Inhibition of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 phosphorylation and induction of apoptosis by sulindac metabolites.

Abstract

Regular use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin and sulindac is associated with a decreased mortality from colorectal cancer. Sulindac causes regression of precancerous adenomatous polyps and inhibits the growth of cultured colon cell lines. Whereas induction of apoptotic cell death is thought to account for the growth inhibitory effect of sulindac, less is known about its biochemical mechanism(s) of action. Sulindac is metabolized in vivo to sulfide and sulfone derivatives. Both the sulfide and sulfone metabolites of sulindac as well as more potent cyclic GMP-dependent phosphodiesterase inhibitors were shown to cause inhibition of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 phosphorylation at doses (40-600 microM) and times (1-5 days) consistent with the induction of apoptosis by the drugs. Treatment of HCT116 human colon cancer cells with the specific mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase, U0126 (5-50 microM) resulted in a time- and dose-dependent inhibition of ERK1/2 phosphorylation, and induction of apoptosis. U0126 treatment (20 microM) increased basal apoptosis, and potentiated the apoptotic effect of sulindac sulfide and sulindac sulfone. These results suggest that the inhibition of ERK1/2 phosphorylation is responsible for at least part of the induction of programmed cell death by sulindac metabolites. Inhibition of ERK1/2 activity may, therefore, be a useful biochemical target for the development of chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic drugs for human colon cancer.

• Authors: P L Rice, R J Goldberg, E C Ray, L J Driggers, D J Ahnen
• Journal: Cancer research (Cancer Res) Vol. 61 Issue 4 Pg. 1541-7 (Feb 15 2001) ISSN: 0008-5472 [Print] United States
• PMID: 11245463 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S., Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
• Antineoplastic Agents
• Butadienes
• Enzyme Inhibitors
• Nitriles
• U 0126
• Sulindac
• sulindac sulfide
• Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
• Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1
• Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3
• Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
• MAP Kinase Kinase Kinase 1
• MAP3K1 protein, human
• 3',5'-Cyclic-GMP Phosphodiesterases
• CASP3 protein, human
• CASP7 protein, human
• Caspase 3
• Caspase 7
• Caspases
• sulindac sulfone

Topics

• 3',5'-Cyclic-GMP Phosphodiesterases (antagonists & inhibitors, metabolism)
• Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal (metabolism)
• Antineoplastic Agents (pharmacology)
• Apoptosis (drug effects, physiology)
• Butadienes (pharmacology)
• Caspase 3
• Caspase 7
• Caspases (metabolism)
• Colonic Neoplasms (enzymology, pathology)
• Down-Regulation
• Enzyme Activation
• Enzyme Inhibitors (pharmacology)
• Humans
• MAP Kinase Kinase Kinase 1
• MAP Kinase Signaling System (drug effects, physiology)
• Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 (antagonists & inhibitors, biosynthesis, metabolism)
• Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3
• Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases (antagonists & inhibitors, biosynthesis, metabolism)
• Nitriles (pharmacology)
• Phosphorylation (drug effects)
• Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases (antagonists & inhibitors, metabolism)
• Sulindac (analogs & derivatives, metabolism, pharmacology)
• Tumor Cells, Cultured (drug effects)