Involvement of Bcl-2 cleavage in the acceleration of VP-16-induced U937 cell apoptosis.

Abstract

Apoptosis is cellular suicide functionally opposite of mitosis. It plays an important role in tissue growth control and removal of damaged and premalignant cells. The decrease in death suppressor Bcl-2 protein level was implicated in the many types of apoptotic cell death. Because Bcl-2 protein was recently found to be cleaved during apoptosis induced by Fas ligation, IL-3 withdrawal, and alphavirus infection, we assessed whether Bcl-2 protein was also cleaved during the anticancer drug (VP-16)-induced apoptotic cell death in U937 cells. We found that Bcl-2 protein was cleaved in vivo and in vitro after the treatment of VP-16. We also found that caspase-3/CPP32, which was activated after VP-16 treatment, was responsible for the direct cleavage of Bcl-2 protein. The overexpression of the cleaved Bcl-2 fragment increased the sensitivity to VP-16 and promoted apoptotic cell death. Therefore, caspase-3/CPP32 accelerates VP-16-induced U937 cell apoptosis by cleaving death suppressor Bcl-2 protein to produce a death promoter Bcl-2 fragment.

• Authors: N Fujita, T Tsuruo
• Journal: Biochemical and biophysical research communications (Biochem Biophys Res Commun) Vol. 246 Issue 2 Pg. 484-8 (May 19 1998) ISSN: 0006-291X [Print] United States
• PMID: 9610388 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
• DNA Primers
• Peptide Fragments
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
• Etoposide
• CASP3 protein, human
• Casp3 protein, mouse
• Caspase 3
• Caspases
• Cysteine Endopeptidases

Topics

• Animals
• Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic (pharmacology)
• Apoptosis (drug effects, physiology)
• Base Sequence
• Caspase 3
• Caspases
• Cysteine Endopeptidases (metabolism)
• DNA Primers (genetics)
• Etoposide (pharmacology)
• Genes, bcl-2
• HL-60 Cells
• Humans
• Mice
• Peptide Fragments (genetics, metabolism, pharmacology)
• Polymerase Chain Reaction
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 (genetics, metabolism, pharmacology)
• Transfection
• Tumor Cells, Cultured