title: Epinecidin-1 peptide induces apoptosis which enhances antitumor effects in human leukemia U937 cells.
abstract: Epinecidin-1 is an antimicrobial peptide present in the grouper (Epinephelus coioides). In this study, the antitumor activity of a synthetic epinecidin-1 peptide was tested. The in vitro results showed that epinecidin-1 inhibited the proliferation of human leukemia U937 cells and increased the ADP/ATP ratio after 24h of treatment. The DNA fragmentation assay, flow cytometric assay, and caspases-3, -8, and -9 assays indicated that epinecidin-1 could induce apoptosis in U937 cells. Real-time RT-PCR results showed regular increases in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha after treatment with 4 microg/ml epinecidin-1 from 4 to 24h; interleukin (IL)-10, interferon (INF)-r, p53, IL-15, and IL-6 increased after treatment with 2 microg/ml epinecidin-1 for 4-12h. These results suggest that the epinecidn-1 inhibited U937 cells, induced apoptosis in response to cytokine production, and may have pleiotropic effects on different cells.
authors.affiliation: Marine Research Station, Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, 23-10 Dahuen Rd, Jiaushi, Ilan 262, Taiwan. zoocjy@gate.sinica.edu.tw
authors.forename: Jyh-Yih
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wei-Ju
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Jen-Leih
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Guor Mour
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Her
authors.forename: Cho-Fat
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Hui
mesh_terms: D000244:Adenosine Diphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D053181:Caspase 8 / Q000378:metabolism; D053453:Caspase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000187:drug effects; D029941:Fish Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D020298:U937 Cells
chemical_list: D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D029941:Fish Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C521392:epinecidin-1, Epinephelus coioides; D000244:Adenosine Diphosphate; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D053148:Caspase 3; D053181:Caspase 8; D053453:Caspase 9