title: Desipramine-induced Ca-independent apoptosis in Mg63 human osteosarcoma cells: dependence on P38 mitogen-activated protein kinase-regulated activation of caspase 3.
abstract: 1. It has been shown that the antidepressant desipramine is able to induce increases in [Ca(2+)](i) and cell death in MG63 human osteosacroma cells, but whether apoptosis is involved is unclear. In the present study, the effect of desipramine on apoptosis and the underlying mechanisms were explored. It was demonstrated that desipramine induced cell death in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. 2. Cells treated with 100-800 mmol/L desipramine showed typical apoptotic features, including an increase in sub-diploid nuclei and activation of caspase 3, indicating that these cells underwent apoptosis. Immunoblotting revealed that 100 mmol/L desipramine activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Although pretreatment of cells with 20 mmol/L PD98059 (an ERK inhibitor) or 20 mmol/L SP600125 (an inhibitor of JNK) did not inhibit cell death, the addition of 20 mmol/L SB203580 (a p38 MAPK inhibitor) partially rescued cells from apoptosis. Desipramine-induced caspase 3 activation required p38 MAPK activation. 3. Pretreatment of cells with BAPTA/AM (20 mmol/L) to prevent desipramine-induced increases in [Ca(2+)](i) did not protect cells from death. 4. The results of the present study suggest that, in MG63 human osteosarcoma cells, desipramine causes Ca(2+)-independent apoptosis by inducing p38 MAPK-associated activation of caspase 3.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ti
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Chorng-Chih
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yih-Chau
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Ko-Long
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Shiuh-In
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Being-Whey
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Po-Min
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: I-Shu
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Sheng-Shih
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jeng-Yu
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Chiang-Ting
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: Chung-Ren
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Jan
mesh_terms: D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D003891:Desipramine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D012516:Osteosarcoma / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D002614:Chelating Agents; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D002118:Calcium; D003891:Desipramine