FTY720 induces apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells through activation of protein kinase C δ signaling
Journal
Cancer Research
Journal Volume
68
Journal Issue
4
Pages
1204-1212
Date Issued
2008
Author(s)
Hung J.-H.
Wang Y.-C.
Ma Y.-H.
Wang D.-S.
Kulp S.K.
Muthusamy N.
Byrd J.C.
Chen C.-S.
Abstract
This study was aimed at elucidating the mechanism by which FTY720, a synthetic sphingosine immunosuppressant, mediated antitumor effects in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. The three HCC cell lines examined, Hep3B, Huh7, and PLC5, exhibited differential susceptibility to FTY720-mediated suppression of cell viability, with IC50 values of 4.5, 6.3, and 11 Mmol/L, respectively. Although FTY720 altered the phosphorylation state of protein kinase B and p38, our data refuted the role of these two signaling kinases in FTY720-mediated apoptosis. Evidence indicates that the antitumor effect of FTY720 was attributable to its ability to stimulate reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, which culminated in protein kinase C (PKC)δ activation and subsequent caspase-3-dependent apoptosis. We showed that FTY720 activated PKCδ through two distinct mechanisms: phosphorylation and caspase-3-dependent cleavage. Cotreatment with the caspase-3 inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK abrogated the effect of FTY720 on facilitating PKCδ proteolysis. Equally important, pharmacologic inhibition or shRNA-mediated knockdown of PKCδ protected FTY720-treated Huh7 cells from caspase-3 activation. Moreover, FTY720 induced ROS production to different extents among the three cell lines, in the order of Hep3B > Huh7 >> PLC5, which inversely correlated with the respective glutathione S-transferase π expression levels. The low level of ROS generation might underlie the resistant phenotype of PLC5 cells to the apoptotic effects of FTY720. Blockade of ROS production by an NADPH oxidase inhibitor protected Huh7 cells from FTY720-induced PKCδ activation and caspase-3-dependent apoptosis. Together, this study provides a rationale to use FTY720 as a scaffold to develop potent PKCδ-activating agents for HCC therapy. ?2008 American Association for Cancer Research.
SDGs
Other Subjects
caspase 3; caspase 3 inhibitor; fingolimod; glutathione transferase P1; oxidoreductase inhibitor; protein kinase B; protein kinase C delta; reactive oxygen metabolite; reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase; short hairpin RNA; synaptophysin; antineoplastic activity; article; biosynthesis; cancer cell culture; cancer resistance; cell protection; cell viability; chemosensitivity; controlled study; correlation analysis; drug effect; drug mechanism; enzymatic degradation; enzyme activation; enzyme phosphorylation; human; human cell; IC 50; knockout gene; liver cell carcinoma; phenotype; priority journal; protein degradation; protein expression; signal transduction; Apoptosis; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Cell Line, Tumor; Enzyme Activation; Humans; Liver Neoplasms; Propylene Glycols; Protein Kinase C-delta; Reactive Oxygen Species; Signal Transduction; Sphingosine
Type
journal article