title: Gecko proteins induce the apoptosis of bladder cancer 5637 cells by inhibiting Akt and activating the intrinsic caspase cascade.
abstract: Gecko proteins have long been used as anti-tumor agents in oriental medicine, without any scientific background. Although anti-tumor effects of Gecko proteins on several cancers were recently reported, their effect on bladder cancer has not been investigated. Thus, we explored the anti-tumor effect of Gecko proteins and its cellular mechanisms in human bladder cancer 5637 cells. Gecko proteins significantly reduced the viability of 5637 cells without any cytotoxic effect on normal cells. These proteins increased the Annexin-V staining and the amount of condensed chromatin, demonstrating that the Gecko proteinsinduced cell death was caused by apoptosis. Gecko proteins suppressed Akt activation, and the overexpression of constitutively active form of myristoylated Akt prevented Gecko proteins-induced death of 5637 cells. Furthermore, Gecko proteins activated caspase 9 and caspase 3/7. Taken together, our data demonstrated that Gecko proteins suppressed the Akt pathway and activated the intrinsic caspase pathway, leading to the apoptosis of bladder cancer cells. [BMB Reports 2015; 48(9): 531-536].
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular and Rare Disease, Center for Biomedical Sciences, Korea National Institute of Health, Cheongju 28165, Korea.
authors.forename: Geun-Young
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Science, Dong-A University, Busan 47315, Korea.
authors.forename: Soon Yong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Science, Dong-A University, Busan 47315, Korea.
authors.forename: Ara
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jo
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Science, Dong-A University, Busan 47315, Korea.
authors.forename: Mira
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Science, Dong-A University, Busan 47315, Korea.
authors.forename: Sun-Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Leem
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutrition, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea.
authors.forename: Woo-Jin
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Jun
authors.affiliation: Department of Agronomy, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang In
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Integrative Cellulomics, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon 34141, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Chul
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Science, Dong-A University, Busan 47315, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Woong
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes; D008116:Lizards; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011506:Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007527:Isoenzymes; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011506:Proteins; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D020169:Caspases