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Involvement of PKC βII in anti‐proliferating action of a new antitumor compound gnidimacrin
Author(s) -
Yoshida Mitsuzi,
Heike Yuji,
Ohno Shigeo,
Ikekawa Tetsuro,
Wakasugi Hiro
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/ijc.11157
Subject(s) - protein kinase c , transfection , k562 cells , microbiology and biotechnology , cell culture , clone (java method) , pkc alpha , biology , in vitro , cancer research , chemistry , signal transduction , gene , biochemistry , genetics
Daphnane‐type diterpene gnidimacrin (NSC 252940) shows significant antitumor activity against murine tumors and human tumor cell lines. This compound binds to and directly activates protein kinase C (PKC), arresting the cell cycle at the G 1 phase through inhibition of cdk2 activity in human K562 leukemia cells. In our study, we examined whether cellular PKC is involved in the antiproliferating effect of gnidimacrin. In a 24‐hr exposure of K562 cells to high concentrations of bryostatin 1 (0.11–3.3 μM), both expression of PKC α and PKC βII was downregulated, and thereafter these cells became resistant to gnidimacrin in response to the degree of PKC downregulation. In addition, PKC α and PKC βII genes were transfected to gnidimacrin‐resistant human hepatoma HLE cells that demonstrated positive expression of PKC α and negative expression of PKC βII. PKC βII gene‐transfected cells became sensitive to gnidimacrin in relation to the degree of PKC βII expression. The most sensitive clone to show 0.001 μg/mL (1.2 nM) as IC 50 in a continuous 4‐day exposure was obtained. While PKC α gene‐transfected cells exhibited an increase in PKC α expression and became sensitive to gnidimacrin, sensitivity was one‐hundredth of that in PKC βII gene‐transfected cells. These results suggest that PKC, in particular PKC βII, is necessary in the antitumor effect of gnidimacrin. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.