RESUMEN
The Na+ ionophore monensin affects cellular pH and, depending on its concentration, causes the survival or death of tumor cells. In the present study, we elucidated the survival pathway activated in U937 cells, a human lymphoma-derived cell line. These cells treated with monensin at a concentration of 5 µM were growth-arrested in G1, activated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and showed an increased expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). The latter two molecular events were linked, as pharmacological inhibition of the MAPK did not allow COX-2 increased expression. Furthermore, we showed that p38 and COX-2 keep monensin-stressed U937 cells alive, as pharmacological inhibition of each enzyme caused cell death.
Asunto(s)
Supervivencia Celular/genética , Ciclooxigenasa 2/biosíntesis , Proteínas Quinasas p38 Activadas por Mitógenos/metabolismo , Puntos de Control del Ciclo Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Puntos de Control del Ciclo Celular/genética , Muerte Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Muerte Celular/genética , Línea Celular Tumoral , Supervivencia Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Ciclooxigenasa 2/genética , Ciclooxigenasa 2/metabolismo , Inducción Enzimática , Fase G1/efectos de los fármacos , Fase G1/genética , Humanos , Monensina/farmacología , Transducción de Señal , Células U937 , Proteínas Quinasas p38 Activadas por Mitógenos/antagonistas & inhibidores , Proteínas Quinasas p38 Activadas por Mitógenos/genéticaRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies revealed significantly lower mortality rates in cancer patients receiving cardiac glycosides, which turned on interest in the anticancer properties of these drugs. However, cardiac glycosides have also been shown to stimulate cell growth in several cell types. In the present investigation we analyzed the pro-death and pro-survival properties of ouabain in the human lymphoma derived cell line U937. METHODS: ROS, intracellular Ca++, cell cycle were evaluated by loading the cells with fluorescent probes under cytofluorimetry. Cell counts and evaluation of trypan blue-excluding cells were performed under optic microscope. Protein detection was done by specific antibodies after protein separation from cellular lysates by SDS-PAGE and transfer blot. RESULTS: High doses of ouabain cause ROS generation, elevation of [Ca++]i and death of lymphoma derived U937 cells. Lower doses of OUA activate a survival pathway in which plays a role the Na+/Ca++-exchanger (NCX), active in the Ca++ influx mode rather than in the Ca++ efflux mode. Also p38 MAPK plays a pro-survival role. However, the activation of this MAPK does not appear to depend on NCX. CONCLUSION: This investigation shows that the cardiac glycoside OUA is cytotoxic also for the lymphoma derived cell line U937 and that can activate a survival pathway in which are involved NCX and p38 MAPK. These molecules can represent potential targets of combined therapy.
