title: β-lapachone significantly increases the effect of ionizing radiation to cause mitochondrial apoptosis via JNK activation in cancer cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  β-lapachone (β-lap), has been known to cause NQO1-dependnet death in cancer cells and sensitize cancer cells to ionizing radiation (IR). We investigated the mechanisms underlying the radiosensitization caused by β-lap.
  
  
  RESULTS
  β-lap enhanced the effect of IR to cause clonogenic cells in NQO1(+)-MDA-MB-231 cells but not in NQO1(-)-MDA-MB-231 cells. β-lap caused apoptosis only in NQO1(+) cells and not in NQO1(-) cells and it markedly increased IR-induced apoptosis only in NQO1(+) cells. Combined treatment of NQO1(+) cells induced ROS generation, triggered ER stress and stimulated activation of ERK and JNK. Inhibition of ROS generation by NAC effectively attenuated the activation of ERK and JNK, induction of ER stress, and subsequent apoptosis. Importantly, inhibition of ERK abolished ROS generation and ER stress, whereas inhibition of JNK did not, indicating that positive feedback regulation between ERK activation and ROS generation triggers ER stress in response to combined treatment. Furthermore, prevention of ER stress completely blocked combination treatment-induced JNK activation and subsequent apoptotic cell death. In addition, combined treatment efficiently induced the mitochondrial translocation of cleaved Bax, disrupted mitochondrial membrane potential, and the nuclear translocation of AIF, all of which were efficiently blocked by a JNK inhibitor. Caspases 3, 8 and 9 were activated by combined treatment but inhibition of these caspases did not abolish apoptosis indicating caspase activation played a minor role in the induction of apoptosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  β-lap causes NQO1-dependent radiosensitization of cancer cells. When NQO1(+) cells are treated with combination of IR and β-lap, positive feedback regulation between ERK and ROS leads to ER stress causing JNK activation and mitochondrial translocation of cleaved Bax. The resultant decrease in mitochondrial membrane leads to translocation of AIF and apoptosis.
authors: Department of Microbiology, Center for Advanced Medical Education by BK21 Project, College of Medicine, Inha University, Incheon, Republic of Korea.
authors: Moon-Taek
authors: MT
authors: Park
authors: Min-Jeong
authors: MJ
authors: Song
authors: Hyemi
authors: H
authors: Lee
authors: Eun-Taex
authors: ET
authors: Oh
authors: Bo-Hwa
authors: BH
authors: Choi
authors: Seong-Yun
authors: SY
authors: Jeong
authors: Eun-Kyung
authors: EK
authors: Choi
authors: Heon Joo
authors: HJ
authors: Park
mesh_terms: D021581:Active Transport, Cell Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D051033:Apoptosis Inducing Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy; D059865:Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D025461:Feedback, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D016660:NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone) / Q000378:metabolism; D009285:Naphthoquinones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C494829:AIFM1 protein, human; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D051033:Apoptosis Inducing Factor; D009285:Naphthoquinones; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; C014638:beta-lapachone; D016660:NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone); C447479:NQO1 protein, human; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases