Stimulating Effect of Manumycin A on Suicidal Erythrocyte Death

The streptomycete derived farnesyltransferase inhibitor Manumycin A triggers apoptosis of tumor cells and is thus considered for the treatment of malignancy. The present study explored whether Manumycin A could similarly stimulate eryptosis, the suicidal death of erythrocytes characterized by cell shrinkage and cell membrane scrambling with phosphatidylserine translocation to the erythrocyte surface. Stimulators of eryptosis include Ca2+ entry as well as activation of staurosporine sensitive protein kinase C and SB203580 sensitive p38 kinase. The present study explored, whether Manumycin A induces eryptosis and, if so, to shed some light on the mechanisms involved.