Abstract |
Protein kinase C (PKC)-delta is proapoptotic in human keratinocytes, and is downregulated or inactivated in keratinocytes expressing the activated Ha-ras oncogene, making it a candidate tumor suppressor gene for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). We evaluated the significance of PKC-delta loss in transformed human keratinocytes using tumorigenic HaCaT Ras II-4 cells that have significantly reduced PKC-delta levels. Re-expression of PKC-delta by retrovirus transduction caused an increase in apoptosis and growth inhibition in culture. The growth inhibition induced by PKC-delta could be partially reversed by Bcl-x(L) expression, indicating that apoptosis was in part responsible for PKC-delta-induced growth inhibition. PKC-delta re-expression suppressed the tumorigenicity of HaCaT Ras II-4 cells in nude mice (P<0.05), and the small tumors that did form contained elevated levels of activated caspase-3, indicating increased apoptosis. In addition, we found that 29% (12/42) of human Bowen's disease ( squamous carcinoma in situ) or SCC cases had absent or reduced PKC-delta when compared to the surrounding normal epidermis. These results indicate that PKC-delta inhibits transformed keratinocyte growth by inducing apoptosis, and that PKC-delta may function as a tumor suppressor in human SCCs where its loss in cells harboring activated ras could provide a growth advantage by conferring resistance to apoptosis.
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Authors | A M D'Costa, J K Robinson, T Maududi, V Chaturvedi, B J Nickoloff, M F Denning |
Journal | Oncogene
(Oncogene)
Vol. 25
Issue 3
Pg. 378-86
(Jan 19 2006)
ISSN: 0950-9232 [Print] England |
PMID | 16158048
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
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Chemical References |
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Topics |
- Animals
- Apoptosis
- Carcinoma, Squamous Cell
(enzymology, genetics)
- Cell Line
- Flow Cytometry
- Genes, Tumor Suppressor
- Humans
- Male
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- Mice, Nude
- Protein Kinase C-delta
(genetics, metabolism)
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