The inhibition of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) pathway enhances TGF-beta-induced apoptosis in rat hepatoma cells through inducing oxidative stress coincident with a change in the expression pattern of the NADPH oxidases (NOX) isoforms.
Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) induces apoptosis in hepatocytes, through a mechanism mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Numerous tumoral cells develop mechanisms to escape from the TGF-beta-induced tumor suppressor effects. In this work we show that in FaO rat hepatoma cells inhibition of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) with the tyrphostin AG1478 enhances TGF-beta-induced cell death, coincident with an elevated increase in ROS production and GSH depletion. These events correlate with down-regulation of genes involved in the maintenance of redox homeostasis, such as gamma-GCS and MnSOD, and elevated mitochondrial ROS. Nonetheless, not all the ROS proceed from the mitochondria. Emerging evidences indicate that ROS production by TGF-beta is also mediated by the NADPH oxidase (NOX) system. TGF-beta-treated FaO cells induce nox1 expression. However, the treatment with TGF-beta and AG1478 greatly enhanced the expression of another family member: nox4. NOX1 and NOX4 targeted knock-down by siRNA experiments suggest that they play opposite roles, because NOX1 knockdown increases caspase-3 activity and cell death, whilst NOX4 knock-down attenuates the apoptotic process. This attenuation correlates with maintenance of GSH and antioxidant enzymes levels. In summary, EGFR inhibition enhances apoptosis induced by TGF-beta in FaO rat hepatoma cells through an increased oxidative stress coincident with a change in the expression pattern of NOX enzymes.
Centre d'Oncologia Molecular (COM), IDIBELL-Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge, L'Hospitalet, Barcelona, Spain. psancho@idibell.org
Patricia
P
Sancho
Esther
E
Bertran
Laia
L
Caja
Irene
I
Carmona-Cuenca
Miguel M
MM
Murillo
Isabel
I
Fabregat
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009247:NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000074624:NADPH Oxidase 1; D000074663:NADPH Oxidase 4; D019255:NADPH Oxidases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D011799:Quinazolines; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020032:Tyrphostins / Q000494:pharmacology
D000975:Antioxidants; D007527:Isoenzymes; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011799:Quinazolines; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D020032:Tyrphostins; C101044:RTKI cpd; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D009247:NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases; D000074624:NADPH Oxidase 1; D000074663:NADPH Oxidase 4; D019255:NADPH Oxidases; C000614712:NOX1 protein, rat; C498911:Nox4 protein, rat; D066246:ErbB Receptors