title: Prometaphase arrest-dependent phosphorylation of Bcl-2 family proteins and activation of mitochondrial apoptotic pathway are associated with 17α-estradiol-induced apoptosis in human Jurkat T cells.
abstract: In Jurkat T cell clone (JT/Neo), G2/M arrest, apoptotic sub-G1 peak, mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) loss, and TUNEL-positive DNA fragmentation were induced following exposure to 17α-estradiol (17α-E2), whereas none of these events (except for G2/M arrest) were induced in Jurkat cells overexpressing Bcl-2 (JT/Bcl-2). Under these conditions, phosphorylation at Thr161 and dephosphorylation at Tyr15 of Cdk1, upregulation of cyclin B1 level, histone H1 phosphorylation, Cdc25C phosphorylation at Thr-48, Bcl-2 phosphorylation at Thr-56 and Ser-70, Mcl-1 phosphorylation, and Bim phosphorylation were detected in the presence of Bcl-2 overexpression. However, the 17α-E2-induced upregulation of Bak levels, activation of Bak, activation of caspase-3, and PARP degradation were abrogated by Bcl-2 overexpression. In the presence of the G1/S blocking agent hydroxyurea, 17α-E2 failed to induce G2/M arrest and all apoptotic events including Cdk1 activation and phosphorylation of Bcl-2, Mcl-1 and Bim. The 17α-E2-induced phosphorylation of Bcl-2 family proteins and mitochondrial apoptotic events were suppressed by a Cdk1 inhibitor but not by aurora A and aurora B kinase inhibitors. Immunofluorescence microscopic analysis showed that an aberrant bipolar microtubule array, incomplete chromosome congression at the metaphase plate, and prometaphase arrest, which was reversible, were the underlying factors for 17α-E2-induced mitotic arrest. The in vitro microtubule polymerization assay showed that 17α-E2 could directly inhibit microtubule formation. These results show that the apoptogenic activity of 17α-E2 was due to the impaired mitotic spindle assembly causing prometaphase arrest and prolonged Cdk1 activation, the phosphorylation of Bcl-2, Mcl-1 and Bim, and the activation of Bak and mitochondria-dependent caspase cascade.
authors.affiliation: College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Cho Rong
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Do Youn
authors.initials: do Y
authors.lastname: Jun
authors.forename: Yoon Hee
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ji Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Young Ho
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000072224:Bcl-2-Like Protein 11; D015153:Blotting, Western; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008870:Microtubules / Q000187:drug effects; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D064549:Myeloid Cell Leukemia Sequence 1 Protein; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D049468:Prometaphase / Q000187:drug effects*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D050998:bcl-2 Homologous Antagonist-Killer Protein / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; C494772:BAK1 protein, human; C000606775:BCL2L11 protein, human; D000072224:Bcl-2-Like Protein 11; D004967:Estrogens; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D064549:Myeloid Cell Leukemia Sequence 1 Protein; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D050998:bcl-2 Homologous Antagonist-Killer Protein; D004958:Estradiol; D020169:Caspases
keywords: 17α-Estradiol; Mitochondrial apoptosis; Phosphorylation of Bcl-2 family protein; Prolonged Cdk1 activation; Prometaphase arrest