TY - JOUR
T1 - Arsenic trioxide causes redistribution of cell cycle, caspase activation, and GADD expression in human colonic, breast, and pancreatic cancer cells
AU - Li, Xinquan
AU - Ding, Xianzhong
AU - Adrian, Thomas E.
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was supported by a SPORE grant from the National Cancer Institute (CA72712).
PY - 2004
Y1 - 2004
N2 - Arsenic trioxide is valuable for treatment of promyelocytic leukemia, but less attention has been paid to its therapeutic potential for other cancers. In this study, the effects of arsenic trioxide were tested in human pancreatic (AsPC-1), colonic (HT-29), and breast (MCF-7) cancer cells. In all three cancer cell lines, arsenic trioxide inhibited proliferation in a concentration and time-dependent manner, as measured by 3H-methyl thymidine incorporation and cell counting. Coincident with inhibition of growth, arsenic trioxide induced marked morphologic changes, including reduced cytoplasmic volume, membrane blebbing, and nuclear condensation consistent with apoptosis. Propidium iodide DNA staining at 24 hours revealed cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase and an increase in the S phase, while at 72 hr there was G2/M phase arrest with a marked increase in the sub-G0/G1, apoptotic cell population. The DNA fragmentation induced by arsenic trioxide was confirmed by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay in all cell lines. Western blot analysis revealed activation of caspase -3, -7, and -9 by arsenic trioxide. Caspase-3 activity was confirmed by demonstrating cleavage of its downstream target, poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP). Expression of the antiapoptosis protein, Bcl-2, was time-dependently decreased. In contrast, arsenic trioxide markedly enhanced the expression of the p21 protein, GADD45 and GADD153, in a time-dependent manner. These findings suggest that arsenic trioxide has potential as a therapeutic agent for these cancers.
AB - Arsenic trioxide is valuable for treatment of promyelocytic leukemia, but less attention has been paid to its therapeutic potential for other cancers. In this study, the effects of arsenic trioxide were tested in human pancreatic (AsPC-1), colonic (HT-29), and breast (MCF-7) cancer cells. In all three cancer cell lines, arsenic trioxide inhibited proliferation in a concentration and time-dependent manner, as measured by 3H-methyl thymidine incorporation and cell counting. Coincident with inhibition of growth, arsenic trioxide induced marked morphologic changes, including reduced cytoplasmic volume, membrane blebbing, and nuclear condensation consistent with apoptosis. Propidium iodide DNA staining at 24 hours revealed cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase and an increase in the S phase, while at 72 hr there was G2/M phase arrest with a marked increase in the sub-G0/G1, apoptotic cell population. The DNA fragmentation induced by arsenic trioxide was confirmed by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay in all cell lines. Western blot analysis revealed activation of caspase -3, -7, and -9 by arsenic trioxide. Caspase-3 activity was confirmed by demonstrating cleavage of its downstream target, poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP). Expression of the antiapoptosis protein, Bcl-2, was time-dependently decreased. In contrast, arsenic trioxide markedly enhanced the expression of the p21 protein, GADD45 and GADD153, in a time-dependent manner. These findings suggest that arsenic trioxide has potential as a therapeutic agent for these cancers.
KW - Arsenic trioxide
KW - Breast
KW - Cancer
KW - Colon
KW - Pancreas
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U2 - 10.1081/CNV-200029068
DO - 10.1081/CNV-200029068
M3 - Article
C2 - 15493360
AN - SCOPUS:4744359324
SN - 0735-7907
VL - 22
SP - 389
EP - 400
JO - Cancer Investigation
JF - Cancer Investigation
IS - 3
ER -