Ablation of TAK1 upregulates reactive oxygen species and selectively kills tumor cells.
TAK1 kinase activates multiple transcription factors and regulates the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS). We have previously reported that ablation of TAK1 in keratinocytes causes hypersensitivity to ROS-induced cell apoptosis. It is known that some tumor cells produce ROS at higher levels compared with normal cells. We used inducible epidermal-specific TAK1 knockout mice and examined whether ablation of TAK1 in preexisting skin tumors could cause an increase in ROS and result in tumor cell death. Deletion of tak1 gene in skin tumors caused the accumulation of ROS and increased apoptosis, and skin tumors totally regressed within 5 to 10 days. Normal skin did not exhibit any significant abnormality on tak1 gene deletion. Thus, TAK1 kinase could be a new and effective molecular target for ROS-based tumor killing.
Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-7633, USA.
Emily
E
Omori
Kunihiro
K
Matsumoto
Songyun
S
Zhu
Robert C
RC
Smart
Jun
J
Ninomiya-Tsuji
D015127:9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000633:toxicity; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D017353:Gene Deletion; D019426:Integrases / Q000378:metabolism; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D020930:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D010212:Papilloma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000494:pharmacology; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D015854:Up-Regulation; D000099151:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinase 7
D015127:9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene; D002273:Carcinogens; D019426:Integrases; D020930:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D000099151:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinase 7; C045073:Cre recombinase