Securinine induces p73-dependent apoptosis preferentially in p53-deficient colon cancer cells.
The identification of agents that preferentially kill cancer cells while protecting normal cells offers the potential to overcome toxicities found in many existing chemotherapeutic agents. Because p53 is frequently inactivated in cancer, agents that preferentially kill p53-null cells and protect wild-type p53-expressing cells are highly desirable chemotherapeutic agents. By using pairs of isogenic colon cancer cell lines that differ only in p53 expression (RKO and HCT116), securinine was found to exhibit these properties. Securinine (30 microM) induces apoptosis in 73% of p53-null HCT116 cells (LD(50) 17.5 microM) as opposed to 17.6% of HCT116 parental cells (LD(50) 50 microM) at 72 h after treatment. The mechanism of securinine-mediated death in p53-deficient cells involves the induction of the p53 family member, p73. Interestingly, the proapoptotic protein p73 is down-regulated in colon cancer cells expressing p53. This differential regulation of p73 in a p53-dependent fashion reveals a novel pathway for preferentially targeting cancer cells. In contrast to p53-deficient cells, cells expressing p53 are protected from cell death through the p53-mediated up-regulation of p21. These studies reveal a novel approach to specifically target colon cancer cells lacking p53 as well as identify a novel clinically relevant pathway to selectively induce p73 in p53-null cells.
Invenio Therapeutics, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Sonia
S
Rana
Kalpana
K
Gupta
Jose
J
Gomez
Shigemi
S
Matsuyama
Amitabha
A
Chakrabarti
Munna L
ML
Agarwal
Anju
A
Agarwal
Mukesh K
MK
Agarwal
David N
DN
Wald
D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001381:Azepines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006576:Heterocyclic Compounds, 4 or More Rings / Q000494:pharmacology; D006572:Heterocyclic Compounds, Bridged-Ring; D006801:Humans; D007783:Lactones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010880:Piperidines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D000072160:Tumor Protein p73; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D001381:Azepines; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D006576:Heterocyclic Compounds, 4 or More Rings; D006572:Heterocyclic Compounds, Bridged-Ring; D007783:Lactones; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D010880:Piperidines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C495901:TP53 protein, human; C000606460:TP73 protein, human; D000072160:Tumor Protein p73; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D020169:Caspases; C000785:securinine