-1MET induces mitochondrial apoptosis through activation of caspase-2.
abstract: p53 mutations occur frequently in human tumors. The low-molecular-weight compound PRIMA-1(MET) reactivates mutant p53, induces apoptosis in human tumor cells and inhibits tumor xenograft growth in vivo. Here, we show that PRIMA-1(MET) induces mutant p53-dependent mitochondria-mediated apoptosis through activation of caspase-2 with subsequent cytochrome c release and further activation of downstream caspase-9 and caspase-3. Inhibition of caspase-2 by a selective inhibitor and/or siRNA prevents cytochrome c release on PRIMA-1(MET) treatment and causes a significant reduction in PRIMA-1(MET)-induced cell death. Our findings highlight a chain of cellular events triggered by PRIMA-1(MET) that lead to apoptotic cell death. This should facilitate further development and optimization of efficient PRIMA-1(MET)-based anticancer drugs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology-Pathology, Cancer Center Karolinska, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vakifahmetoglu
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Stridh
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhivotovsky
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Wiman
mesh_terms: D000590:Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones / Q000494:pharmacology; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001372:Aza Compounds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D053143:Caspase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D053453:Caspase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D016158:Genes, p53 / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects*; D011812:Quinuclidines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014018:Tissue Distribution / Q000187:drug effects; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000590:Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001372:Aza Compounds; D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D011812:Quinuclidines; C096713:benzyloxycarbonylvalyl-alanyl-aspartyl fluoromethyl ketone; D045304:Cytochromes c; D053143:Caspase 2; D053148:Caspase 3; D053453:Caspase 9; C451219:2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)-1-azabicyclo(2,2,2,)octan-3-one; C533410:eprenetapopt