scholarly journals 1-O-Octadecyl-2-O-methylglycerophosphocholine inhibits protein kinase C- dependent phosphorylation of endogenous proteins in MCF-7 cells

1997 ◽  
Vol 324 (3) ◽  
pp. 897-902 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xi ZHOU ◽  
Gilbert ARTHUR

Studies with leukaemic cells, based primarily on in vitro assays, have suggested that antitumour ether lipids have only a moderate effect on protein kinase C (PKC) activity, and, furthermore, inhibition of PKC is unlikely to be involved in the mechanism of inhibition of cell proliferation by these compounds. To determine if this is also the case for epithelial cancer cells, we examined the effect of 1-O-octadecyl-2-O-methylglycerophosphocholine (ET18-OCH3) on PKC-induced phosphorylation of endogenous proteins in MCF-7 cells under incubation conditions where the drug inhibited cell proliferation. As expected, stimulation of quiescent 32P-labelled MCF-7 cells with 1 μM PMA resulted in the phosphorylation of a number of proteins. The PMA-induced phosphorylation of the proteins was abolished by preincubation of the cells with Ro 31-8220 (5 μM) for 20 min, or 10 μg/ml ET18-OCH3 for 3 h before stimulation with PMA. Thus under incubation conditions where ET18-OCH3 inhibited the proliferation of MCF-7 cells, the ether lipid potently inhibited the activity of PKC in intact cells. This inhibition was unlikely to be due to the effect of the compound on PKC translocation since there was little effect of ET18-OCH3 on the translocation of the α, γ and ϵ species of PKC. These results suggest that a role for the inhibition of PKC activity by ET18-OCH3 in the mechanism of inhibition of cell proliferation by ET18-OCH3 cannot yet be discounted in epithelial cancer cells. In addition, we also observed that ET18-OCH3 enhanced the phosphorylation of selected proteins under basal unstimulated conditions. Although some of these proteins were also observed to be phosphorylated in response to PMA stimulation, the phosphorylation induced by ET18-OCH3 was not inhibited by Ro 31-8220, indicating that this was not mediated by PKC.

2001 ◽  
pp. 651-658 ◽  
Author(s):  
C Grundker ◽  
L Schlotawa ◽  
V Viereck ◽  
G Emons

OBJECTIVE: The expression of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) and its receptor as a part of an autocrine regulatory system of cell proliferation has been demonstrated in a number of human malignant tumours, including cancers of the endometrium. The signalling pathway through which LHRH acts in endometrial cancer is distinct from that in pituitary gonadotrophs. The LHRH receptor interacts with the mitogenic signal transduction of growth factor receptors via activation of a phosphotyrosine phosphatase, resulting in down-regulation of cancer cell proliferation. In addition, LHRH activates nucleus factor kappaB (NFkappaB) and protects the cancer cells from apoptosis. This study was conducted to investigate additional signalling mechanisms of the LHRH receptor cooperating with NFkappaB in endometrial cancer cells. DESIGN: The LHRH agonist triptorelin-induced activator protein-1 (AP-1) activation was analysed using a pAP-1-SEAP reporter gene assay. Expression of c-jun mRNA was quantified using quantitative reverse transcription (RT)-PCR. c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) activity was measured by quantification of phosphorylated c-Jun protein. RESULTS: Treatment of Ishikawa and Hec-1A human endometrial cancer cells with 100 nM triptorelin resulted in a 3.1-fold and 3.5-fold activation of AP-1 respectively (P<0.05). If the cells had been made quiescent, treatment with triptorelin (100 nM) resulted in a 41.7-fold and 48.6-fold increase of AP-1 activation respectively (P<0.001). This effect was completely blocked by simultaneous treatment with pertussis toxin (PTX). A 17.6-fold and 17.3-fold increase of c-jun mRNA expression respectively (P<0.001) was obtained after 20 min of stimulation with triptorelin (100 nM). Treatment with 1 nM triptorelin resulted in a 12.5-fold or an 11.9-fold increase, and treatment with 10 pM triptorelin resulted in a 6.5-fold or a 5.2-fold increase of maximal c-jun mRNA expression respectively (P<0.001). Maximal c-Jun phosphorylation (68.5-fold and 60.2-fold, respectively, P<0.001) was obtained after 90 min incubation with triptorelin (100 nM). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the LHRH agonist triptorelin stimulates the activity of AP-1 in human endometrial cancer cells mediated through PTX-sensitive G-protein alphai. In addition, triptorelin activates JNK, known to activate AP-1. In earlier investigations we have shown that triptorelin does not activate phospholipase and protein kinase C (PKC) in endometrial cancer cells. In addition, it has been demonstrated that triptorelin inhibits growth factor-induced mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK, ERK) activity. Thus triptorelin-induced activation of the JNK/AP-1 pathway in endometrial cancer cells is independent of the known AP-1 activators, PKC or MAPK (ERK).


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (12) ◽  
pp. 4247
Author(s):  
Alakananda Basu

Protein kinase C-ε (PKCε), an anti-apoptotic protein, plays critical roles in breast cancer development and progression. Although autophagy is an important survival mechanism, it is not known if PKCε regulates autophagy in breast cancer cells. We have shown that silencing of PKCε by siRNA inhibited basal and starvation-induced autophagy in T47D breast cancer cells as determined by the decrease in LC3-II, increase in p62, and decrease in autophagy puncta both in the presence and absence of bafilomycin A1. The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) associates with Raptor or Rictor to form complex-1 (mTORC1) or complex-2 (mTORC2), respectively. Knockdown of PKCε attenuated an increase in autophagy caused by the depletion of Raptor and Rictor. Overexpression of PKCε in MCF-7 cells caused activation of mTORC1 and an increase in LC3-I, LC3-II, and p62. The mTORC1 inhibitor rapamycin abolished the increase in LC3-I and p62. Knockdown of mTOR and Rictor or starvation enhanced autophagy in PKCε overexpressing cells. While overexpression of PKCε in MCF-7 cells inhibited apoptosis, it induced autophagy in response to tumor necrosis factor-α. However, inhibition of autophagy by Atg5 knockdown restored apoptosis in PKCε-overexpressing cells. Thus, PKCε promotes breast cancer cell survival not only by inhibiting apoptosis but also by inducing autophagy.


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