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Molecular Cancer
Published in: Molecular Cancer 1/2014

Open Access 01-12-2014 | Research

A TrxR inhibiting gold(I) NHC complex induces apoptosis through ASK1-p38-MAPK signaling in pancreatic cancer cells

Authors: Xinlai Cheng, Palvo Holenya, Suzan Can, Hamed Alborzinia, Riccardo Rubbiani, Ingo Ott, Stefan Wölfl

Published in: Molecular Cancer | Issue 1/2014

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Abstract

Background

Cancer cells in the advanced stage show aberrant antioxidant capacity to detoxify excessive ROS resulting in the compensation for intrinsic oxidative stress and therapeutic resistance. PDAC is one of the most lethal cancers and often associated with a high accumulation of ROS. Recent studies identified gold(I) NHC complexes as potent TrxR inhibitors suppressing cell growth in a wide spectrum of human malignant cell lines at the low micromolar concentration. However, the mechanism of action is not completely elucidated yet.

Methods

To understand the biological function of gold(I) NHC complexes in PDAC, we used a recently published gold(I) NHC complex, MC3, and evaluated its anti-proliferative effect in four PDAC cell lines, determined by MTT and SRB assays. In further detailed analysis, we analyzed cellular ROS levels using the ROS indicator DHE and mitochondrial membrane potential indicated by the dye JC-1 in Panc1. We also analyzed cell cycle arrest and apoptosis by FACS. To elucidate the role of specific cell signaling pathways in MC3-induced cell death, co-incubation with ROS scavengers, a p38-MAPK inhibitor and siRNA mediated depletion of ASK1 were performed, and results were analyzed by immunoblotting, ELISA-microarrays, qRT-PCR and immunoprecipitation.

Results

Our data demonstrate that MC3 efficiently suppressed cell growth, and induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells, in particular in the gemcitabine-resistant cancer cells Panc1 and ASPC1. Treatment with MC3 resulted in a substantial alteration of the cellular redox homeostasis leading to increased ROS levels and a decrease in the mitochondrial membrane potential. ROS scavengers suppressed ROS formation and rescued cells from damage. On the molecular level, MC3 blocked the interaction of Trx with ASK1 and subsequently activated p38-associated signaling. Furthermore, inhibition of this pathway by using ASK1 siRNA or a p38 inhibitor clearly attenuated the effect of MC3 on cell proliferation in Panc1 and ASPC1.

Conclusions

Our results confirm that MC3 is a TrxR inhibitor and show MC3 induced apoptosis in gemcitabine-resistant PDACs. MC3 mediated cell death could be blocked by using anti-oxidants, ASK1 siRNA or p38 inhibitor suggesting that the Trx-ASK1-p38 signal cascade played an important role in gold(I) NHC complexes-mediated cellular damage.
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Metadata
Title
A TrxR inhibiting gold(I) NHC complex induces apoptosis through ASK1-p38-MAPK signaling in pancreatic cancer cells
Authors
Xinlai Cheng
Palvo Holenya
Suzan Can
Hamed Alborzinia
Riccardo Rubbiani
Ingo Ott
Stefan Wölfl
Publication date
01-12-2014
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Molecular Cancer / Issue 1/2014
Electronic ISSN: 1476-4598
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1476-4598-13-221

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